Miami (Ohio) Survives OT Thriller vs. Archrival to Complete Perfect Regular Season

The RedHawks survived once again to finish the regular season 31–0.

The RedHawks finished the regular season 31–0 | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Although it came down to the final second, Miami (Ohio) officially completed its perfect regular season. It was the only outcome that felt right, as the RedHawks survived their past two games by a combined four points and pulled out their third overtime win of the year in the finale to cement a 31–0 record.

Ohio, Miami’s archrival, gave Travis Steele’s squad all it could handle, with Bobcats guard Jackson Paveletzke dropping 37 points in what turned into a devastating 110–108 loss for the senior. He had a shot at the buzzer to spoil Miami’s undefeated record, but the last-second three rimmed out and Miami celebrated just the sixth undefeated regular season in the past 50 years. The result marked the RedHawks’ ninth win by a single possession or that finished in overtime this season.

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Peter Suder made the big free throws to give the RedHawks the lead with 12 seconds remaining in overtime. Justin Kirby added another to put Miami up two after a missed layup by Paveletzke, which set the stage for the final shot at the buzzer with the perfect season on the line.

Paveletzke for the win … he cannot do it.
Miami (31-0) 110
Ohio U 108
OT
FINAL
What a game! pic.twitter.com/s2AMVbzETF

— QC (@QuantCoach) March 7, 2026

The Bobcats had a shot to win the game in regulation, but Paveletzke’s runner at the buzzer hit the rim, the backboard and then the rim again before it fell into Miami forward Antwone Woolfolk’s hands as the buzzer sounded.

OHIO HAD A CHANCE TO WIN IT 🤯

MIAMI-OH IS HEADED TO OT WITH AN UNDEFEATED REGULAR SEASON ON THE LINE ON ESPN2 AND THE ESPN APP 👀 pic.twitter.com/VL6I7JqOv4

— ESPN (@espn) March 7, 2026

It was a big night for Miami junior guard Eian Elmer, who dropped a season-high 32 points and 12 rebounds after he scored eight points in a 74–72 win over Toledo on Tuesday.

Next up for the RedHawks is the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament next week where they will take on UMass on Thursday. Any chatter that Miami doesn’t deserve an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament can be silenced with the 31–0 finish. But Steele’s historic squad can get into the Big Dance automatically if they take care of business next week in Cleveland.

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