“It’s probably hard for a lot of fans to recognize this, but for the Horizon League and the MAC, the thing that matters is the conference, playing your best basketball at the right time of the year,” Steele said.
“Obviously, everyone wants to win every game. But at the same time, there’s an art to it. And coach (Scott) Nagy has really perfected that in his tenure at Wright State. He challenges himself in the non-conference. And they play their best basketball in March.”
Steele, who went 70-50 in four years at Xavier, actually looks at Wright State as a model for his program.
“He’s going to play a schedule that gets them ready to compete for a Horizon League championship,” he said of Nagy, “and we’re taking the same approach here.
“That’s why this is a great series for us. … They’ve been in the top two in their league consistently over the last five or six years, and we’re going to be there soon.”
The RedHawks have a road win at Marshall and were competitive with Ohio State before falling, 84-64.
But it’s not the team Steele thought he’d have this year.
Junior guard Morgan Safford, Miami’s second-leading scorer last season (15.4), left the program before the first game. And third-leading scorer Anderson Mirambeaux (14.3) has missed the first month for undisclosed reasons.
The 6-8, 305-pound senior, who was named preseason second-team all-league, will make his season debut at Wright State.
“I think he’s the best offensive player in our league, and he’s a hard matchup for teams,” Steele said. “You’ve got to decide if you’re going to trap him or let him score. He’s pretty potent down on that block.”
The RedHawks also graduated their top scorer from last year, Mekhi Lairy (17.3), and lost eight of their top 10 point producers.
They’re led by newcomer Darweshi Hunter, who started his career at Central State and scored 35 points against the Raiders in their 2019-20 opener. He went 13 of 21 from the floor, 4 of 8 on 3′s and 5 on 5 on foul shots in a losing effort.
The 6-5 fifth-year player, who also spent two years at Northern Illinois and one at Weber State, is averaging 13.7 points and was voted team captain by the players.
“We’ve had some ups and downs, but we’ve gotten better as the year as worn on,” Steele said. “We’re one of the youngest teams in the country. We’re playing five freshmen and two sophomores, but it’s been a great learning experience for these young guys.”
The RedHawks have had only one winning season in the last 14 years (12-11 in 2020-21).
They went 12-20 last season, dropping an 88-80 decision at home to the Raiders.
Trey Calvin led the way with 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting.
“He’s a really talented player and, obviously, very experienced. He can really score,” Steele said.
“I thought we got caught in transition, if I remember back to last season, and that’s when the game kind of popped open for them. Calvin had a lot to do with that.”
The 6-foot fifth-year player is seventh in the nation in scoring with a 22.4 average.
“They’ve got a lot of different weapons, and they’re really, really experienced,” Steele said. “That’s what wins in college basketball right now — continuity and experience. That’s where we want to be in a year.”
TUESDAY’S GAME
Miami at Wright State, 7 p.m., ESPN+, 101.5, 1410
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