Revisiting Wally Szczerbiak’s playing career at Miami (OH): What to know about 1999 RedHawks’ run to Sweet 16

Revisiting Wally Szczerbiak’s playing career at Miami (OH): What to know about 1999 RedHawks’ run to Sweet 16 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Long before Miami (OH) put together an undefeated regular season, the face of the RedHawks was Wally Szczerbiak.

The NBA forward-turned-analyst first made his name in Oxford, Ohio as one of the nation’s top offensive players and led Miami to an unlikely Sweet 16 appearance.

Szczerbiak has gotten to sit back and watch the revival of the program he helped bring back to life in the late 1990s, and the latest iteration of the RedHawks undoubtedly has him feeling prouder than ever.

Here’s a look back at Szczerbiak’s college career and Miami (OH)’s memorable 1999 run.

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Where did Wally Szczerbiak go to college?

Szczerbiak spent all four of his collegiate seasons at Miami (OH), starting out as a reserve in 1995-96 and developing into the focal point of the RedHawks by his final two seasons with the program.

Szczerbiak was born in Spain while his father played basketball internationally, but his family was originally based in Pittsburgh before relocating to New York. Szczerbiak committed to Miami (OH) after a visit and was recruited by coach Herb Sendek, who currently coaches Santa Clara.

Here’s more to know about Szczerbiak’s career with the RedHawks.

MORE:Where is Miami (Ohio) located?

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Wally Szczerbiak playing career at Miami (OH)

Szczerbiak came off the bench under Sendek in his freshman season, averaging 8.0 points per game, and he stepped into a starting role as a sophomore despite Sendek leaving for NC State. Miami reached the NCAA Tournament in Szczerbiak’s sophomore season, falling to Clemson as a No. 13 seed.

The breakout season for Szczerbiak came in 1997-98, when he missed a portion of the schedule with a broken wrist but still averaged 24.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Szczerbiak posted similar numbers as a senior in 1998-99, and success on the court followed. Miami went 15-3 in the MAC and earned a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which set the stage for a Sweet 16 run that still lives in RedHawks lore. Szczerbiak earned Second-Team All-American honors in 1999 and became the No. 6 pick of the 1999 NBA Draft; his number would later be retired at Miami.

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Here’s a closer look at Szczerbiak’s Sweet 16 run in a RedHawks uniform.

MORE:How did Miami (Ohio) get its name?

Miami (OH) Sweet 16 run

Miami (OH) earned a No. 10 seed after going 22-7 in 1998-99. Defense and Szczerbiak’s heroics pushed the RedHawks to two NCAA Tournament wins.

Szczerbiak put Miami’s offense on his back in a 59-58 win over No. 7 Washington in the opening round, scoring 43 of the RedHawks’ 59 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks. Only two other players even scored for Miami, and only one other player scored more than four points.

Miami outscored No. 2 Utah by 11 in the second half to pull off a second round upset, getting 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists out of Szczerbiak.

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The run ended in the Sweet 16, as Tubby Smith and Kentucky held Miami to just 43 points in a 15-point victory. Miami’s 1999 run tied its deepest in program history, and Szczerbiak further etched his name into RedHawks history with his unbelievable performance in the first round.

MORE: Miami (Ohio) strength of schedule, explained

Wally Szczerbiak college stats

Szczerbiak steadily improved his production during his time at Miami, emerging as a starter as a sophomore and morphing into a star as a junior with 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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