The team that went undefeated in the regular season, racked up more victories than anyone but Arizona and Duke — and fewer losses than any team at all — is anything but your run-of-the-mill basketball behemoth.
In fact, Ohio’s Miami University, despite that 31-1 record and maybe because of a little chip that’s been placed on the RedHawks’ collective shoulder, is one of those plucky underdogs that makes the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament what it is.
Welcome to March Madness with a twist.
While coach Jon Scheyer’s Duke Blue Devils (32-2) — fresh off finishing a repeat sweep of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament championships — took the overall No. 1 seed for the big bracket on Selection Sunday, with Arizona (32-2) of the Big 12, Michigan (31-3) of the Big Ten and reigning national champion Florida (26-7) of the Southeastern Conference also on the top line, the RedHawks barely scratched their way into the 68-team field.
And even before making an attempt a proper crashing of the Big Dance, they will have to play a First Four game against fellow No. 11 seed SMU (20-13) on Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio.