CLEVELAND — The previously perfect Miami RedHawks have fallen in their MAC Tournament opener — the first loss for Division I's last undefeated men's team.
No. 8 seed UMASS upset top-seeded Miami 87-83 the tournament's quarterfinals Thursday morning. Minutemen senior Leonardo Bettiol finished the game with 25 points and eight rebounds. Miami's Brant Byers had 17 points and five rebounds while Eian Elmer finished with 16 points.
While the game was back-and-forth, Miami had an 11-point lead with around 8 minutes to go in the second half. However, UMASS responded with a 13-2 run to even things up at 71-71. With around 4 minutes to go, things fell apart for the RedHawks as UMASS stayed strong to pull off the upset.
Despite its magical season, it is unclear if Miami's current resume guarantees a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday, March 15.
