Prairie View A&M and Miami (Ohio) Advance in NCAA Men's Basketball First Four

Prairie View A&M secured its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, defeating Lehigh 67-55, while Miami (Ohio) advanced by overcoming SMU 89-79 in the First Four games.
Both teams will now proceed to the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Prairie View A&M Defeats Lehigh

Prairie View A&M recorded its inaugural NCAA Tournament win by defeating Lehigh 67-55 in a First Four matchup. The Panthers, who now hold a 19-17 record and an eight-game winning streak that includes the SWAC championship, advance as the No. 16 seed in the South Region. Their next opponent is top-seeded and defending national champion Florida, whom they will face on Friday in Tampa. Lehigh concluded its season with an 18-17 record.

Dontae Horne led Prairie View A&M with 25 points, all scored in the second half, in addition to seven rebounds and four steals. Cory Wells contributed a double-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. Lance Williams added 10 points. Horne, Wells, and Williams each played the entire 40 minutes of the game.

For Lehigh, Hank Alvey was the leading scorer with 23 points and achieved a career-high 15 rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting, making him the only Mountain Hawk to reach double-digit scoring. Lehigh's leading scorer, Nasir Whitlock, who averaged 21 points per game and was the Patriot League Tournament MVP, was limited to five points on 2-of-15 shooting from the field. Whitlock remained scoreless in the first half, did not score for over 26 minutes, and missed his first nine shots before connecting on a 3-pointer with 13:12 left in the game. Lance Williams was credited for his defensive performance against Whitlock. Lehigh's total score was 18 points below their season scoring average.

Lehigh initially established its largest lead at 23-15 after consecutive 3-pointers from Andrew Urosevic. Cory Wells responded by scoring five consecutive points, including a 3-pointer, to narrow the deficit. Lehigh held a 29-27 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Prairie View A&M's defense tightened, and offensive rebounding improved, with the team utilizing a three-quarters-court press. The Panthers established a five-point lead early in the second half and extended it to 51-41 with 8:34 remaining following a jumper by Wells, ultimately securing their victory. Lehigh's only prior NCAA Tournament victory occurred against Duke in 2012.

Miami (Ohio) Advances Past SMU

In another First Four contest held in Dayton, Ohio, Miami (Ohio) secured an 89-79 victory over SMU. This win marks Miami (Ohio)'s first NCAA Tournament victory since 1999.

The RedHawks will now play against the No. 6 seed Tennessee Volunteers on Friday in Philadelphia. SMU was making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in nine years. Miami (Ohio) finished the regular season with a 31-0 record and received an at-large bid after a loss in the MAC Tournament.

Miami (Ohio)'s offense was led by Eian Elmer, who scored between 22 and 23 points, including six three-pointers. Brant Byers contributed 19 points, converting four of nine three-point attempts, while Luke Skaljac added 17 points, making three of five from beyond the arc. Almar Orri Atlason also scored 12 points. The RedHawks collectively made 16 three-pointers and attempted 41, setting an NCAA record for a First Four game.

For SMU, Jaden Toombs scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Jaron Pierre Jr contributed 18 points, and Boopie Miller scored 15 points. Corey Washington added 13 points. SMU played without B.J. Miller due to an ankle injury. During the game, SMU's 7-foot-1 center Samet Yigitoglu fouled out.

SMU briefly held a 49-48 lead in the second half. Miami (Ohio) subsequently regained control and extended its lead to secure the win.