Tennessee Basketball vs Miami (Ohio) Redhawks: Final Thoughts and How the Vols Win

Final thoughts ahead of the Tennessee Volunteers' March Madness matchup against the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks in round one.

The Tennessee Volunteers are just hours away from tipping off their first matchup of the 2025-2026 March Madness tournament, as the team gears up for a round one matchup against the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks.

The Volunteers are once again favorites to make a deep run in this year's tournament and are looking to build upon their results from last year in hopes of winning the tournament. In order to do so however, the Vols will need to earn a victory this evening over a Miami team that went undefeated during the regular season.

With tip off just hours away, here is what the Tennessee Volunteers can do to ensure victory over their round one opponents and advance to the next round of the 2026 March Madness tournament.

How Tennessee Basketball Can Defeat Miami (Ohio) In Round One

1. Dominate the Paint

Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) shoots over Vanderbilt Commodores guard Chandler Bing (7) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

While shooting threes has become the more efficient method for scoring in today's era of basketball, Tennessee could do some serious damage in the front court against the Miami (Ohio). The Redhawks are heading into this game with one of the worst ratings in opponent two-point field goal percentage, and will be extremely vulnerable throughout the contest. Taking advantage of this deficiency would be a massive boost for the Vols.

2. Control the Glass on Both Ends of the Court

Tennessee forward Dewayne Brown II (6) grabs a rebound ahead of Vanderbilt forward Ak Okereke (10) during their quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026. | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Perhaps the biggest disparity in today's matchup, the Redhawks are one of the nation's worst rebounding teams. While the Volunteers are arguably one of the nation's best. A matchup that plays perfectly into the hands of the Vols and will likely create numerous second-chance shots for Tennessee. Controlling the glass could render any defensive efforts by Miami (Ohio) useless.

3. Start Fast and Start Efficient

Mar 12, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34)dunks the ball over Auburn Tigers guard Keyshawn Hall (7) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Given that the Vols will have the upper hand in a majority of important categories, Tennessee should look to quickly jump out to a comfortable lead and put immense pressure on the Redhawks. Doing this will likely make Miami's deficiencies that much more pronounced and place the Vols' opponents in an extremely vulnerable position.

Today's matchup is a stylistic dream for the Volunteers, and the team could build tons of momentum with a strong performance against a notable opponent this afternoon. Tip off for today's game is currently scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET and will be aired on TBS.