Peter Suder scored 19 points, Antwone Woolfolk added 14 and Brant Byers had 13 as No. 19 Miami edged Toledo 74-72 Tuesday night at Millett Hall to clinch the program’s first Mid-American Conference regular-season championship since the 2004-05 season and remain the nation’s only unbeaten team.
The victory pushed the RedHawks to 30-0 overall and 17-0 in MAC play — igniting a post-game celebration that included tons of red and white confetti — keeping alive their pursuit of a perfect regular season with just one game remaining.
Miami led the entire night but had to withstand a late push from Toledo (16-14, 10-7 MAC), which trimmed what had once been a double-digit deficit to a one-possession game in the final minute.
The RedHawks appeared in control midway through the first half after balanced scoring helped Miami build a 23-10 lead.
Toledo responded with a 12-0 run, holding Miami scoreless for more than five minutes and cutting the deficit to two before the RedHawks regrouped.
Miami carried a 40-35 lead into halftime and managed to keep the Rockets at bay throughout the second half despite repeated challenges.
One of the biggest moments came with just under six minutes remaining.
With the shot clock expiring and defenders collapsing around him, Suder floated a leaning shot through traffic that dropped through the net — igniting Millett Hall and pushing Miami ahead 63-58.
Moments later, Woolfolk buried a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to 68-62 with 4:45 remaining.
Still, Toledo refused to go quietly.
The Rockets trimmed the deficit to 72-70 in the final minute and had a chance to tie or win after Miami missed a free throw, but the RedHawks forced a turnover in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
Four Miami players finished in double figures, with Suder leading the way and Luke Skaljac adding 11 points.
The win clinched Miami’s 22nd MAC regular-season championship and capped a historic night in Oxford.
It also extended Miami’s remarkable streaks this season. The RedHawks have now won 30 consecutive games, extended their program-record home winning streak to 31 games and broken the school’s single-season wins record for the second straight year.
“First and foremost, got a lot of respect for Toledo and Coach Kowalczyk,” Miami coach Travis Steele said. “What he did — winning four regular-season titles in a row — I think people don’t realize how hard that is. He’s one of the best coaches in the country. He’s built a juggernaut up there at Toledo. So we’ve got a ton of respect for them. We knew they’d been playing really well the last five games and we knew we were going to get their best shot.”
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
Steele said Miami’s defense has become a defining strength during the team’s historic run.
“For us, our defense has continued to improve,” Steele said. “We’ve got to take care of the ball a little better. We’ve got to make some free throws. Quite honestly, we left a lot of points out there on the board. But our defense has gotten so much better over this last month. Analytically, I think we’re a top-50 defensive team in the country now, so we’ve really trended in that direction.”
He also credited several players for key performances, including Suder and Woolfolk.
“I thought Antwone was tremendous tonight,” Steele said. “Pete was awesome — terrific like he always is. Just a lot of different guys impacting the game for us on both ends of the floor.”
Steele also pointed to the impact of Miami’s home environment.
“Another shout-out to our student section,” Steele said. “The crowds here have been amazing. They propel us in a lot of ways. It’s become the toughest place to play in the MAC for sure — one of the toughest places to play in the country. We’ve won 31 straight home games now. That’s what great programs do. You have to protect your home court.”
The RedHawks remain the only undefeated team in the country, chasing the first perfect regular season in Division I men’s basketball since Gonzaga entered the 2021 NCAA Tournament at 26-0.
Miami can complete the feat Friday night at Ohio in the regular-season finale.
“We appreciate all the support from the Miami community, but we’ve got a lot of season left,” Steele said. “We’ve got Ohio on Friday to finish the regular season and then the MAC Tournament. This isn’t the end of the road. Our guys know that. Enjoy the moment, but we’ve got to turn the page quickly to Ohio.”
A supportive athletic director
Miami’s historic run has drawn national attention — and criticism.
And the RedHawks’ athletic director made it clear this week he isn’t backing down.
Miami athletic director David Sayler publicly challenged television analyst and former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl after Pearl suggested the undefeated RedHawks would not survive a Power 4 conference schedule and would not deserve an NCAA Tournament at-large berth without winning the Mid-American Conference’s automatic bid.
“(You) are flat out wrong about Miami when you say we would finish last in the Big East,” Sayler posted Monday on X. “The disrespect is awful and (you) should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when (you) show your true colors.”
Pearl — who stepped down at Auburn and now works in television — questioned whether Miami (29-0 at the time of his comments) could handle the grind of a league such as the Big East.
“They’re not built for the grind of a Big Ten or even a Big East,” Pearl said. “In the Big East Conference this year, they’d finish in the lower half. They may not finish last. But I tell you what: I’m not so sure.”
Miami entered the week ranked No. 19 in the AP Top 25 while carrying a NET ranking in the 50s and a strength of schedule ranked 285th nationally, according to KenPom — numbers critics have cited when debating the team’s NCAA Tournament résumé.
Steele, however, said the RedHawks remain focused internally.
“We control our own fate,” Steele said. “I could care less what people say about our team. Our guys do a great job blocking that out and focusing on the task at hand.”
The Miami coach also praised Sayler for publicly defending the program.
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
“I love that David Sayler goes to bat for us,” Steele said. “He’s a fighter and he’s not afraid of anybody. He wants our program to get the recognition it deserves.”
Steele added that Miami’s success stems from the culture built inside the locker room.
“What people don’t see is the connectivity of our locker room,” Steele said. “The character of our guys is ridiculous. The unselfishness is incredible. Our guys do things that don’t show up in the stat sheet because of who they are and how connected they are.”
The coach also acknowledged Pearl’s résumé despite the disagreement.
“I like Bruce,” Steele said. “He’s a great guy and a Hall of Fame coach. But I’m not calling Bruce and asking him for his opinion on our team. We control our own destiny.”
DJ equipment ‘marked as safe’
Miami’s home finale Tuesday night also came with a lighter subplot.
Millett Hall’s DJ equipment survived.
The Mid-American Conference announced Monday that Steele was fined $2,500 for violating the league’s sportsmanship policy during Miami’s 69-67 win at Western Michigan on Feb. 27.
During that game, after receiving a technical foul late in the first half, Steele pointed at and chastised officials before pushing a speaker belonging to arena DJ Charles “The Most Incredible DJ Chuck” Welch onto the floor while heading toward the locker room.
Welch later told ESPN that a speaker and booth output were damaged, estimating losses near $3,000 including shipping and taxes.
But Welch said Monday that Steele called to apologize and that Miami agreed to cover the costs.
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
Credit: JEREMY MILLER
“He was heated that his team was losing at halftime,” Welch told ESPN. “It’s sports. We know how it gets.”
Steele confirmed he has taken responsibility for the incident.
“I’ve already taken care of DJ Chuck and apologized to him,” Steele said. “He’s a good guy and he’ll have some new equipment. That one’s on me.”
On Tuesday night in Oxford, there were no technical fouls, no flying speakers and no damaged sound equipment.
Just another Miami victory.
And with it, a chance at something even rarer — a perfect regular season.
“I’ll probably celebrate the regular-season title for about 45 minutes on my ride home,” Steele said. “Then we move on to Ohio. We want to finish the season undefeated, win at Ohio, and then go win the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. We want to leave absolutely no doubt who we are.”
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