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Will Miami (Ohio) still make March Madness? What first loss means for 2026 NCAA Tournament chances originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The perfect season is over: Miami (Ohio) has suffered its first loss of the season, coming at the hands of UMass in the MAC Tournament.
Travis Steele's squad went the entire 2025-26 regular season with a zero in the loss column, running the table with a 31-0 record. The RedHawks took that into Cleveland looking to win its first MAC Tournament championship since 2007, but the dream came short with the 87-83 loss in the quarterfinals.
Now, the question shifts to March Madness, where many will be debating whether Miami (Ohio) will be in the Field of 68. Though the RedHawks are 31-1, there have been debates about whether they should be in the NCAA Tournament considering their resume.
Here's what the loss to UMass means for the RedHawks' March Madness outlook.
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Is Miami (Ohio) out of March Madness?
With the loss, Miami (Ohio) should still be in the NCAA Tournament.
Though they no longer have an undefeated record, bracket projections have the RedHawks in the field. In the Sporting News' latest bracketology, Miami (Ohio) is listed as a No. 10 seed, while most have it as either a 10 or 11.
Even with the near-perfect record, the RedHawks' seed is a reflection of the MAC, one of the mid-major conferences where there are not many Quad-1 wins.
The bottom line is that with the loss, Miami (Ohio) should still be safe.
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Who did Miami (Ohio) lose to?
Miami (Ohio) lost to the UMass Minutemen in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
The Minutemen and RedHawks faced off twice in the regular season, and the rubber match went to the Minutemen. After a regular season defined by two tightly contested, single-digit battles, UMass finally broke the deadlock on the tournament stage, ending Miami (Ohio)’s season in the MAC quarterfinals on Thursday.
Now, Miami (Ohio) gets a few days of rest before Selection Sunday, where its fate will be revealed along with the rest of the teams hoping for NCAA Tournament bids.
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Miami (Ohio) projected seed
Miami (Ohio) is mostly projected to be a 10 or 11 seed for the NCAA Tournament.
The RedHawks are a classic case of 'Resume vs. Metrics.' Their record says they belong in the Top 15, but their strength of schedule suggests they are closer to the 10/11 seed cut-line where they’ll likely face a power-conference runner-up.
KenPom has Miami (Ohio) at 93rd in the country, right below High Point and above George Mason.
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Miami (Ohio) record
The RedHawks will enter Selection Sunday with a 31-1 record, the lone loss being to UMass.
Miami (Ohio) ran the table in the regular season, finishing with a record of 31-0 and an 18-0 record in the MAC, finishing as the regular season champions.
Travis Steele's group scraped by towards the end of the regular season, winning its final three games by two points each. The 87-83 loss to the Minutemen put an end to the perfect season, but eyes now turn to the NCAA Tournament.
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