The No. 19 Miami RedHawks were chasing history on Friday night, standing at 30–0 with one game remaining in the regular season on the road against the Ohio Bobcats — a team they hadn’t beaten in Athens since 2011 and are just 3–23 against since 2000.
After a thrilling back-and-forth battle, the RedHawks escaped with a 110–108 overtime victory, joining an exclusive group of teams to finish the regular season unbeaten at 31–0 — a remarkable accomplishment for head coach Travis Steele and his program.
However, the game ended amid controversy. As the RedHawks celebrated on the court, Bobcat fans were seen throwing trash at the players, prompting a heated exchange of words between players and the crowd before tensions eventually subsided.
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In the postgame, Steele made it clear he was not blaming any Ohio personnel but sharply criticized the fans who threw trash, saying his players aren’t “zoo animals.”
“Great environment, that’s what college basketball is all about,” Steele said. “I was upset that something got thrown at us. That ain’t right, that’s not right. You know, we’re not animals at the zoo… You don’t do that. There’s a line, and that line was stepped over for a minute. It’s nobody’s specific person’s fault, it was just some yahoo out there doing that.”
Miami (OH) star Eian Elmer, who scored 32 points, had a clear message for Bobcat fans after the game.
“They like to talk a lotta trash about Millett Hall. But we sold ours out. So they gotta work on that,” Elmer said. “We love opposing crowds. We’re always playing the villain.”
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