The last team undefeated in NCAA Division I men’s basketball has now faced defeat.
Miami (Ohio) saw its perfect record come to an end with an 87-83 loss against the University of Massachusetts during their Mid-American Conference tournament opener. This loss eliminated their chances for an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Travis Steele expressed the team’s commitment to improving, saying, “We always come back to watch the film, and we will analyze it as we always do… [We’ll be] taking tomorrow off and coming back Saturday to figure out how to get better.” He also noted, “There’s still a lot of season left. Can we continue to grow? I think that’s what great teams do.”
Miami was leading 69-58 with just over eight minutes left in the game, but Massachusetts mounted a significant comeback, finishing with a 13-2 run. This loss followed a remarkable regular season where Miami finished 31-0 and secured the top seed in the conference tournament.
The RedHawks have made history, being the fifth NCAA Division I team this century to complete an undefeated regular season, joining Gonzaga from 2020. After the loss, Miami (Ohio) will now have to wait to see if they receive an at-large bid when the tournament bracket is announced Sunday night. If selected, it would mark the first time since 1999 that a MAC team has achieved this.
Steele commented on the players’ potential, stating, “In my opinion, our players earned the right to play in the NCAA Tournament.”
