Miami University (Ohio) coach Travis Steele has accused power conference teams of "ducking" mid-major opponents like the RedHawks, a complaint echoed by other coaches from conferences such as the MAC, Sun Belt, AAC and Mountain West as their teams eyed the 2024 NCAA men's basketball tournament.[1][2]
The RedHawks, competing in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), finished the 2023-24 regular season with a 20-11 record before going 22-13 overall, including a semifinal loss in the MAC tournament on March 16, 2024. Steele noted that his team waited until October to fill non-conference dates, eventually scheduling games against non-Division I opponents, including Division II Walsh University on November 29, 2023, which affected their strength of schedule.[2][3]
Purdue coach Matt Painter countered Steele's claims during a radio appearance on March 16, 2024, stating that power conference teams have limited non-conference slots. "You’re going to play 11 non-conference games. Next year, it’s going to go to 12. And so we play 6 high-major games, and we play 5 mid-major teams," Painter said. He added that Purdue has faced MAC teams like Akron and Kent State in the past, as well as Oakland.[1][4]
Painter emphasized that high-major programs do play mid-majors but select matchups to bolster metrics like NET ranking and strength of schedule. The Boilermakers, Big Ten regular-season champions with a 29-5 record entering the postseason, played mid-majors such as Morehead State (OVC) and Fairleigh Dickinson during the 2023-24 non-conference slate.[1][5]
Alabama coach Nate Oats echoed Painter's sentiments on March 16, 2024, ahead of the Crimson Tide's SEC tournament game. "The only mid-major schools we turned down are ones that aren’t good enough," Oats said. "When we look at our ‘buy’ games, they need to be good enough because I don’t want to be playing Quad 4 games."[2][6]
The scheduling debate highlights challenges in balancing buy games—where mid-majors receive guarantees—for résumé building ahead of NCAA tournament selection, which occurred on March 17, 2024. Miami (Ohio) did not receive an at-large bid and was not selected for the NIT.[3][7]
Sources
- CBS Sports
"Matt Painter blasts Miami (Ohio) coach for complaining about Power 5 schools 'ducking' mid-majors: 'We played 5 this year'"
March 17, 2024
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/matt-painter-blasts-miami-ohio-coach-for-complaining-about-power-5-schools-ducking-mid-majors-we-played-5-this-year/ - AL.com
"Alabama's Nate Oats rips Miami (Ohio) coach over scheduling complaints: 'The only mid-major schools we turned down are ones that aren’t good enough'"
March 17, 2024
https://www.al.com/sec/2024/03/nate-oats-ripped-miami-ohios-coach-says-only-mid-majors-they-turn-down-arent-good-enough.html - Miami RedHawks official athletics site
"2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule"
Accessed October 2024
https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24 - Hammer and Rails (Purdue fan site, citing radio show)
"Matt Painter responds to Miami (OH) coach Travis Steele"
March 16, 2024
https://www.hammerandrails.com/2024/3/16/24099975/purdue-matt-painter-miami-ohio-travis-steele-buy-games - Purdue Boilermakers official athletics site
"2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule"
Accessed October 2024
https://purduesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24 - On3
"Nate Oats doesn't hold back on Miami Ohio scheduling complaints"
March 17, 2024
https://www.on3.com/news/nate-oats-alabama-miami-ohio-scheduling-complaints/ - NCAA.com
"2024 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament bracket"
March 17, 2024
https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/d1/article/2024-03-17/2024-ncaa-di-mens-basketball-bracket-march-madness
