Miami (Ohio) RedHawks Remain Undefeated After Last-Second Victory Over Western Michigan

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The No. 21 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks extended their historic season-opening winning streak to 29 games with a thrilling 69-67 victory over Western Michigan on Friday night. Trey Perry sealed the win with a driving layup as time expired.

Dramatic Finish Caps Undefeated Start

With the score tied at 67-67 after a jump shot by Western Michigan’s Justice Williams with 12 seconds remaining, Miami called a timeout to advance the ball. Perry, a product of Lakota East High School, then drove to the basket and scored with just one second left on the clock, securing the RedHawks’ place in history.

Record-Breaking Season for Miami

Miami (16-0 in the Mid-American Conference) is now the only undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball. This victory marks the best start in program history and sets a new school record for wins in a season. The RedHawks also boast the best start and longest win streak in Mid-American Conference (MAC) annals.

Rare Company

According to ESPN Research, Miami is just the fourth Division I team in the past 20 years to reach March without a loss. The previous teams to achieve this feat were Wichita State (2013-14), Kentucky (2014-15) and Gonzaga (2020-21), all of whom remained undefeated heading into the NCAA tournament.

Key Performances

Peter Suder led Miami with 18 points before fouling out. Almar Atlason contributed 16 points, while Perry finished with 14 and Eian Elmer added 10. For Western Michigan (10-19, 4-12), Jayden Brewer led all scorers with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Justice Williams and EJ Ryans each scored 14 points for the Broncos.

Coach Steele Praises Team’s Composure

“Our group is unflappable,” said Miami coach Travis Steele. “It’s calm, cool and collected. It’s very, very even the entire time, even during tight moments.”

Second-Half Comeback

Despite trailing 30-26 at halftime and facing an eight-point deficit twice in the second half, Miami battled back to tie the game at 49-49 with 11:02 remaining. Western Michigan regained the lead, going up 57-49 and later 59-50, before Miami mounted a late charge, ultimately taking the lead on a layup by Antwone Woolfolk with 14 seconds left.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.