Miami (Ohio) and Ohio University do not like one another.
I’m not just talking about college basketball teams. I’m talking about the fans, the coaches, and maybe even the mascots were ready to throw down on Friday in the final regular season game of the season for the undefeated RedHawks.
On their quest for the 31-0 run, they were hoping it would be the calm before the storm with the Mid-American Conference tournament next week. Although rivals, the Ohio Bobcats were only 15-15 on the season.
But, as it has been the entire season for Miami (Ohio), the game came down to the final seconds, as it has in almost one-third of their games thus far.
The RedHawks were pushed to the very edge, and the Bobcats had the ball with time running down in overtime to win the game, but a missed three-pointer at the buzzer brought immortality for the victors.
For the first time in school history, Miami (Ohio) finished with a perfect record across the regular season.
In overtime and one-possession games, they went 9-0.
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Throughout the night, the Bobcats fans hurled insults at their in-state rivals, salivating at the idea of ending their unbeaten run right before the MAC tournament.
Alas, the RedHawks, somehow, someway, escaped with the win once more, with the Bobcats’ buzzer-beater three clanking off the rim to the frustration of the home crowd.
For a team that feels like they’re in a Disney movie, it was anything but following the final play of the game.
Bobcats fans hurled more than simple insults at the RedHawks players, flinging trash at them as the two teams got into a scuffle. A group of Miami (Ohio) players taunted the Bobcats fans, throwing objects at them, creating a scene of mayhem and hatred that can only come in a rivalry game with such high stakes.
Although unbeaten, the RedHawks aren’t guaranteed a spot in March Madness if they lose in the upcoming tournament. They’ll look to go 34-0 and win the MAC outright before heading for the NCAA men’s national championship, going for their 32nd win on Thursday against the UMass Minutemen.
In true RedHawks fashion, they beat UMass in the regular season, but only by two points.
