Former Miami University basketball great Wally Szczerbiak sent college hoops analyst Bruce Pearl a message after the RedHawks’ NCAA Tournament First Four win against the SMU Mustangs at University of Dayton Arena, Miami’s first win in the tournament since Szczerbiak’s Sweet 16 team in 1999.
“Bruce, what do you got now?” Szczerbiak said. “You are so lucky I am not on that desk. Jalen Rose, set him straight! Let’s go RedHawks! Don’t count these boys out!”
Szczerbiak watched from Portland, where he is scheduled to call Round of 64 action later in the week.
“I got you, Wally World!” Rose said. “Already been doing it. … I just showed them how to make it rain. And I put respect on your name: Miami University.”
“Hey Wally! I just want to congratulate you and Miami of Ohio on your first Quad 1 win of the season,” Pearl responded. “Congratulations. We’re gonna go there, let’s go. What am I gonna back down?”
Against SMU, the RedHawks were led by 1,000-point scorer Eian Elmer, a former Taft High School standout. Before the game, actor and former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar John Cena sent a special message to Elmer.
The RedHawks’ next NCAA Tournament game, against No. 6 Tennessee at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, is scheduled for Friday, March 20 at 4:25 p.m. Eastern on TBS. Pearl coached the Volunteers from 2005 to 2011.
Szczerbiak said during CBS’ “NCAA March Madness bracket breakdown” that he was “very surprised” the RedHawks were sent to Dayton.
Pearl, who emerged as a critic of the RedHawks by suggesting they wouldn’t be as deserving of an at-large bid as some power-conference teams, celebrated Miami’s 31st win of the season with a tweet.
Pearl said March 8 that he wasn’t rooting for the RedHawks to win the Mid-American Conference tournament, because he wanted the league to get two bids for the first time since 1999.
During a TNT Sports interview March 7 with RedHawks head coach Travis Steele, Pearl agreed to pay the amount of Steele’s fine from the MAC for a halftime tantrum at Western Michigan, to Steele’s favorite charity.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Watch Wally Szczerbiak’s message to Bruce Pearl after Miami win vs SMU