AMHERST, Mass. — Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele isn’t shying away from acknowledging the significance of his team’s 26-game winning streak, a run that has propelled the RedHawks to the top of the college basketball landscape as the last remaining undefeated team in Division I.
“Obviously, it is the elephant in the room,” Steele said Tuesday night after Miami defeated UMass 86-77. “I tell our guys to enjoy the ride, enjoy the moment, be present. Not very often are you going to be in this position.”
Steele, however, appeared more focused on maintaining a sense of normalcy than dwelling on the historic streak. He admitted he didn’t even know who their next opponent was – Bowling Green – or when they would play. He also needed a reminder of how many games his team had won.
“It’s incredible. It’s awesome. It’s unique, so enjoy it. You only live life once,” Steele said, comparing the pressure of the streak to the distraction of texting while driving. “We have to be able to block that out, and always focus on the things that we can control.”
Tuesday’s game at UMass was a tightly contested affair. The Minutemen erased an eight-point deficit with 14 minutes remaining, tying the game 68-all on a banked 3-pointer by Isaiah Placide as the shot clock expired. But Miami responded with five consecutive points and never relinquished the lead.
The game drew a crowd of 7,524 to the Mullins Center, the largest UMass home attendance since the opener of the 2014-15 season, according to The Daily Collegian.
Steele anticipates facing increasingly hostile environments as the RedHawks navigate the remainder of their conference schedule, with upcoming road games against Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Ohio.
“Our group loves to be the villain in a lot of ways. They love going on the road and silencing the crowd,” Steele said. “The communication gets a little harder when you’re in a loud environment, but I would argue that it’s harder to get your team ready to play when there’s nobody in there, where you can hear everything, a pin drop. I think that’s hard as well, because then you’ve got to be able to create your own energy.”
Miami’s remarkable season has captured national attention. As of February 14th, according to NCAA.com, the RedHawks hadn’t seen the NCAA Tournament in 19 years and had only finished with one winning season since 2009. Their 12-0 record in the Mid-American Conference is their best since 1958. ESPN currently projects them as an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but their story is quickly becoming one of the most compelling narratives in college basketball.
The RedHawks’ success is occurring alongside a similarly impressive run by the Miami (Ohio) women’s basketball team, which boasts a 20-4 record and an 11-0 mark in the Mid-American Conference, riding a 13-game winning streak of their own. Steele described the atmosphere on campus as “like Disney World around here.”
While the polls and metrics suggest other teams are statistically stronger, Miami’s improbable journey resonates beyond the numbers. They own the nation’s longest winning streak and are captivating fans with their resilience and determination. The team’s next test comes Friday against Bowling Green.
