Men’s basketball releases conference schedule, awaits non-conference slate finalization

When the University of Florida Gators won the NCAA men’s basketball championship on April 7, fans were met with a seven-month wait until the 2025-26 season began. In late August and early September, teams across the country announced their full schedules, giving supporters a glimpse at what can be expected come November.

While the Miami University RedHawks have announced their conference schedule, their non-conference schedule still awaits finalization, something that head coach Travis Steele said is a good problem to have.

“Scheduling has been tougher this year,” Steele said. “When I first got here, there was a line from here in Oxford all the way to Cincinnati to play us, and now nobody will play us … We’re significantly better. Everybody’s using these analytical numbers to schedule now, and we’re in this weird area where teams are told not to really play us, which has made it difficult.”

Scheduling for the RedHawks is more challenging primarily because of the program’s success last season, Steele said. Miami finished its 2024-25 campaign at 25-9, its best record since 1998-99. The team made it all the way to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship, its first appearance since 2007, where it lost by two points to the University of Akron Zips.

Steele said the team celebrated its success in the spring, but the RedHawks quickly wiped their memories of last season in preparation for the new year, knowing that they can do more.

“It was a big step forward from where we’ve been,” Steele said. “I’ve said this before, [we’re] obsessed with trajectory and not necessarily the result. We had a good year, but we want more. How do we continue to grow? Where are we going from here?”

Despite losing three players to the transfer portal, Steele said Miami’s retention is at an all-time high. Starters Eian Elmer, Peter Suder and Antwone Woolfolk all return, as well as standout players Evan Ipsaro and Brant Byers, who averaged 8.4 and 6.9 points, respectively.

Similar to previous seasons, Miami relied on its young players in 2024-25. Byers and freshman guard Luke Skaljac averaged 17.6 and 13.9 minutes, respectively, and both played significant roles in the team’s shooting success, especially from range.

For Steele, having those players get that experience early on helped the team make it to Cleveland.

“I said, ‘Fellas, you’re no longer freshmen,’” Steele said. “Once it got to league play, you’ve played enough games, you played enough minutes. You’re no longer a freshman; we need you to operate like a sophomore.”

While Miami’s non-conference slate hasn’t been announced yet, the RedHawks will greet Old Dominion University at Millett Hall on Nov. 3 for the fall MAC-Sun Belt Conference (SBC) challenge.

The RedHawks close out December and 2025 with their first two MAC opponents, both on the road. They first travel to Ball State University, whom they beat on the road as well as in their last home game last season, on Dec. 20. On the penultimate day of the year, they drive north to Bowling Green State University, whom they also beat once last year.

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Early in 2026, Miami plays arguably its best conference opponent at Millett. The RedHawks will welcome Akron on Jan. 3 in a rematch of the 2024-25 MAC championship. The schedule doesn’t get any easier, as Miami hits the road one week later to face the University of Toledo Rockets, who finished fourth in the conference last season.

“I think we’re going to approach everything the exact same way,” Byers said. “We have a process in the way we do things. But I think it’s exciting to have specifically those two games early on in the year. We’re going to see what we’re all about as soon as conference play starts.”

Other notable games for this MAC slate includes a road trip to Kent State University. The RedHawks defeated the Golden Flashes three times last season, including in the MAC tournament semifinals.

Following the Kent State game, Miami welcomes the MAC’s newest addition: the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Minutemen on Jan. 27.

“I think the MAC’s going to have an up year,” Steele said. “[With] UMass in the league as well, Frank Martin, he’s a tremendous coach. It’s only going to add to our league. I think it’s going to be ultra competitive.”

Following the second MAC-SBC challenge matchup on Feb. 7, Miami and Ohio University will engage in its Battle of the Bricks at Millett on Feb. 14. The RedHawks went 1-1 against the Bobcats last year, including a 73-69 win on One Miami Day.

Miami closes out the regular season with rematches against previous opponents except for its first game against Eastern Michigan University. The RedHawks’ last two games of the season will likely be tough matchups against potentially MAC-tournament qualifiers, taking on Toledo at home and Ohio on the road.

The RedHawks hope to replicate their regular season success from the previous year using the returning players and the five first years, but Steele emphasized that the main goal is to set the team up for success to win three games in three days in Cleveland.

In the meantime, the team works together eight hours a week in the preseason. The RedHawks’ first practice will be on Sept. 22. In that time, Steele said the team needs to identify what it can do better than any other team in the MAC.

“I’d say number one [is] developing an identity as a team,” Steele said. “I think that’s really important, figuring out what we can be the best at in our league. Every team’s a little different. Last year, I thought we were the best shooting team in our league by a mile. What can we be the best at? We have to form an identity on both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively. When you watch us, it should be very crystal clear: Boom, this is what they’re trying to do.”

Freshman guard Trey Perry, who played at Lakota East High School in Liberty Township, said he’s ready for the intensity of college basketball and to play for a program he grew up less than an hour away from.

“It’s definitely been challenging because college is a faster pace,” Perry said, “but when you come to a program like Miami, you know what to expect. Every day, you’re working hard, you’re learning something. The coaches are very encouraging. The other teammates, older guys [are] encouraging. The development through the summer has definitely been good going into the season. We’re excited to get it going.”

@kethanbabu_04

babukc2@miamioh.edu