Miami men’s basketball lands second place in the 2025 MAC tournament

After a record-breaking regular season, the Miami University men’s basketball team propelled its way to the 2025 MAC championships for the first time in 18 years. Led by head coach Travis Steele, the Redhawks took the victory 81-75 against the Eastern Michigan University Eagles, following their loss during the regular season on Feb. 18. Redshirt sophomore wing Kam Craft scored a team-leading 24 points, with sophomore center Reece Potter adding 15.

The team was also joined by the Miami cheer team and pep band during its time in Cleveland. Performing on the sidelines and during half-time, the groups played tunes such as “HOT TO GO” by Chappel Roan and “I'm A Believer” by the Monkees.

Christina Arnold, mother of a RedHawk cheerleader Liz Arnold, traveled from Lebanon, Ohio, to watch the team. After watching the games since Thursday, she explained that she was most looking forward to watching the cheer team perform.,

“We’re super pumped, super excited,” Arnold said.

Friday night’s game against Kent State became another exciting day for RedHawk fans, as the team paved its way to victory, ending with a score of 92-80.Craft led the team yet again in individual points with a total of 40, followed by sophomore guard Evan Ipsaro.

Fans flocked to Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Arena for the championship games, with some driving several hours to watch. One dedicated fan has been a regular at RedHawk athletics since his time at Miami in 1990. With him is a “Rise Up RedHawks” sign that has been to three football and two basketball championships.

“I love the [Mid-American Conference] because anyone can win,” he said. “You never know who’s gonna end up a champion.”

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He also noted that his favorite moment of the weekend was seeing the pep band perform on Fourth Street ahead of the final game. As the team made their way into the final two, fans were hopeful for a MAC championship win – the first since 2007, also against the University of Akron Zips.

With a possible slot in the March Madness Sweet 16 in sight, tensions were high during the game against Akron. As over 7,000 fans watched, Miami made its way to a strong lead by the middle of the first half. Despite the head start, the Zips fought their way to a tie in the final minutes. With a single basket in the final seconds of the game, the Zips pulled the 2025 men’s basketball MAC championship title with a final score of 76-74.

Although the final victory slipped from their grasp, junior guard Peter Suder secured his spot as top scorer for the RedHawks. Further, the team may still have further opportunities postseason, with details to come.