Suder scores career-high 42 points to lead Miami past Air Force

“I’m just blessed, man,” said Suder, a transfer from Bellarmine. “It’s great to do it with these guys — great people around you, great coaching staff. I’m just honored to play here, and I just had a good night.”

Suder, a junior whose previous high was 24 points, made 17 of 21 shots from the floor for the RedHawks (5-2). He hit 3 of 4 from 3-point range and 5 of 9 at the free-throw line, adding three steals.

“I feel like attacking the rim,” Suder said when asked what worked for him on the court. “They were kind of getting confused on some of their switches, which allowed me to get going early. But like I said, my teammates put me in a good position. When someone has it going, they look for that person.”

Suder was that person.

His point total was the most from a RedHawk since Szczerbiak scored 43 in 1999. Suder’s previous career-high was the 24 points he scored at Bellarmine on Feb. 2, 2023.

“Peter was incredible tonight,” Miami coach Travis Steele said. “I always say players win games, man. Coaches lose games. Peter was phenomenal. It was just get out of the way and just let him go. In a lot of ways, we got the right matchups for him out there. We gave him a lot of space.

“His teammates, it’s funny, sometimes guys will be sensitive when they don’t score,” Steele added. “Like tonight for example, Kam Craft had zero. That’s going to be the only game of probably his collegiate career where he’s going to have zero. He was so excited for Peter in the locker room. It just shows the connectivity that our guys have — the unselfishness. It’s all about winning.”

Suder scored 25 points in the second half to help lead Miami to its third victory in a row. Eian Elmer had nine points and seven rebounds.

Miami opened the contest with a 9-2 lead thanks to a layup and 3-pointer by Suder. Air Force responded by taking its first lead of the game at 13-11 with 12:44 on the clock.

Both teams traded leads for the rest of the first half, and Miami used a 9-0 run to pull away 45-37 with 11:59 left to play.

Suder helped seal the win by scoring 14 of Miami’s final 17 points.

The first meeting

It was the first time Miami and Air Force squared off in men’s basketball.

“I told the guys first and foremost why we’re playing Air Force,” Steele said. “I love playing the armed forces — whether it’s Air Force, whether it’s Army, whether it’s Navy.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for those young men — all the people, not just the basketball players that obviously join Air Force or sign up with the Army. For all that they do for our country. I think it’s a great example for our kids. That’s what I told them beforehand. I’ve got a ton of respect for them. Got ton of respect for their basketball program as well.”

The Falcons (2-7) were led by Luke Kearney with 16 points. Ethan Taylor totaled 12 points, five assists and two steals, while Caleb Walker scored 11.

More on Suder

Suder tied for the fourth-highest points scored against the Air Force Falcons in their program history behind Adrian Dantley (49), Tom Hawkins (43) and Elvin Hayes (43). … Suder has scored in double figures in each of the past five games and is shooting 39 of 59 (66.1%) from the floor during that span.

FRIDAY’S GAME

Miami at Indiana, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network, 980, 1450