The University of Massachusetts men’s basketball team is set to host the No. 23-ranked Miami RedHawks on Tuesday, February 17 at 7 p.m. The game will take place at the Mullins Center in Amherst and will be streamed on ESPN+. Updates and links are available through umassathletics.com and @UMassMBB on X.
This matchup marks the fourth meeting between Massachusetts and Miami (OH). Their last contest took place on January 27, when the RedHawks narrowly defeated UMass 86-84. Graduate student Leonardo Bettiol led Massachusetts with his fourth double-double of the season, recording 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Marcus Banks Jr. added 18 points, hitting four three-pointers, while Daniel Hankins-Sanford contributed 16 points. For Miami, Eian Elmer scored a game-high 30 points, with teammates Justin Kirby and Peter Suder each adding 13.
Massachusetts won the previous two games in the series during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. On January 2, 2013, UMass claimed a narrow victory in Oxford, Ohio, with Raphiael Putney leading the team with 20 points and nine rebounds. The Minutemen followed up with a home win at the Mullins Center on January 4, 2014, as Chaz Williams scored 18 points.
In their most recent outing, Massachusetts lost to Akron by a score of 99-92. K’Jei Parker was UMass’s top scorer with 20 points, including five three-pointers. Marcus Banks Jr. and Leonardo Bettiol both finished with 18 points; Danny Carbuccia had 13.
Miami (OH) arrives in Amherst as the only undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball this season, holding a record of 25-0 overall and a perfect mark in Mid-American Conference play at 12-0. Head coach Travis Steele is now in his fourth year at Miami (OH), compiling an overall record of 77-46 since taking over. Brant Byers leads Miami in scoring with an average of 15 points per game, ranking him eleventh in the conference. Eian Elmer (5.9 rebounds per game) and Antwone Woolfolk (5.5) lead their team on the boards.
UMass is currently under its fourth season led by head coach Frank Martin. Last year marked their best performance since the mid-2010s; they finished with a record of 20-11 for the season and earned a top-four seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship tournament. Martin ranks third all-time for program wins through two seasons at UMass and has reached several coaching milestones during his tenure: “Martin picked up his 300th collegiate coaching win on Jan. 25, 2023 with a 85-76 win over Richmond.” “Martin picked up his 350th collegiate coaching win on Feb. 3, 2026 with a 95-89 win over Central Michigan.”
The Minutemen have not beaten a ranked opponent since November 22, 2013 when they defeated New Mexico in Charleston during the semifinals of the Charleston Classic: “Massachusetts last defeated a ranked opponent on Nov. 22, 2013 when it downed New Mexico 81-65…” Their most recent home win against a ranked team came nearly two decades ago against Connecticut: “The Minutemen last defeated a ranked opponent at the Mullins Center on Dec. 9, 2004 by upsetting seventh-ranked Connecticut 61-59…”
After facing Miami (OH), Massachusetts will close out its homestand against Buffalo on Saturday, February 21 at 6 p.m., also available via ESPN+.
