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The last undefeated team in NCAA Division I men’s basketball has fallen.
Miami (Ohio) saw its perfect season end Thursday with an 87-83 loss to UMass in the RedHawks’ Mid-American Conference tournament opener, a loss that also dashed its hopes of securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Massachusetts guard Marcus Banks (24) and guard K’jei Parker (5) celebrate after Massachusetts defeated Miami in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament in Cleveland on March 12, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP Photo)
“We always come back to watch the movie. We’ll break it down like we always do. … [We’ll be] I’ll leave tomorrow and come back Saturday and try to find ways to improve,” head coach Travis Steele said via the the team’s website.
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“There’s still a lot of season left. Can we continue to improve? I think that’s what great teams do.”
Miami had a 69-58 lead with 8:11 to play before UMass rallied with a 13-2 run. The loss came after Miami (Ohio) earned the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament after going 31-0 in the regular season.
Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) and guard Luke Skaljac (3) leave the floor as UMass Minutemen forward Leonardo Bettiol (3) celebrates after the final buzzer in the second half of a first round game during the Mid-American Conference tournament at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on March 12, 2026. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
MIAMI REDHAWKS FINISH REGULAR SEASON UNDEFEATED WITH DRAMATIC OVERTIME VICTORY OVER OHIO
The RedHawks became just the fifth NCAA Division I program this century to go undefeated in the regular season and the first since Gonzaga in 2020.
With automatic bidding no longer on the table, Miami (Ohio) will have to wait until the brackets are revealed Sunday evening. The RedHawks could become the first MAC team to win an at-large bid since 1999.
Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) and guard Luke Skaljac (3) leave the floor as UMass Minutemen forward Leonardo Bettiol (3) celebrates after the final buzzer during a first round match in the Mid-American Conference tournament at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on March 12, 2026. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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“Our guys have earned the right, in my opinion, to compete in the NCAA tournament,” Steele added.
