Miami (Ohio) Must be NCAA Tournament At-Large Selection Before Auburn

The RedHawks should be in the field regardless of what happens in the conference tournament

Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) reacts after hitting a jump shot over Ohio Bobcats guard Jesse Burris (21) in the second half of the NCAA basketball game at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It feels like most people around college basketball are on the same page with the exception of one big voice, but it’s clear that Miami (OH) must be selected for the NCAA Tournament over Auburn if the RedHawks don’t win its conference tournament.

Miami capped off its perfect regular season with an overtime victory on the road against rival Ohio.

31-0. No blips or speedbumps. Just winning. Now, it wasn’t always easy for Travis Steele’s squad, but they always found a way to persevere.

If Miami does not win the MAC Tournament this week, they have to be an NCAA Tournament team, regardless of its scheduling metrics.

It’s hard to win in college basketball. Conference road games in late January and early February are a drag. The fact that a team was able to navigate those waters and finish a perfect regular season must be rewarded -- especially over a team like Auburn.

The Tigers are more than just floundering, they’re nearly dead. A loss on the first day of the SEC Tournament against Mississippi State would completely end its tournament hopes, which should already be dashed.

Bruce Pearl’s exit strategy this fall to get his son the job backfired horrifically.

Auburn ended the regular season losing eight of ten games and wasn’t competitive in most of them. The players have tuned out Steven Pearl and are just begging for the transfer portal and end of the season.

Lucky for them, that should be this week. Unless Auburn makes a magical run and wins the SEC Tournament or at least makes the semifinals this team should not be anywhere near the NCAA Tournament.

The competition is obviously much more challenging in the SEC than the MAC, but it’s the biggest reason to argue against tournament expansion.

Auburn is not an NCAA Tournament team and Miami (OH) is.

It’s that simple, and if the committee wants to reward another power conference teams for early season wins and losing games against a difficult schedule, then the death of mid-major basketball is much closer than anyone thought.