Miami (Ohio)'s Undefeated Season Concludes in MAC Tournament, Earns At-Large NCAA Bid
Miami (Ohio)'s undefeated season concluded with an 87-83 defeat to the University of Massachusetts in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament quarterfinals. Despite the loss, which prevented an automatic bid, Miami (Ohio) later received an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament and advanced after competing in the First Four.
MAC Tournament Quarterfinal Matchup
The No. 20 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks, who entered the game with a 31-0 record and as the sole undefeated team in Division I men's basketball, faced the eighth-seeded University of Massachusetts Minutemen (17-15). The contest took place on Thursday at Cleveland's Rocket Arena. UMass secured an 87-83 victory, ending Miami's 31-game winning streak and its undefeated season, which had spanned 362 days.
Game Dynamics and Key Moments
Miami (Ohio) initially established an 11-point lead, holding a 69-58 advantage with 8:19 remaining in the second half. UMass responded with a 13-2 run over the subsequent minutes, tying the game at 71-71 with 5:22 left. During this period, Jayden Ndjigue contributed six points for UMass, including a three-pointer.
The game featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties. UMass capitalized on offensive rebounds, securing 17 boards and generating 23 second-chance points, while Miami was outrebounded 41-24 overall.
In the final minutes, UMass guard Marcus Banks Jr. made a three-pointer with 3:54 remaining, giving his team a 77-76 lead. Daniel Hankins-Sanford of UMass made a tiebreaking layup with 29 seconds left. A subsequent turnover by Miami's Luke Skaljac led to two free throws by Banks, extending UMass's lead. Miami's Brant Byers was fouled on a three-point attempt and converted 2-of-3 free throws. Banks then sealed the UMass victory with another pair of free throws with 8 seconds remaining.
Individual Player Contributions
For UMass, Leonardo Bettiol led all scorers with 25 points. Marcus Banks Jr. contributed 18 points, and Jayden Ndjigue added 16 points and eight rebounds.
Miami (Ohio)'s scoring was led by Brant Byers with 17 points, supported by Eian Elmer's 16 points. Almar Atlason, Luke Skaljac, and Peter Suder also made contributions with late-game baskets.
Season Context and Historical Precedent
Miami (Ohio)'s 31-0 regular season marked the 21st time in Division I men’s basketball history a team completed an undefeated regular season, and the fifth time this century. It was the first team since Gonzaga in the 2020-21 season to enter a conference tournament without a loss.
Prior to the MAC tournament loss, Miami's NCAA NET rating was No. 54, and its KenPom rating stood at No. 93. The team's strength-of-schedule rating was 344th out of 365 teams, a factor cited in discussions about mid-major programs' challenges in securing Quad 1 wins against power-conference teams. Miami's season included ten victories decided by five points or fewer or in overtime, with their last three regular-season games won by two points.
UMass coach Frank Martin commented that it would be an "embarrassment" if the MAC did not secure two bids for the NCAA Tournament. UMass advanced to face fourth-seeded Toledo in the conference tournament semifinals.
NCAA Tournament Implications and Selection
The MAC tournament loss meant Miami (Ohio) did not receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with Akron securing the conference's automatic entry. Consequently, Miami (Ohio)'s potential inclusion in the tournament depended on an at-large bid from the selection committee. Coach Travis Steele stated his belief that his team had merited a spot in the tournament.
Historically, no team with one or two losses has been omitted from the NCAA tournament since its expansion in 1985. The NCAA tournament selection committee announced its field of 68 teams on Selection Sunday.
Committee chairman Keith Gill clarified that Miami (OH) was not the final team selected into the field, with SMU designated as the No. 68 overall seed. Gill further explained that Miami (OH) was ranked higher than NC State, Texas, and SMU based on predictive metrics and the quality of their wins during the scrubbing process.
NCAA Tournament First Four Appearance
Miami (OH) was ultimately selected for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid, alongside Missouri, Texas, and SMU, while Auburn and Oklahoma were not included in the bracket. Miami (OH) began its NCAA Tournament journey in the First Four, competing against SMU at the University of Dayton Arena.
During the second half of the First Four game, the Miami (OH) men's swim team, present at the arena, attempted to distract SMU players during free throws; SMU's Corey Washington subsequently missed his first attempt. Miami (OH) proceeded to secure a 13-1 run, taking control of the game and advancing from the First Four.