SMU Mustangs Men's Basketball Team Faces Miami (Ohio) in March Madness First Four

The winner will earn an 11-seed and advance to face Tennessee in the Round of 64.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 11:36pm

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The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team will open the NCAA Tournament by taking on Miami (Ohio) in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. The winner of this matchup will earn an 11-seed and move on to face Tennessee in the Round of 64.

Why it matters

SMU is a well-known athletic brand, and their appearance in the First Four is an opportunity for the team to make a statement and potentially advance deeper into the NCAA Tournament.

The details

The SMU Mustangs and Miami (Ohio) RedHawks will face off in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament, with the winner earning an 11-seed and a matchup against Tennessee in the Round of 64.

  • The First Four game between SMU and Miami (Ohio) will take place in Dayton, Ohio.

The players

SMU Mustangs

The men's basketball team representing Southern Methodist University, a private research university located in Dallas, Texas.

Miami (Ohio) RedHawks

The men's basketball team representing Miami University, a public research university located in Oxford, Ohio.

Tennessee Volunteers

The men's basketball team representing the University of Tennessee, a public research university located in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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What’s next

The winner of the SMU vs. Miami (Ohio) First Four matchup will advance to face the Tennessee Volunteers in the Round of 64.

The takeaway

The First Four game between SMU and Miami (Ohio) is an opportunity for both teams to earn a spot in the main NCAA Tournament bracket and potentially make a deep run in March Madness.