The No. 1 seed Miami RedHawks advanced to the 2026 MAC Tournament Championship game, dismantling the No. 5-seeded Ohio Bobcats 80-52 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Reaching their first conference championship game since 2008.
“I’m super proud of my staff, I really felt like they were amazing in this quick one-day prep,” said Miami head coach Glenn Box postgame. “I felt like they got the kids prepared and ready. We had a bunch of kids who were really hungry for information.”
Miami’s three-point shooting was efficient, going 16-32 on the day and 44.6% from the floor. The RedHawks produced 28 points from their bench while holding Ohio to just 15.
Ohio never got going offensively, finishing at 28.4% and 4-29 from three. It’s worth noting that the Bobcats were the MAC leader in 3-pointers made.
“Tough game for us. [Ohio] played better than us [today],” said Ohio head coach Bob Boldon. “But I’m very proud of the team that I have and the way they handle themselves throughout the year.”
For Miami, Amber Tretter finished the game with a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Leading the RedHawks in scoring, however, was Amber Scalia, with 22 points. Two other RedHawks finished in double figures: Clara Gonzalez Planella with 17, and Ilse de Vries had 11.
In the loss, Ohio’s Monica Williams was the only Bobcat to reach double-digit scoring. She finished with 18 on 6-13 shooting, including 3-6 from 3-point range.
The RedHawks offense got things going with a 7-3 run early in the first quarter. After the first media timeout, Miami used its quick ball movement to its advantage, scoring a 17-5 run to close out the first quarter. The Bobcats went 2-8 from three in the first and just 29.4% from the floor. Ohio was out-rebounded on the glass 15-6, as the RedHawks enjoyed a 24-13 lead going into the second.
Ohio’s shooting struggles continued into the second quarter, starting 1-5 and 0-2 from beyond the arc in the opening minutes. Miami led by as much as 26 in the second, shooting 61.5% and going a perfect 4-4 from three.
Miami’s lead was 24 going into halftime, with the score 48-24 in favor of the RedHawks. Tretter was one rebound shy of a double-double at halftime, with 12 points and nine boards. For Ohio, their leading scorer at the midway point was Williams with nine, all points coming from 3-point range.
Both teams struggled offensively in the third quarter, each shooting under 35%. Despite the RedHawks’ inefficiency, Miami led by as much as 30 and won the quarter 18-15. The Bobcats were 1-8 from three and 7-21 from field goal range.
The fourth and final quarter was won by Miami once again, 14-13. With Box getting the RedHawks reserves in action with 12 bench points to solidify their spot in the championship game.
The RedHawks will face the winner of Ball State and Toledo in the 2026 MAC Championship game tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, at 11:00 a.m. Falcon Media Sports Network’s Lucas Kleimeyer, Adam Duffin, and Trey Kennedy will have the call on Falcon Radio.
