Nutter Center, Wright State University, Dayton, OH | December 16, 2025 In front of a solid mid-major crowd of just under 4,900 fans, the Miami RedHawks entered what was arguably their toughest game of the season and emerged victorious. According to ESPN, Wright State was a slight favorite with a 51% chance to win, while KenPom echoed the toss-up nature of the matchup, predicting a one-point victory for the Raiders. However, Miami had other plans. 

Miami’s first half was clinical, as they shot lights out from the field. The RedHawks went 13-of-22 overall (59%) and 8-of-13 from beyond the arc (61.5%). They also drew 16 free-throw attempts, converting at a 75% rate. Miami committed just six turnovers, which Wright State turned into five points. The Raiders, however, struggled offensively, shooting 13-of-35 from the field (37%), 1-of-11 from three-point range (9%), and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. Wright State had four turnovers but committed 11 fouls. Although the Raiders grabbed eight offensive rebounds in the first half, they managed only three second-chance points. At halftime, Miami’s Brant Byers led all scorers with 20 points on an efficient 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-4 from deep. The RedHawks led 46-34 at the break. 

The second half began much like the first, with Miami maintaining their hot shooting and visibly frustrating the Raiders. As the half wore on, however, the game grew more physical, and Wright State’s defense began to disrupt Miami’s rhythm. With 11:00 remaining, Wright State cut the deficit to 57-66, bringing it under 10 points for the first time in the half. The Raiders’ fans were energetic, seizing every opportunity to rally their team. Wright State trimmed the lead to just seven points, but then went ice cold from the field. Miami endured a scoring drought lasting more than six minutes, which allowed an 11-0 run by the Raiders. However, Wright State also suffered a drought of over two minutes, failing to fully capitalize on Miami’s miscues. 

Coming out of the under-8:00 TV timeout and a RedHawks timeout, Miami’s Almar Atlason converted a layup and drew the fourth foul on Wright State’s #22 TJ Burch. Although Atlason missed the ensuing free throw, the basket extended the lead back to nine points. On the next possession, Miami’s #3 Luke Skaljac committed his fourth foul. The fouling continued when Wright State’s #33 Michael Imariagbe picked up his fourth. All these fouls occurred between 8:00 and 7:21 remaining, forcing both teams to carefully manage their personnel down the stretch. A pump fake and slam from Atlason pushed the RedHawks’ lead back to 10 at 71-61 with 6:13 left. At the under-4:00 timeout, Miami had extended it to 74-61, prompting a Wright State timeout with 3:57 remaining. The Raiders endured another scoring drought, and many fans began heading for the exits. 

With 3:14 left, Wright State’s Logan Woods hit a three-pointer and drew a foul, completing a four-point play that breathed some life back into the Raiders. Miami responded immediately, however, as Peter Suder converted a tough driving layup to restore a 10-point advantage. The remainder of the game was a back-and-forth affair, but Wright State could not string together enough defensive stops to overcome the deficit.

 Key Performances:

Miami (OH)

• Brant Byers: 27 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists. He added 3 steals and just 1 turnover. Player of the game! 
• Evan Ipsaro: 12 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers. 
• Peter Suder: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 turnovers. 
• Almar Atlason: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist – Clutch play after clutch play from him to close the game!

Wright State

• Michael Cooper: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, with 2 steals. 
• Michael Imariagbe: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist. He had 3 turnovers and fouled out.

Tonight, the better team prevailed. Miami, while not overly physical, imposed their up-tempo style more effectively than Wright State could counter. The RedHawks rank among the fastest teams in the country, while the Raiders are one of the slowest. This game played out at a fast pace, which disrupted Wright State’s rhythm throughout. Miami will likely enter their MAC opener at Bowling Green on December 30 undefeated and potentially receiving AP poll votes. As long as they keep winning, they will continue to earn consideration in mine. For Wright State, they will continue their non-conference schedule with a matchup against a competitive Eastern Michigan team on Monday, December 22, 2025. After that, all eyes will turn to conference play, where they open the Horizon League slate against Oakland on December 29. I want to take a moment to genuinely thank Wright State for hosting me tonight. While the matchup did not go as they hoped, it was a great experience, and I look forward to returning!

Tonight’s 📸