Bruce Pearl spent decades of his life coaching basketball with different college basketball programs. His most notable stint was with the Auburn Tigers from 2014 to 2025. Pearl is now a collegiate hoops analyst.
When Pearl shares his thoughts on a subject, people pay attention as it’s guaranteed to be nuanced, coming from his decades of experience. But sometimes even Pearl receives backlash for what he says simply because it sounds outrageous.
The Miami RedHawks are the only undefeated team in men’s college basketball at this stage of the season. They have played 29 games, won 29 games, and have kept a perfect record across the board.
A dominance like this, when every other team has lost at least two games, is impressive, but Pearl isn’t impressed. Weeks away from March Madness, he doesn’t think Miami (OH) deserves the bid.
“Miami of Ohio…here’s the deal: Are we going to select the 68 most deserving teams? Or are we going to select the 68 best teams? If we’re selecting the 68 best teams, then Miami (Ohio) is going to have to win their tournament to qualify as a champion. Because as an at-large, they are not one of the best teams in the country,” he said.
Pearl believes that it will be a difficult choice for the committee members. Even though he seems to be in the minority with this take, Pearl is confident that the RedHawks don’t have a guaranteed spot.
Some fans are alleging that it’s his bias that’s keeping Pearl from openly endorsing the RedHawks. He was the head coach of a major program for years, and that allegation can’t be brushed off so easily.
Will Miami (OH) Make March Madness?
The ideal answer would be yes. They have been dominant the entire season, currently sitting on 29 wins and no losses. The RedHawks have two games remaining on the schedule, against Toledo and the Ohio Bobcats.
The RedHawks are likely going to stay unbeaten to close out the run. The problem for them is the strength of their schedule. As per KenPom, they are 288th overall and 360th in the non-conference.
Not playing a single Quad 1 game, which is a deciding factor for tournament evaluation, is only hurting their credibility. They have played three games against teams outside of Division I, which the selection committee will entirely ignore. It will be interesting to see what the final outcome will be.
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