MAC commissioner confident of 2 bids despite Miami (Ohio) loss - ESPN

CLEVELAND — Mid-American Conference commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher is hoping the success of Miami (Ohio) this season pays off Sunday and in the future.

Steinbrecher is confident that his conference will get two teams into the NCAA tournament for the first time in 27 years, despite the RedHawks losing to UMass 87-83 in the MAC tournament quarterfinals on Thursday after going 31-0 in the regular season.

«I believe Miami's in the tournament,» Steinbrecher said Friday before the start of the tournament semifinals. «I had communication with the committee chair and committee liaisons yesterday and just passed along some information. They're not going to tell me for sure, but I just feel that they're in. They've done the things they need to do to get into the tournament. I think history has shown that until we're shown otherwise.»

The MAC has received multiple bids five times since the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The last time was in 1999 when Kent State won the conference tournament to earn its first NCAA trip while Miami got in with an at-large berth after winning the regular-season title.

Miami made the committee look good by making it to the Sweet 16.

The RedHawks were the fifth team this century to go through the regular season undefeated but were the second to get tripped up in their conference tournament.

Miami's detractors have pointed out its low strength of schedule — 344th out of 365 Division I teams, according to the NCAA Evaluation Tool — as a reason it should not be in the field of 68 teams. Steinbrecher and many of his mid-major brethren point out, though, that Tier 1 teams do not want to schedule Tier 2 and 3 schools.

The RedHawks faced no Tier 1 teams and were 2-0 against Tier 2 squads.

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