UMass Stuns No. 20 Miami (Ohio), Ends RedHawks' Perfect 31-0 Regular Season 87-83

UMass stunned No. 20 Miami (Ohio) 87-83 in the Mid-American Conference quarterfinals, handing the RedHawks their first defeat and ending their last perfect Division I regular-season record.

Daniel Hankins-Sanford’s tiebreaking layup with 29 seconds remaining proved decisive in a game that featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties.

ESPN

The game was tightly contested throughout: both teams traded baskets early, Miami led 39-37 at halftime and built an 11-point second-half advantage before UMass rallied late.

Sports Preferred describes an early back-and-forth and Miami’s halftime edge, while ESPN notes the frequency of lead changes and ties that underscored how close the contest remained.

Sports Preferred

UMass’s comeback was sparked by an efficient late run and interior play; the Minutemen launched a 13-2 spurt late in the game, tied the score, and capitalized on dominance inside the paint and second-chance opportunities to pull ahead.

Sports Preferred highlights UMass’s inside presence and late 13-2 run, while ESPN’s description of the decisive layup and close finishes frames how those possessions ultimately decided the outcome.

The result ends Miami’s unbeaten regular season and raises questions about their resume for the NCAA tournament.

Sources note the RedHawks completed a remarkable regular season undefeated run but were upset early in the conference tournament, moving conversations toward Selection Sunday and whether their schedule strength will affect March Madness selection.

Sports Preferred