UMass basketball came up just short in a battle against the nation's only undefeated team. No. 22 Miami of Ohio defeated the Minutemen 86-77 on Tuesday night at the William D. Mullins Center in Amherst, with Peter Suder leading the RedHawks with 23 points. Miami improved to 26-0 with the victory, maintaining the longest winning streak to start a season since Gonzaga went 31-0 in 2020-21.
The Minutemen made this a competitive matchup for most of the night. UMass trailed by eight points with 14 minutes left, but fought back with intelligent play—including an incredible banked three-pointer from Isaiah Placide at the shot clock buzzer that tied the game 68-68. For UMass, Leonardo Bettiol led the scoring with 18 points and 9 rebounds, while Isaiah Placide added 19 points. The Minutemen had their moments, but couldn't seal the deal down the stretch.
Where Miami pulled away was in crunch time. After the game was tied, the RedHawks scored five straight points and UMass never got closer than three points again. Luke Skaljac chipped in 16 points and seven assists for Miami, showcasing the depth that keeps them undefeated. Coach Travis Steele emphasized to his team that while the winning streak is significant, staying focused on each game is what matters most. UMass falls to 15-12 overall and will look to bounce back when they host Buffalo on Saturday.