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As his SMU team prepares to face the Miami RedHawks in an NCAA Tournament First Four game at University of Dayton Arena, Mustangs head coach Andy Enfield was asked about the polarizing nature of the RedHawks’ first at-large bid since Wally Szczerbiak’s 1999 Sweet 16 Miami team.
“I think they deserve to be in the tournament,” Enfield said. “They went 31-0. Some (Miami critics) just need to be quiet on air sometimes. I think Miami of Ohio deserves to be there. They’re an outstanding team. They share the basketball. They shoot 3s. And to go 31-0 in the regular season is incredible. And so I have all the respect in the world (for them).”
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“I coached at Florida Gulf Coast my first head job,” Enfield continued. “You go 31-0 at that level of college basketball, you deserve to be there. We’re certainly not going to take them lightly because they’re not in a power conference. But they’re an outstanding basketball team.”
The RedHawks are scheduled to face SMU on Wednesday, March 18, at 9:15 p.m. Eastern.
Former UNC standout Tyler Hansbrough was among those insisting that the RedHawks didn’t deserve an at-large bid.
Szczerbiak said during the network’s “NCAA March Madness bracket breakdown” that he was “very surprised” the RedHawks were sent to Dayton.
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As the RedHawks heard their name called on Selection Sunday, CBS analyst Seth Davis said Miami earned the final at-large bid available. NCAA Tournament selection committee chairman Keith Gill clarified a short time later that North Carolina State, Texas and SMU were ranked lower than Miami by the committee.
Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Andy Enfield
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: SMU’s Andy Enfield slams Miami RedHawks critics | 2026 NCAA Tournament
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/smu-coach-andy-enfield-suggests-035809429.html
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Publish date : 2026-03-16 03:58:00
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