And then there was one.
The Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team (24-0, 11-0) is the only undefeated team remaining in the NCAA following the University of Arizona Wildcats’ loss on Feb. 9. The RedHawks welcome the Ohio University Bobcats (13-12, 7-5) for a 9 p.m. tipoff at Millett Hall on Feb. 13 looking to defend their undefeated season once more.
The RedHawks are coming off their second win in the MAC-Sun Belt challenge this season. Miami opened the year at home with a 87-72 win over Old Dominion University.
Three months, 24-straight wins and a national ranking later, Miami defeated the Marshall University Thundering Herd 90-74 on Feb. 7 to keep its win streak alive.
Five players scored in the double figures, led by junior wing Eian Elmer with 19. Elmer shot a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc and was 6-8 (75%) from the field while also leading the roster with nine rebounds.
The RedHawks held a 49-31 lead at halftime and never looked back. Marshall briefly closed the gap to less than 10 points halfway through the second half, but Miami stayed afloat and kept the Thundering Herd at bay until the final buzzer.
Miami extended its win streak to 24 games and took a one-game advantage over Arizona. With the Wildcats’ loss to the University of Kansas Jayhawks on Feb. 9, the RedHawks became the only undefeated team left in college basketball, marking the first time that a MAC team held this status.
Freshman guard Trey Perry said having this level of success in his first year of collegiate basketball has humbled him and taught him the importance of staying focused.
“They talked about the opportunity that we were going to have as a team,” Perry said. “Obviously being undefeated, it’s coming to fruition. It’s good to be in it, it’s good to live in it for my first year and it’s good to experience this as a freshman. To be at the high of the highs, [it’s important] to stay even-keeled.”
Similar to last season, the RedHawks continue to utilize a deep bench to maintain a fresh rotation of players. Five players average double-digit points, and head coach Travis Steele continues to make the most out of the six freshmen on the roster. Perry and freshman guard Justin Kirby are averaging more than 10 minutes a game, with Kirby even earning a start earlier this season.
Kirby said that especially as a first-time college basketball player, Miami’s connectivity has been integral to the team’s outstanding success.
“I can’t speak [on] last year, but I enjoy this year’s connectivity,” Kirby said. “Obviously it’s different just being around them more. The difference being in college now is I can be around these guys constantly instead of having to go home and see them the next day at school. I’m around these dudes almost every single day of my life. That is a big thing that really brings us closer and closer.”
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The RedHawks’ dominance has caused multiple games to be flexed to a national broadcast. This weekend’s Battle of the Bricks matchup against Ohio was moved from Saturday afternoon to a Friday night broadcast on ESPN.
The Bobcats faced Old Dominion in their recent MAC-Sun Belt challenge on Feb. 7, ultimately falling 78-72 after the latter came back in the second half. Ohio won its previous two games against the University of Buffalo Bulls and the Western Michigan University Broncos to sit fourth in the conference standings
Senior guard Ajay Sheldon scored a season-high 19 points to lead the Bobcats followed by redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons with 14. Leading scorer Jackson Paveletzke, a senior guard who averages 16.6 points per game, was held to seven against Old Dominion.
Miami split the Battle of the Bricks last season, taking the home game on Feb. 1 and dropping the matchup in Athens on March 1. The RedHawks are 96-121 overall in the series with Ohio.
For the RedHawks, who clinched their spot in the MAC tournament next month, their magical season can be attributed to the excellent support from the Miami faithful, especially since students returned for the spring semester.
“It’s exciting man,” Perry said. “It’s good to know that we got a great game plan, great players and a big excitement — a big following with us going into every game. It gives us a boost of confidence and a boost of morale to know that we can hang with and pretty much beat anyone.”
Tipoff for the game with Ohio is set for 9 p.m. at Millett. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, the first time two MAC teams will face off on the main channel since 1998.
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