RedHawks Take Nine-Game Win Streak on the Road to NIU
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Amber Tretter has 25 double-doubles (fourth-best in program history) in her career and is a near walking double-double in points (13.9) and rebounds (7.9) this season. She is also on pace to become just the second RedHawk in program history to record 1,000 career rebounds and has scored 926 career points, which ranks 31st in program history. She has scored in double figures in 15 straight games.
BALANCED SCORING: Miami has four players averaging double-digits in scoring, led by Amber Tretter (13.9 ppg.). She is joined by Amber Scalia (13.7 ppg.), Ilse de Vries (12.4 ppg.) and Tamar Singer (10.3 ppg.). Singer and de Vries have led Miami in scoring a team-high five times, while Tretter and Scalia have done it four times each.
RED-HOT REDHAWKS: Since Nov. 29, the RedHawks have lost just one contest and have won 12 of their last 13 games, including nine-straight.
BY THE MARGINS: Miami is currently third in the MAC in scoring (71.0) and first in defense (57.9), which results in a 13.1 point margin of victory, tops in the conference. The RedHawks are second in the MAC in field goal percentage (.454), three-pointers made (164), and free throw percentage (77.5%). The RedHawks are first in turnover margin (5.5).
BALL STATE RECAP: Miami used a 27-9 third quarter to roll past the Ball State Cardinals, 72-52 last Saturday afternoon. Ilse de Vries scored a career-high 23 points and was joined by Amber Tretter (18), Amber Scalia (16) and Tamar Singer (11) in double figures as the RedHawks won at Ball State for the first time since Dec. 3, 1998. The 52 BSU points were a season low for the Cardinals.
MAC MOMENTUM: Miami’s 8-0 record in MAC play is the second-best conference start in program history, trailing just the 1989-90 Miami team that opened the year 9-0. Long way to go, but Miami’s last MAC regular season championship was back during the 2007-08 campaign.
CHASING HISTORY: The 16-4 overall start is the third-best start in program history, behind 2018-19 (started 21-4) and 1989-90 (started 23-4).
HISTORIC RUN: Miami’s nine-game win streak is eighth-best in program history, trailing: 1982-83 (14), 1981-82 (13), 1989-90 (12), 2003-04 (12), 2018-19 (11), 1980-81 (11) and 2011-12 (10).
ABOUT NIU: The Huskies are 4-15 overall, 2-6 in MAC play and have lost four of their last five contests. Nadechka Laccen leads the way in scoring (12.1 ppg.), and is joined by Nevaeh Wingate (11.3 ppg.) and Emille Sorenson (10.5 ppg.) in double figures.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 52nd meeting between the two programs, with Miami holding a 26-25 all-time series advantage. The RedHawks are 10-15 all-time in Dekalb, which includes a 73-52 victory last season.
MID-MAJOR MONSTER: Miami currently ranks 20th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll, which was last updated on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
COMBINING FORCES: Miami basketball has reached heights not seen in a long time in Oxford, Ohio. Combined with the women’s 16-4 record and the men’s perfect 20-0 record, Miami basketball is 36-4 overall in 2025-26. The 36 combined wins are third-most in the nation, behind UConn (40) and Vanderbilt (37).
LONG RANGE BOMBERS: Miami ranks 42nd nationally, connecting on 8.2 three-pointers per contest. The RedHawks have made double-digit three-pointers in six games this season, including 13 at Purdue, 12 against Marist, Coastal Carolina, WKU and UMass and 10 against Bellarmine. Seven different RedHawks are shooting at least 30% from distance and six RedHawks have already made 10+ three pointers this season (Ashton Elley has nine).
20+ LEAGUE: Four different RedHawks have already scored 20-plus points this season and the RedHawks are 6-1 on the year when someone puts up a 20-point effort. Amber Tretter, Tamar Singer and Ilse de Vries have done it twice, while Amber Scalia has also posted 20-plus points.
HOME SWEET HOME: The RedHawks are a perfect 8-0 at home this season and have out-scored their opponents 608-414 (24.3/game). Miami is shooting 36.9% from long range and are averaging 19.0 assists per game on its home court.
TURNING THE TIDE: Miami ranks 23rd in the country in turnovers forced at 21.6 per game and are 11-2 this year when they force at least 20 turnovers in a contest. They also rank 35th nationally at 11.1 steals/contest. The RedHawks have forced an average of 23.4 turnovers in MAC play.
NOTHING BUT NET: The RedHawks are only attempting 14.5 free throws per contest, but are making the most of their opportunities. Miami ranks 22nd nationally at 77.5% from the foul line. Five different RedHawks shoot at least 75% from the charity stripe.
NEW FACES, NEW PLACES: Miami has eight new players this season, which includes five transfers, two freshmen and a red-shirt freshman. Joining the RedHawks via the portal include Amber Scalia (St. Thomas), Clara Gonzalez Planella (Jacksonville State), Macie Taylor (Wright State), Ashton Elley (UAB), and Brooke Blumenfeld (NIU). Coach Box also added two freshmen (Mio Sakano and Anna Hurst) and Emily VanTimmeren, who technically joined the RedHawks last December, has yet to see action with the Red and White.
NEW, BUT NOT YOUNG: Despite eight new players on the roster, the RedHawks feature an experienced squad. Overall, the 12 players have combined to play in 679 games and make 341 starts. They have also combined to score in double figures 186 times.
SINGING HER PRAISES: Tamar Singer, one of the best freshman in the MAC a year ago, has taken her game to another level in 2025-26. Last season she averaged 6.3 points and 4.2 assists per game while running the point. This year she is averaging 10.3 points and 7.6 assists, which ranks third nationally. She has surpassed 20 points twice this season (none last year) and has led the team in scoring five times in 2025-26 (once all of last year).
PASSING RECORDS: Tamar Singer is threatening nearly every passing record in program history. The school recorded for assists in a game is 13 (Courtney Osborn and D’Nelle Seiple) … Singer has twice posted 12 assists (IU-Southeast and WKU). Versus the Lady Toppers she has six assists before the first media time out (which has to be a school record). The school record for assists in a season is 175 (Jenna Schone) … With no postseason play, Singer is on pace for 236 assists this season. The career record for assists is 596 (Heather Cusick)…Singer is on pace for 351 assists through her first two years of play.
DE VRIES PLAYS OVERSEAS: This summer, sophomore Ilse de Vries represented the Netherlands as a member of the U20 National Team at the annual FIBA U20 EuroBasket League. In seven games, she averaged 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. This season de Vries is averaging career bests in points, rebounds and assists. She has already posted 12 double-digit scoring contests after just three in 2024-25.
112 AND COUNTING: Amber Scalia will be competing in her 112th career game on Saturday. Prior to joining the RedHawks, Scalia played in 91 games over three years at St. Thomas, where she scored 1,091 points and shot 34% from long distance. She has scored 1,378 points (12.4/game), connected on 183 three pointers and is a career 41% shooter from the field over her career. Her 1,378 points ranks 127th among active scorers in the country.
WELCOME BACK: Prior to the Toledo game (Jan. 3), Núria Jurjo had made just one of her last 18 shots. Over her past seven games, she has 64 points (9.1 ppg.) on 23-of-38 (60.5%) shooting overall and has made 12 of 20 shots (60%) from behind the arc. She has raised her scoring average from 6.6 ppg. to 7.3 ppg. in a seven-game span.
