Miami (OH) Took A Step Back With A Loss, Can They Start Over In The Toughest Of Spots?
Wally Szczerbiak wanted to party like it was 1999.
But he almost saw his chance slip through his fingers days ago.
Decades ago, in the final NCAA Tournament of the 20th century, Szczerbiak and his No. 10-seed Miami (OH) team pulled off multiple upsets to make it all the way to the Sweet 16.
In many ways, it was the school’s crowning athletic achievement.
This year, though, the RedHawks had a chance to pull off an even more impressive run. But all that was nearly dashed after a loss late last week.
This season, the 31-0 RedHawks had been one of college basketball’s best stories. But a few days ago, the school lost its first game of the season to a barely .500 UMass team.
It had seemed like a foregone conclusion that Miami (OH) would win the MAC tournament and ride that victory to a strong seed in March Madness. But the team failed to control what they could control, leaving their fate in the hands of others.
Now they have to start all over in the toughest of spots.
Akron earned the league’s automatic bid, not Szczerbiak’s alma mater. Still, the committee let Miami (OH) squeak in with a No. 11 seed – but to earn that seed, they have to win one more game as a part of the four-team play in that precedes the 64-team tourney. Instead of feasting on a lesser opponent, they will play SMU on Wednesday as part of the First Four.
If Miami (OH) wins, they will take on a solid No. 6 Tennessee squad. Nothing will be easy.
While fortunate to make the bracket at all, the RedHawks have to be kicking themselves. Szczerbiak and famous albums like Ron Harper and Wayne Embry have to be kicking themselves, too.
But that’s what happens when you let go of the rope.
Maimi (OH) had been just the fifth men’s Division 1 program to go undefeated during the regular season. The squad now is only the second to lose in its conference tournament, along with St. Joseph’s in 2004.
“Our guys have earned the right, in my opinion, to play in the NCAA tournament,” Miami (OH) head coach Travis Steele said after the loss.
Maybe. But why cut it so close?
What could Miami (OH) have done to stave off the UMass defeat?
I’ve spent the past decade studying momentum to see how great teams, coaches and leaders harnessed the force to their advantage. Heck, I even wrote a book about it with my friend Bernie Banks.
What I discovered is that momentum is real and the great ones can see it. More than that, they know how to use it to their advantage in real-time thanks to countless hours of practice.
When New England Patriots QB Tom Brady was down 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, he knew there were no 25-point plays. Instead, he wanted to find a single spark that could help his team.
He just needed a single score to help shift the game. Not 25 points—just 3 or 7.
When Miami (OH) saw their season sputtering, what did they do?
Perhaps the loss to UMass was all that the mid-major school could muster at the moment. But maybe now the team has learned from their loss to UMass and from their mistakes.
“We’ve got a ton of respect for UMass… And they outplayed us… We’ve got to toughen up on the glass. And if we do that, we’ll be able to advance in the NCAA Tournament,” Steele said over the weekend.
“Our goal wasn’t just to make the NCAA Tournament. It’s to advance,” he added.
Maybe.
But instead of starting March Madness as, say, a top-8 seed, the team will now have to work its way out of the First Four on Wednesday.
Can they make the Sweet 16 or go beyond? That’s unclear.
But one thing’s for sure…We know Wally will be watching!
