Meet The Opponent: Indiana Continues Homestand As Miami of Ohio Visits Friday

The Indiana Hoosiers and Miami of Ohio RedHawks met two years ago in Indianapolis, but Miami has improved since then.

Miami (OH) Redhawks guard Peter Suder (5) shoots the ball =against the Mercer Bears in the second half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The last time Indiana played against semi-regular nonconference foe Miami of Ohio, the Hoosiers caught the RedHawks in a transitional phase in November 2022.

Travis Steele, the former Indiana assistant from the Kelvin Sampson era, had just taken over the program. Playing Indiana in their fifth game of the season, Miami hadn’t beaten a Division I opponent yet. With a full-strength Indiana team featuring Trayce Jackson-Davis, Miami had little shot against the Hoosiers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Miami was dismissed 86-56.

Two years later, Steele has Miami in a much better state of affairs as they renew acquaintances with the Hoosiers at 7 p.m. ET Friday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. It's the second game of a three-game homestand Indiana is currently on.

The RedHawks are 5-2, including a road win at Appalachian State and a Fort Myers Tip-Off Palms Division championship – the Palms Division consists of mid-major programs. None of the players who were primary contributors during the 2022 matchup with Indiana are major contributors for the current iteration of the RedHawks.

While Miami should provide more resistance than they did in 2022, it will still be a big challenge for the RedHawks to escape Assembly Hall with a win. In their lone game against Big Ten competition, the RedHawks were humbled 94-67 at Michigan.

Indiana comes off a relatively easy 97-71 victory over Sam Houston Tuesday. It will be interesting how many Hoosiers suit up as Kanaan Carlyle and Gabe Cupps missed Tuesday’s game. The game featured the return of guard Jakai Newton from a hamstring injury.

Here's a breakdown of the Miami of Ohio RedHawks.

Key players

Miami (Oh) Redhawks forward Eian Elmer (0) shoots in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

• G Peter Suder: 17.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg

• G Kam Craft: 14.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.7 apg

• F Eian Elmer: 14 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.1 apg

• F Antwone Woolfolk: 8.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.1 rpg

• G Luke Skaljac: 5.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.7 apg

• G Mekhi Cooper: 4.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.3 apg

• G Evan Ipsaro: 3.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.9 apg

• C Reece Potter: 3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.4 apg

• F Brant Byers: 2.6 ppg, 2 rpg, 0.4 apg

2024-25 Schedule (5-2)

• W, 77-63. at Appalachian State, Nov. 4

• L, 81-68 Wright State, Nov. 9

• W, 88-70 Maryland-Eastern Shore, Nov. 12

• L, 94-67 at Michigan, Nov. 18

• W, 70-58 Siena – Fort Myers Tip-Off, Nov. 25

• W, 75-72 Mercer – Fort Myers Tip-Off, Nov. 26

• W, 73-60 Air Force, Dec. 2

Series history

Indiana leads 22-3. The teams last played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Nov. 20, 2022 as the Hoosiers won 86-56. Indiana has won six in a row in the series dating back to 1984. Indiana’s last loss in the series was a 63-57 defeat on Nov. 26, 1983. Indiana’s other losses in the series took place in 1933 and 1944.

Head coach: Travis Steele

Miami (OH) Redhawks head coach Travis Steele looks on against the Siena Saints in the second half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Born in Danville, Ind., Steele has Indiana ties having been a video coordinator for Kelvin Sampson from 2006-08, before finishing as an assistant coach after Sampson was terminated. Steele, a Butler graduate, went to Xavier from Indiana where he was an assistant from 2009-18. In his last three years as an assistant, he was associate head coach. He was promoted to head coach in 2018 when Chris Mack took the head coaching job at Louisville. Steele was 70-50 at Xavier from 2018-22. He was subsequently hired at Miami and is 32-39 with the RedHawks as he enters his third season.

Strengths

When Miami can set its offense, it can convert. The RedHawks shoot 47.5% from the field as they rank 83rd nationally in the category. Miami is also opportunistic defensively as it ranks 60th nationally at 8.9 steals per game. Miami will take its fair share of 3-point shots, but the RedHawks are better inside the arc as they convert 57% of their 2-point attempts. Carmel, Ind. native Peter Suder is a big reason why as he leads the MAC in field goal percentage at 58.8%, an impressive feat considering Suder is a guard. The deadliest outside shooter is Eian Elmer, a 41.7% 3-point shooter, though in limited shots, Luke Skaljac is 6-for-7 on the season from long range.

Weaknesses

The RedHawks are undersized. Center Reece Potter (7-foot-1) is the only 7-footer on the team. Miami has no one else taller than 6-9. Predictably, Miami struggles badly on the glass as they average 32.1 rebounds per game, ranked 330th nationally. Oddly, Miami has still out-rebounded its opponents 32-31 on the season. Miami is also prone to turnovers as they give it away 15.1 times per game. Teams have had success shooting threes against them as opponents have converted 36.5% from 3-point range against them.

Season and game outlook

Miami (OH) Redhawks forward Eian Elmer (0) celebrates after beating the Mercer Bears in the Palms Division championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Not much was expected of Miami this season as the RedHawks were picked smack dab in the middle of the Mid-American Conference preseason poll at sixth place in a 12-team league. However, the RedHawks are currently out-performing their prediction slightly as Miami is fourth in the MAC in both Kenpom.com and barttorvik.com’s rankings.

Miami’s weaknesses – rebounding, 3-point defense and turnovers – play to some of Indiana’s strengths. If Miami turns it over per its usual habit, Indiana will be able to utilize their fast-break offense they like to run. Indiana’s Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau will both present matchup problems in the lane and on the glass. Indiana’s 3-point shooting – the Hoosiers have converted 37% to rank 70th nationally – should also be a strength against a Miami defense that has been vulnerable to threes. Improved though they may be from the last meeting, it’s not a favorable matchup for the RedHawks.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• GOODE, LEAL, TUCKER FORM SOLID TRIO: Indiana worked best against Sam Houston when Luke Goode, Anthony Leal and Bryson Tucker were on the floor together. CLICK HERE.

• INDIANA DELIVERS TENSION-FREE VICTORY: Indiana kept Sam Houston at arm's length and the Indiana bench delivered in a 97-71 triumph for the Hoosiers. CLICK HERE.

• GOODE REALIZING DREAM: He struggled to start the season, but Luke Goode is starting to heat up and the Hoosiers are reaping the benefits. CLICK HERE.

• WHAT WOODSON SAID: Everything Indiana coach Mike Woodson said after Indiana's victory over Sam Houston. CLICK HERE.