No. 21 Miami (Ohio) Trying to Stay Focused Amid Growing Attention

RedHawks coach Travis Steele warns players about off-court distractions as undefeated season continues

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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No. 21 Miami (Ohio) men's basketball team is the only remaining unbeaten team in Division I, but head coach Travis Steele is trying to keep his players focused on the task at hand rather than getting distracted by the growing attention and off-court issues that come with success. The RedHawks have already set a program record with 28 wins and are 15-0 in Mid-American Conference play, but Steele is more concerned with the team's trajectory and continuing to improve rather than just the results.

Why it matters

Miami's historic season has brought the program more national attention than it has likely ever had before. As the team continues to win and climb the rankings, Steele is trying to shield his players from outside distractions like agents and other schools trying to lure them away, which he says is just part of the price of success.

The details

The RedHawks are one of the nation's best offensive teams, averaging 91.6 points per game (second nationally) and featuring seven players scoring in double figures. They did suffer a bit of a scare on Tuesday at Eastern Michigan, seeing a 26-point lead get cut to six before pulling out a 74-64 win. Now they face Western Michigan, which played them tough in the first meeting before Miami pulled away for an 87-76 victory.

  • Miami (Ohio) is 28-0 overall and 15-0 in Mid-American Conference play so far this season.
  • The RedHawks have a program-best 13-game road winning streak.
  • Miami and Western Michigan first met on January 6 in Oxford, Ohio.

The players

Travis Steele

The head coach of the No. 21 Miami (Ohio) men's basketball team.

Brant Byers

One of Miami's leading scorers, averaging 14.6 points per game.

Peter Suder

One of Miami's leading scorers, averaging 14.6 points per game.

Justice Williams

Western Michigan's leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points per game.

Jalen Griffith

Western Michigan player scoring 12.7 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“I told them, listen, as we get better, as we're going to continue on this journey, that there are going to be things and people that are going to try to grab us. That's just part of success. Whether it's agents or whether that's other schools, especially in the landscape we're in today, it's just part of it. Tampering happens and all sorts of stuff happens.”

— Travis Steele, Head Coach, Miami (Ohio) (statenews.net)

“I'm more obsessed with the trajectory rather than just the results of ... getting these wins. And listen, we want to win every game, right? But it's more, are we getting better? Offensively, we're going to be a team that's going to score 90 to 100 dang near every night. As long as we take care of the ball, we're hard to stop.”

— Travis Steele, Head Coach, Miami (Ohio) (statenews.net)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.