Miami (OH) finished the regular season 31-0, setting MAC records in the process, but if the RedHawks make it to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, it won’t be as an undefeated team. In the MAC Championship quarterfinal against UMass, Miami (OH) lost 87-83.
While the RedHawks were up 39-37 at the half and then repeatedly extended their lead to double-digits in the second – as high as 11 points – the Minutemen stormed back by repeatedly crashing the offensive boards. UMass finished with 17 offensive rebounds – Miami (OH) had 24 rebounds total. The Minutemen scored 50 points in the second half, powered by the second-chance points those offensive boards allowed, and the RedHawks could not hold the lead.
Miami (OH) came into the matchup as the 1-seed in the MAC, and seemingly a given for March Madness if it were able to remain undefeated. That could come into question more now that the RedHawks lost to 8-seed UMass, which ranked 204th in the NCAA Evaluation Tool coming into the game. Miami (OH), at least, sat 33rd in Wins Above Bubble, well away from the bubble, before this defeat, though, that will take a hit with the loss to the Minutemen.
Massachusetts will take on the winner of 4-seed Toledo and 5-seed Bowling Green in the MAC semifinals on Friday.
