Revisiting Wally Szczerbiak’s career at Miami (Ohio): What to know about the 1999 Redhawks’ run to the Sweet 16 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
Long before Miami (Ohio) went undefeated in the regular season, the face of the Redhawks was Wally Szczerbiak.
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The NBA forward-turned-analyst first made a name for himself in Oxford, Ohio, where he was one of the top offensive players in the country and led Miami to an unexpected Sweet 16 appearance.
Szczerbiak can sit back and watch the resurgence of the program he helped revive in the late 1990s, and the latest version of the Redhawks certainly makes him prouder than ever.
Here’s a look back at Szczerbiak’s college career and his memorable 1999 performance at Miami (Ohio).
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Where did Wally Szczerbiak go to college?
Szczerbiak spent all four of his college seasons at Miami (Ohio), starting as a reserve in 1995-96 and developing into a focal point for the Redhawks during his final two seasons in the program.
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Szczerbiak was born in Spain and his father played basketball internationally, but his family originally lived in Pittsburgh and later moved to New York. Szczerbiak decided to join Miami (Ohio) after visiting Miami (Ohio) and was recruited by current Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek.
Here’s more about Szczerbiak’s career with the RedHawks.
More:Where is Miami (Ohio) located?
Wally Szczerbiak’s career at Miami (OH)
Szczerbiak came off the bench for Sendek during his freshman season, averaging 8.0 points per game, and despite Sendek leaving for North Carolina State, he moved into the starting role as a sophomore. During Szczerbiak’s sophomore season, the Miami Heat reached the NCAA tournament, but lost to Clemson as the No. 13 seed.
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Szczerbiak’s breakout season came in 1997-98, when he missed part of the season with a broken wrist but still averaged 24.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Szczerbiak had similar success as a senior in 1998-99 before finding success on the field. The Miami Heat went 15-3 in MAC play and clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 10 seed, setting the stage for the Redhawks’ trip to the Sweet 16. Szczerbiak was a second-team All-American in 1999 and the sixth overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft; his number was later retired by Miami.
Here’s a closer look at Szczerbiak in a Redhawks uniform heading into the Sweet 16.
More:Where did Miami (Ohio) get its name?
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Miami (Ohio) Sweet 16 Games
Miami (Ohio) earned the No. 10 seed with a 22-7 record in 1998-99. The defense and Szczerbiak’s heroics helped the Redhawks win two NCAA tournaments.
Szczerbiak put the Heat’s offense on his shoulders in a 59-58 win over seventh-ranked Washington in the first round, scoring 43 of the Redhawks’ 59 points to go along with 12 rebounds and three blocks. Only two other players scored for Miami, and only one player scored more than four points.
Szczerbiak had 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the Miami Heat pulled off a second-round upset by beating the second-place Utah Jazz by 11 points in the second half.
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The Sweet 16 ended with Tubby Smith and Kentucky holding the Heat to a 15-point victory with 43 points. Miami’s 1999 run tied the deepest mark in program history, and Szczerbiak further etched his name in RedHawks history with his incredible performance in the first round.
More: Miami (Ohio) schedule strength, explained
Wally Szczerbiak University Data
|
season |
game |
PPG |
role playing games |
APG |
STL |
Yield % |
|
1995-96 |
twenty two |
8.0 |
3.3 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
52.0% |
|
1996-97 |
30 |
12.8 |
5.4 |
2.1 |
0.7 |
47.5% |
|
1997-98 |
twenty one |
24.4 |
7.6 |
2.5 |
0.9 |
52.9% |
|
1998-89 |
32 |
24.2 |
8.5 |
2.9 |
1.2 |
52.2% |
|
Profession |
105 |
17.6 |
6.3 |
2.2 |
0.8 |
51.2% |
Szczerbiak steadily improved his performance during his time at Miami, becoming a starter as a sophomore and becoming a star as a junior, averaging 24.4 points per game.
As a senior, Szczerbiak set career highs in rebounds, assists and steals while leading the Redhawks to the Sweet 16.
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