Miami (Ohio) RedHawks saw their flawless season come to a sudden halt Thursday after an 87–83 upset loss to UMass Minutemen in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The loss also ends Miami’s hopes of securing the MAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Entering the game with a 31–0 record and the last unbeaten mark in Division I men’s basketball, Miami had controlled much of the matchup. The RedHawks carried a 39–37 lead into halftime and later stretched their advantage to 11 points with less than 10 minutes remaining. But UMass surged late, taking control in the closing moments. With 29 seconds left, Daniel Hankins-Sanford finished a go-ahead layup that broke the tie and sealed the Minutemen’s upset victory in a contest that featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties. Leonardo Bettiol paced UMass with 25 points.
The defeat marked Miami’s first of the season after completing a perfect 31–0 regular season, including an 18–0 record in conference play. The RedHawks became just the fifth Division I program this century to reach the postseason without a loss, and the first since Gonzaga Bulldogs in the 2020–21 season to enter a conference tournament undefeated.
Despite the setback, the RedHawks are still widely projected to receive an at-large invitation. Their résumé metrics — including a strong strength-of-record ranking and solid “Wins Above Bubble” numbers — remain favorable compared with many teams on the tournament bubble. However, questions linger about Miami’s schedule. The RedHawks played one of the weakest nonconference slates in the country and finished the year without a Quad 1 victory and only two Quad 2 wins. In recent weeks, the team had also narrowly escaped several close games, including an overtime victory over the Ohio Bobcats and two-point wins against Western Michigan Broncos and Toledo Rockets.
Bracket projections suggest the loss could push Miami down a seed line, possibly moving them from a No. 10 to No. 11 seed. Even so, the RedHawks are still expected to remain in the field, though their placement could depend on the committee’s evaluation of their schedule and overall résumé.
Meanwhile, UMass — which entered the tournament with a 16–15 record and a 7–11 mark in conference play — advances to the semifinals to face the winner of the matchup between Bowling Green Falcons and Toledo Rockets. Akron Zips are now viewed as the favorite to claim the MAC’s automatic tournament berth.
Editorial credit: ChicagoPhotographer / Shutterstock.com
