Miami RedHawks extend nation’s longest win streak to 23 games in record-breaking MAC run

Led by a career-high 19 points from Luke Skaljac, the Miami RedHawks handled Buffalo connected Tuesday nighttime to widen their historical winning streak to 23 games. The triumph cemented the longest tally successful Mid-American Conference past and maintained Miami’s presumption arsenic the proprietor of the longest progressive winning streak successful Division I men’s basketball.

The sophomore defender scored 15 of his 19 points successful the 2nd fractional to assistance the RedHawks widen their streak successful the constrictive 73-71 victory. Brant Byers added 11 points, and elder defender Peter Suder added different 10 with 8 assists. 

Miami (Ohio) defender Luke Skaljac (3) drives to the handbasket successful beforehand of Buffalo guardant Ezra McKenna (13) during the archetypal fractional of an NCAA hoops crippled successful Buffalo, New York, connected Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

"We support uncovering ways to win, and contiguous was conscionable different illustration of that," Skaljac said, via the team’s website. 

"I cognize we tin score, we're 1 of the champion violative teams successful the country," caput manager Travis Steele added, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.  "It's much astir our defense, that's my full absorption close now."

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Calling this season’s tally historical would beryllium an understatement adjacent for a programme not typically recognized arsenic a "powerhouse" successful men’s basketball. The RedHawks went unranked for much than 2 decades earlier re-entering the rankings successful the apical 25 past period for the archetypal clip since 1999. They are 1 of lone 2 teams successful Division I to stay undefeated, and they are 1 triumph up of No. 1 ranked Arizona’s streak of 22. 

The RedHawks are presently the No. 23 ranked squad and are connected the verge of the program’s archetypal NCAA tourney quality since 2007. Unlike that run, which ended successful the archetypal round, Miami has had 2 different notable periods – a Sweet 16 quality successful 1999 led by Wally Szczerbiak and 3 consecutive NCAA bids from 1984-86 led by the school’s all-time starring scorer and five-time NBA champion Ron Harper. 

Miami RedHawks defender Ron Harper (34) successful enactment against Maryland Terrapins guardant Tom Jones (41) successful Cincinnati, Ohio, connected March 15, 1985. (Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)

One Miami alum believes that this year’s tally is serving arsenic a resurgence of the Harper days, 1 helium remembers precise well.

"We would spell implicit connected Saturday day and Millett Hall would beryllium perfectly electric," Fox News Chief Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram told Fox News Digital. "They person ne'er earlier oregon since seen a subordinate similar Ron Harper." 

Pergram, who is from Jacksonburg, Ohio, and earned some his bachelor’s grade and master’s grade from Miami University, recalled the excitement of watching hoops games astatine Millett Hall arsenic a pupil astatine Edgewood High School successful Trenton, Ohio. 

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"And yes, Wally Szczerbiak was truly bully – played successful the NBA, had a agelong career, got them to the Sweet 16, but the Harper days were exceptional. He was intelligibly the champion subordinate successful the MAC and 1 of the champion players successful the country. And erstwhile helium got into the NBA, helium had the hardware to amusement for it."

Miami (Ohio) defender Justin Kirby (6) dunks during the archetypal fractional of an NCAA hoops crippled against Northern Illinois successful Oxford, Ohio, connected Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Pergram recalled the days erstwhile Millett Hall was packed, but the programme fell connected hard times implicit the past 2 decades. Attending a crippled successful aboriginal January a fewer years ago, helium remembered that "there weren’t 200 radical there," astir of whom helium inferred were from adjacent Eaton High School based connected the schoolhouse colors they wore. 

But the tides are turning. The programme acceptable an attendance grounds successful past week’s triumph implicit Northern Illinois with 10,640. Ticket income for location games look to beryllium trending successful the aforesaid direction.

"Everybody's paying attention," Pergram said, remembering his days astatine Miami erstwhile Harper served arsenic the nonmigratory adjunct successful his dorm pursuing a breakout freshman year. "To look back, it's conscionable astonishing to spot Miami hoops emergence to these levels again, aft that excitement that they had successful the mid-1980s, erstwhile helium was there." 

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Miami (Ohio) Trey Perry (1) celebrates with teammate Brant Byers (22) pursuing an NCAA hoops crippled against Northern Illinois successful Oxford, Ohio, connected Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

The statement astir Miami’s docket spot has surrounded its undefeated run. A triumph successful the league tourney would unafraid the RedHawks’ spot successful the NCAA tournament. Otherwise, the Selection Committee volition find Miami’s future.

The RedHawks proceed their historical play with a crippled astatine Marshall connected Saturday. 

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