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In the midst of a shining and perfect season by his men’s basketball team that has captured the attention of college basketball fans across the country, Miami (OH) AD David Sayler has clapped back at former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl. Pearl has made comments about Miami (OH) being a mid-major team that doesn’t have the best schedule to get to the NCAA Tournament without winning the MAC.
Last weekend, Pearl took to the airwaves during his appearance on TNT’s college basketball show to discuss Miami’s lack of big wins against higher-ranked teams, which puts them in a spot where winning the MAC Tournament next week is the only viable way for the team to make the postseason.
Right now, while sitting at 30-0 on the season, the Redhawks have been the talk of the sport, but a point of contention on social media and other platforms has centered around their schedule.
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(Left) Miami (Ohio) RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) celebrates after hitting a three-pointer against the Akron Zips during the first half of the MAC Conference Tournament Championship game at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, March 15, 2025. (Right) Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl during the last half of the 20th NCAA Tournament game against the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 30 2025. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images; Brett DavisImagn Images)
If we pick the top 68 teams, then Miami (Ohio) will have to win their tournament to qualify as champion. Because as a big, they’re not one of the best teams in the country,” noted Bruce Pearl.
In a very awkward coincidence, Pearl’s former squad, which happens to be coached by his son Steven, is right on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
While Bruce made it abundantly clear this week that he hopes his son makes the postseason, which isn’t some kind of shocking news, some feel his comments about Miami (OH) were also made in the context of Auburn being on the bubble.
In a conversation with OutKick on Friday, Miami (OH) athletic director David Sayler had a recommendation for what networks should do when Bruce Pearl discusses teams that should be in contention for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
“I have a lot of respect for him as a coach, but when he starts using the word ‘we’ about Auburn, it’s very clear that it rankles with me,” Sayler pointed out. “He shouldn’t be on a TV screen giving advice or opinions about the NCAA tournament when he’s clearly biased. There should be a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen or something, it’s clear what he’s doing.”
Former Auburn Tigers men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl walks the court before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station, Texas. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
The conversation surrounding Miami (OH) has reached a fever pitch, with a majority of reactions in favor of the team coming into the postseason even if the Redhawks suffer a loss in their regular-season finale against Ohio or in next week’s MAC tournament in Cleveland.
David Sayler channels his inner ‘Yoda’ as he battles expansion
Although the NCAA has put off the discussion of adding additional teams until after the 2026 season ends, there is still a looming discussion to be had.
The question of whether expanding the NCAA Tournament will help mid-major teams in the long run has been a hot-button topic given the current landscape of college athletics.
For Sayler, he considers schools like Miami (OH) and others an ‘afterthought’ in those conversations.
Miami (Ohio) RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) celebrates after hitting a three-pointer against the Akron Zips during the first half of the MAC Conference Tournament Championship game at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on March 15, 2025. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)
“I don’t want to see the 11th-place SEC team or the 12th-place Big Ten, and that’s why I’m against tournament expansion,” Sayler told OutKick. “Now you’re going to get the 13th-ranked team in these leagues. It’s not for the mid-majors. There’s no talk of the CFP or expansion of the college basketball tournament because of us. We’re the afterthought. It’s like, ‘Okay, they’re just going to be happy with what they get.’
“That’s why I’ve been quoting Yoda when fighting the evil empire lately, because that’s really what this is, the Death Star marching on, and we’re powerless to do it. So I’m part of the group of rebels AD trying to fight the system, leaning on the sage advice of Yoda.”
The conversation surrounding Miami (OH) isn’t dying down, especially if the Redhawks were to lose a game during the MAC Tournament or even their regular season finale Friday night against the Ohio Bobcats.
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But this has clearly been one of the most exciting stories in college basketball this season. Maybe the slippers will fit in the next month.
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