Antwone Woolfolk led all scorers with 21 points, Brant Byers added 20 and Eian Elmer finished with 16 as Miami improved to 17-0 overall and 5-0 in the Mid-American Conference. Sonny Wilson paced Toledo with 20 points.
“Anytime you get a road win, man, it’s a huge win,” Miami coach Travis Steele said. “They had a great environment here tonight. I got a ton of respect for Tod Kowalczyk. He is tremendous, and they’ve got a great program.”
Miami set the tone immediately, opening with crisp ball movement and efficient shooting. A pair of early 3-pointers from Elmer and Byers, along with a driving layup from Luke Skaljac, gave the RedHawks an early edge. Byers’ shooting stretched the lead quickly, while Justin Kirby’s work on the glass helped Miami build its first double-digit advantage.
“I thought practice was ridiculous yesterday, how good it was,” Steele said. “I actually shortened the practice — we were so good — and that carried right over to the game. Our ball was really moving. We took care of the ball.”
The RedHawks erupted for 56 first-half points, fueled by nine 3-pointers and just enough physicality to knock Toledo off balance. Byers connected on four triples before the break, Skaljac orchestrated the offense, and Peter Suder buried a banked 3-pointer to send Miami into halftime with a commanding 56-36 lead.
“If we had 10 or less turnovers, I felt like we’d win by double digits — and that’s what happened,” Steele said. “Our ball was flying around the court. We have so many guys that can shoot and score it. We’re hard to prepare for.”
Miami never allowed the Rockets to seriously threaten in the second half. Woolfolk opened the period with two 3-pointers during a 10-2 run, pushing the lead to 66-38. When Toledo trimmed the margin under 20 late, Woolfolk responded with a tip-in and a strong post finish to reassert control.
“He’s a problem,” Steele said of Woolfolk. “He’s shooting it very confidently right now. He’s a mismatch guy — he can drive you, post you, shoot it and defend at a high level.”
The win underscored Miami’s maturity and composure, traits Steele credits to veteran leadership and daily habits.
“They don’t get too high or too low,” Steele said. “We stay right in the present. Our guys sacrifice for the greater good, and that’s why we’re good. We’ve got high-character dudes in that locker room.”
Miami shot better than 50 percent from the field for the 13th time this season, had two players score 20 or more points for the second time, and received six assists from Suder — who orchestrated the offense without needing to score.
“He doesn’t care about scoring,” Steele said. “He contributes in many, many ways, and he doesn’t care as long as the team wins. That’s why we’re good.”
With the historic road hurdle cleared, Steele emphasized that the focus remains firmly forward. Miami returns home Tuesday night to host Central Michigan at Millett Hall.
“This game’s going to be in the rearview mirror,” Steele said. “We’ll be looking through the front windshield. It’s more about the journey and continuing to get better.”
Next game
Who: Central Michigan at Miami
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 980-AM, 1450-AM, 101.5-FM
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