Miami (Ohio) Coach Fined for Halftime Outburst

Travis Steele violated MAC sportsmanship policy during recent win over Western Michigan

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Miami (Ohio) men's basketball coach Travis Steele was fined $2,500 and must reimburse Western Michigan for damage to a speaker following a recent win over the Broncos. Steele violated the MAC's sportsmanship policy during a halftime tirade after berating officials and shoving audio equipment to the floor.

Why it matters

Steele's outburst comes as Miami (Ohio) is off to a historic 29-0 start, the fourth Division I team since 2000 to enter March undefeated. The RedHawks are hoping to earn an NCAA Tournament bid, either automatically by winning the MAC Tournament or as an at-large selection.

The details

Steele exploded after a call in the final seconds of the first half before his RedHawks rallied to stay unbeaten with a 69-67 victory over Western Michigan in the second half. Miami (Ohio) extended the best start in program history and added to its school record for wins in a season.

  • The incident occurred during halftime of Miami (Ohio)'s recent game against Western Michigan.
  • Miami (Ohio) is 29-0 entering Tuesday night's game against Toledo.

The players

Travis Steele

The head coach of the Miami (Ohio) men's basketball team.

Miami (Ohio) RedHawks

The men's basketball team at Miami University in Ohio, which is off to a historic 29-0 start this season.

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What they’re saying

“I got to be better at halftime from being honest, like I can't lose my mind. I got a technical foul walking off the court; I got to be better. But our group is unflappable. It's calm, cool, collected. It's very, very even, the entire time, even during tight moments.”

— Travis Steele, Head Coach, Miami (Ohio) (CBS Sports)

What’s next

Miami (Ohio) will look to remain undefeated when they face Toledo on Tuesday and Ohio on Friday.

The takeaway

Steele's outburst highlights the pressure on Miami (Ohio) to maintain its historic undefeated start and secure an NCAA Tournament bid, either automatically or as an at-large selection.