Top-seed Miami is the only undefeated team remaining in Division I men’s basketball as it carries a 31-0 record into Thursday’s Mid-American Conference Tournament opener against No. 8 UMass at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Tip is set for 11 a.m. on ESPN+.
The RedHawks’ regular season already stands as one of the most remarkable in program and conference history.
Miami became just the third Division I team to enter a conference tournament at 31-0 and the first to run through MAC play undefeated since the program accomplished the feat nearly 70 years ago.
The RedHawks capped the run with a dramatic 110-108 overtime victory over rival Ohio in the “Battle of the Bricks,” completing the first perfect regular season in school history and only the fifth by a Division I team this century.
Yet the celebration was short-lived.
Senior guard Peter Suder said the team has already turned its focus toward Cleveland, where the conference tournament resets the standings and every team begins with the same objective.
“You’ve got to kind of put a bow on the regular season and just act like it’s 0-0 for everybody in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland and just go out there and win three games in three days,” Suder said. “It’s easier said than done, obviously. But we had a great regular season. Super proud of our guys and the team, the way we finished that up at Ohio.
“We just got to put a bow on the regular season and go get it done in Cleveland.”
The RedHawks spent the early part of the week balancing recovery and preparation after a physically demanding regular season.
“Obviously we got back in the wee hours of the morning on the bus early Saturday morning, probably about 4 a.m., back to campus,” Steele said. “So obviously we were off on Saturday. Sunday we got back together — tried to get their wind going up and down because you can lose that very quickly."
Miami’s approach also includes managing the physical toll of tournament play.
“We take a massage therapist with us,” Steele said. “So immediately right after the game we’ll have our guys getting massages, getting them ready for the next day so their bodies can operate at 100 percent capacity or at least near 100 percent.”
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
Championship expectations, not just participation
The RedHawks reached the MAC Tournament championship game last season before falling to Akron on a last-second shot, an experience that helped shape this year’s expectations.
Steele said the program has evolved from simply making the tournament to expecting to win it.
“Year one we were elated to be in the MAC Tournament,” Steele said. “As you continue to grow your program, you’re not happy just to be there. That should be a given. Now it’s how far can we advance and can we win this thing.”
Miami believes it has the tools to do exactly that.
The RedHawks feature one of the nation’s most balanced attacks, with six active players averaging double figures, giving Steele multiple scoring options and making the team difficult to defend.
“I think a couple things make us dangerous,” Steele said. “Number one, we can win in different ways. And we have a lot of different guys that can do it.”
Suder agrees the team’s versatility has been central to its unbeaten run.
“We have so many guys that can give you 25-plus,” Suder said. “It’s almost impossible to scout, which makes us really hard to guard.”
Still, the RedHawks understand that none of the regular-season accomplishments guarantee anything this week.
“It’s super cool what we did in the regular season,” Suder said. “Obviously 31 wins is historic. It’s an honor to be a part of this team. But our main goal this whole year is definitely to win the MAC championship in Cleveland.”
“It’s the best time of the year,” Steele added. “Now it’s time to put the gas all the way down. We’ve had a great year so far to this point. Now it’s that next step. It’s almost like chapter two. And we get to write our own story.”
NEXT GAME
Who: Miami vs. UMass
What: MAC Tournament quarterfinals
When: 11 a.m., Thursday
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland
TV: ESPN+
Radio: 980-AM, 1450-AM, 101.5-FM
2026 Mid-American Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule
(*Tip times are approximately 30 minutes after the prior game)
Thursday, March 12
Game 1 — No. 1 Miami vs. No. 8 UMass, 11 a.m.
Game 2 — No. 4 Toledo vs. No. 5 Bowling Green, *TBD
Game 3 — No. 2 Akron vs. No. 7 Buffalo, *TBD
Game 4 — No. 3 Kent State vs. 6 Ohio *TBD
Friday, March 13
Game 5 — Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 5 p.m.
Game 6 — Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 14
Championship — Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 8 p.m.
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