Charles Barkley: MAC Teams 'Suck', Not Miami's Fault

Basketball analyst says conference's poor performance not due to RedHawks

Mar. 18, 2026 at 5:34am

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TNT Sports college basketball analyst Charles Barkley criticized the overall quality of teams in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), saying "it's not Miami's fault everybody in the MAC sucks." Barkley's comments came as the Miami RedHawks, the MAC tournament champion, prepared to face SMU in the First Four of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

Barkley's blunt assessment of the MAC reflects the ongoing challenges smaller conferences face in gaining national respect and securing bids to the lucrative NCAA Tournament, which is dominated by power conferences. The RedHawks' tournament appearance is a rare bright spot for the MAC, which has struggled to produce competitive teams in recent years.

The details

In his pregame analysis, Barkley did not mince words when discussing the RedHawks' tournament bid, saying "I want to make one thing perfectly clear, it's not Miami's fault everybody in the MAC sucks." He went on to say the conference's poor performance was not a reflection on the RedHawks, who he acknowledged had earned their tournament spot.

  • The Miami RedHawks are set to face SMU in the First Four of the 2026 NCAA Tournament at UD Arena.

The players

Charles Barkley

A TNT Sports college basketball analyst and former NBA player.

Miami RedHawks

The men's basketball team from Miami University in Ohio, which won the Mid-American Conference tournament to earn a bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“I want to make one thing perfectly clear, it's not Miami's fault everybody in the MAC sucks.”

— Charles Barkley, TNT Sports college basketball analyst

The takeaway

Barkley's blunt assessment of the Mid-American Conference highlights the ongoing challenges smaller conferences face in gaining national respect and securing lucrative NCAA Tournament bids, which are dominated by power conferences. The RedHawks' tournament appearance is a rare bright spot for the MAC, but Barkley's comments suggest the conference still has work to do to improve its overall competitiveness.