Miami (Ohio) completed a historic 31-0 regular season Friday night, narrowly defeating archrival Ohio University 110-108 in overtime. The RedHawks became the first team to finish an undefeated regular season since Gonzaga in 2021. Junior guard Eian Elmer led the charge with a career-high 32 points and 12 rebounds, while guard Trey Perry added 21 points for the No. 19 RedHawks. Peter Suder scored five crucial points in overtime to seal the victory on the road in Athens, Ohio.
The final moments felt cinematic—Ohio's Jackson Paveletzke had a last-second shot attempt that rimmed out as the buzzer sounded, giving Miami its ninth win by a single possession or in overtime this season. Miami becomes just the fifth program this century to achieve an undefeated regular season in NCAA Division I basketball. The rivalry between these two programs runs deep; Friday's game was the 218th meeting between the schools dating back to 1908.
Miami enters the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will face UMass in the quarterfinals on March 12 in Cleveland. An NCAA Tournament bid appears all but locked, though the RedHawks have tournament dominance within reach—winning the conference title would leave no doubt about their seeding. Coach Travis Steele's squad has now won close games all season, showcasing the kind of resilience that defines championship-caliber teams heading into March Madness.