No. 22 Miami of Ohio won its 26th straight game to remain the last unbeaten team in Division 1, defeating UMass 86-77 on Tuesday night thanks to 23 points from Peter Suder. The Minutemen mounted a valiant effort at home in Amherst, but couldn't quite get over the hump against college basketball's last perfect team.
This wasn't UMass's first shot at Miami's undefeated squad. Miami defeated UMass earlier this season in Oxford 86-84 on Jan. 27. That heartbreaker by two points left a sour taste, and coming into this rematch, the Minutemen had extra motivation. The game stayed competitive throughout, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Miami led by eight points with 14 minutes left before UMass scored seven straight to make it a one-point game and then added a 5-0 run to take a 62-60 lead. For a moment, the upset seemed within reach. The home crowd was into it, and UMass players sensed an opportunity to pull off one of the biggest wins of the season.
But Miami's experience and poise showed down the stretch. Luke Skaljac had 16 points and seven assists for Miami (26-0, 13-0 Mid-American Conference). On the other side, Leonardo Bettiol scored 18 points with nine rebounds, Isaiah Placide scored 19 and Danny Carbuccia had 15 for UMass (15-12, 6-8). Despite the Minutemen's offensive spark, Elmer answered with a 3 for Miami, then Suder hit a layup after a UMass turnover to give the RedHawks a five-point lead. UMass never got any closer than three points after that.
With this win, the Red and White set a new school record of 26 wins in a single season. UMass hosts Buffalo on Saturday night as the Minutemen look to bounce back. Meanwhile, college basketball continues to heat up nationwide with conference play reaching critical moments.