A generational run to bid for automatic qualification to the March Madness went into begging for the Miami (OH) Redhawks. Massachusetts handed the Redhawks an 87-83 defeat in the MAC Championships quarterfinals. With this, Miami’s 31-game winning streak also came to an end, prompting fans to share their reactions to the huge upset after the former’s first defeat of the season.

Having won the regular season unbeaten, there was no doubt that the Redhawks went into this game as favorites. But as reality set in, cold shooting at times from the deep and inconsistency on the boards plagued Miami’s performance, forcing the team to wait until Selection Sunday to have its name confirmed for the National Championships.

CBS Sports’ Instagram post perfectly shared the update. “UMASS HANDS MIAMI (OHIO) THEIR FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT,” the caption of the post read.

In a tightrope game where every point mattered, the Redhawks gave away 7 points off turnovers and left 5 points on the free-throw line. These errors combined big time to give Miami a scare at a crucial juncture of the season that could even hurt the team’s March Madness ceiling. Even individual performances add in this regard.

The team’s talisman on offense, Peter Suder, couldn’t capitalize on his form in a must-win game for his team in a way that the Redhawks expected. Suder scored 10 points in his 37-minute stay on the court, with 4 of 8 from open play. Antwone Woolfolk and Brant Byers combined for 31 points in the game, but eventually it wasn’t enough to bail out the Redhawks in front of a stringent defense of the Minutemen, and the four precise free throws that Marcus Banks Jr converted from the line for the latter.

All in all, a rare, inconsistent stretch of the Miami (OH) Redhawks came at a very bad time for them. And, subsequently, the fans didn’t hesitate to share their perspectives on the team following the defeat.

Dissent Revolves Around the Miami (OH) Redhawks’ March Madness Chances Following a Loss to UMass

“They can’t make the tournament now, if they made the championship and lost to Akron I would’ve thought differently,” wrote another.

“MIAMI OH. OUT OF DANCE!!” remarked another. 

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Several fans, including these ones, tried to undermine Miami (OH) Redhawks’ chances of making it to the March Madness after this loss. And there’s a certain hint where this is coming from. MAC conference teams, including Redhawks (269th in KenPom), generally don’t boast a strong strength of schedule. For instance, the team hasn’t faced a single ranked team all season. And this element, being a crucial factor in determining teams on Selection Sunday, goes against Travis Steele’s team.

But a regular-season title and just one defeat in 32 games can just make them cross that line. Yet their qualification now hangs by a thread, and an official will only be available on March 15.

“They want in the dance and can’t even beat UMASS in a junky conference semi? Any power 5 school would destroy them. Gimmie a break!” added a fan.

The Redhawks might be one of the most consistent teams this season, with a 31-1 record so far. But UMass has been one of the few teams that have been something of an Achilles’ Heel for Miami. The two teams have faced off twice before the MAC quarterfinals. And on both occassions the game has gone down to the wire. UMass clinched a 2-point win in the first game, followed by a 9-point win in the season. But the Minutemen got third time lucky in a stage where the stakes were comparably higher.

It’s true that the Redhawks’ performance in the game was immensely disappointing. And their chances against a Power Five team are also quite low. But, on the contrary, UMass hasn’t been as easy an opponent as the comments tried to make it seem.

“They will. The bubble s***s this year,” stated another netizen. 

“A bubble team just got bounced,” chimed in another. 

Courtesy of their conference record and just one loss might just make their case as a bubble team for the National Championships. But yet again, due to their schedule, they have zero quad 1 wins going against them in this regard. But according to the Redhawks’ athletic director, the team should be considered a lock for March Madness, given that they went undefeated in the regular season.

“An undefeated season, it has to matter, right?” Sayler said. “Otherwise, why wouldn’t we just play three days in (the MAC tournament) and the winner goes to the (NCAA) tournament and forget the regular season.”

With Selection Sunday just a couple of nights away, what are your thoughts on Miami’s chances of making it to the March Madness? Do let us know in the comments.