The Battle of the Bricks turned Millett Hall into a cauldron of anticipation on February 13, 2026, as the Miami OH RedHawks hosted the Ohio Bobcats in a Mid-American Conference (MAC) clash that carried more weight than just regional pride. Miami OH, the last unbeaten team in Division I men’s basketball at 24-0 (11-0 MAC), entered the night with a national ranking of No. 23 and a home winning streak stretching to 28 games. Their visitors, the Ohio Bobcats, stood at 13-12 overall and 7-5 in the MAC, aiming to play spoiler and shake up the conference hierarchy.
This rivalry always brings the heat to Oxford, and with ESPN cameras rolling and the crowd roaring, the stakes felt even higher. Miami’s perfect record was on the line, and the Bobcats, living in the middle of the MAC pack, came in determined to drag the RedHawks into a gritty, possession-by-possession fight. As Dan Johnson put it, “The favorite has everything to lose and the underdog gets to play with nerve.”
On paper, the RedHawks’ offensive numbers sparkled. Miami OH averaged an eye-popping 1.191 points per possession, boasted a 60.1% effective field goal percentage (eFG), hit 63.0% of its two-pointers, and knocked down 37.7% from three. Their up-tempo style delivered 92.7 points per game—first in the MAC—while they attempted 27 threes a night and led the conference in three-point shooting at .398. Seven players averaged between 9.7 and 14.7 points per game, illustrating just how balanced this attack could be. Brant Byers topped the scoring charts at 14.7 points per game, draining 40.8% from deep, while Peter Suder added 14.2 points per game on an even hotter 42.9% from beyond the arc.
Yet, the Bobcats weren’t about to roll over. Their defense ranked fourth in the MAC in effective field-goal percentage allowed, holding opponents to just 50.8% at the rim in league play. Offensively, Ohio averaged 1.045 points per possession with a 51.2% eFG and 29.8% from three-point range. The Bobcats’ strength inside was clear: they hit 56.3% of their twos in conference games and boasted a 26.8% offensive rebounding rate, giving them extra possessions to chip away at Miami’s edge. Miami, meanwhile, allowed 54% shooting on twos in MAC contests—a vulnerability that Ohio’s forwards were eager to exploit.
Jackson Paveletzke, Ohio’s senior guard, was the steadying force for the Bobcats, averaging 16.6 points and 5.2 assists per game, while ranking 54th nationally in assists per game. Forward Aidan Hadaway supplied muscle on the boards with 7.5 rebounds per game and chipped in 14.2 points, and Javan Simmons offered a physical post presence. The Bobcats’ defensive steal rate also promised to inject some chaos, and if the game turned into a live-ball affair, volatility could favor the underdog.
As the game tipped off shortly after 9 p.m. ET, fans packed the stands, buzzing with the knowledge that Miami’s unbeaten streak was on the line. The RedHawks’ up-tempo attack was relentless, averaging nearly 12 fastbreak points per game—compared to Ohio’s 8.5—and their 13.7% turnover rate kept mistakes to a minimum. But Ohio was no slouch in transition, and both squads played at a brisk pace: Miami ranked 44th nationally in adjusted tempo (70.2 possessions per 40 minutes), with Ohio not far behind at 86th (69.1 possessions).
Miami’s defense, though solid on the perimeter (third in the MAC in three-point percentage defense at .318), had its soft spots inside. Ohio’s plan was clear: attack the rim, force help, and work for high-percentage twos. The RedHawks, for their part, leaned on their shooting. Byers and Suder spaced the floor, while Antwone Woolfolk, shooting 64.3% from the field, punished switches and finished at an elite rate, ranking 11th nationally in field-goal percentage.
Free throws loomed as a potential tipping point. Miami shot a robust 76.8% from the line, compared to Ohio’s 69.9%. As Johnson noted, “That gap shows up the moment a game hits the foul window. That doesn’t outright veto the underdog, but it’s a massive note for how a cover can die late.”
Recent results had only fueled Miami’s confidence. The RedHawks were coming off a 90-74 road win at Marshall, where they shot 55.9% from the field and 44.4% from three. It was the 18th time this season they’d eclipsed 50% shooting, a testament to their offensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Ohio’s two-game win streak had been snapped by a 78-72 loss at Old Dominion, where foul shooting proved costly. The Bobcats hit just 10-of-15 from the stripe, while ODU went 16-of-18—a margin that decided the contest.
Miami’s dominance at home was another storyline. With a 13-0 record at Millett Hall and a 28-game home winning streak, the RedHawks had turned their gym into a fortress. But the Battle of the Bricks rarely follows the script, and earlier in the season, Miami squeaked out an 86-84 win over Ohio at home—a reminder that rivalry games can turn on a dime.
With Miami holding just a one-game lead over Akron in the MAC standings, every contest mattered. Akron’s only conference loss had come at Miami on January 3, 76-73, and the Zips were lurking, hoping for a slip. Despite their perfect record, the RedHawks’ NCAA Tournament hopes were not ironclad. Their strength of schedule ranked just 311th nationally, and their KenPom rating sat at 84th. As one report observed, “It’s very possible that Miami, despite its record, will have to win the MAC Tournament to assure itself an NCAA berth.”
As the second half unfolded, the game delivered the tension and drama expected from a rivalry of this caliber. Miami leaned into its pick-and-roll spacing and three-point volume, while Ohio responded by attacking the rim and battling on the glass. The Bobcats’ recent stretch—scoring 95 at Buffalo and 91 against Western Michigan—showed they could keep up offensively. Both teams played in the low 70s in possessions, making for a high-scoring, competitive affair.
In the final minutes, the outcome hung in the balance. The experts predicted a close one, with Miami favored by 9.5 points and a projected score in the ballpark of 86-80. As Johnson summarized, “This does not profile as a slow, 64-possession rock fight. It profiles as a competitive, structured game where Ohio can score enough to avoid getting buried.”
Regardless of the final score, the Battle of the Bricks once again lived up to its billing, testing the nerves and resolve of both programs. Miami’s unbeaten run, national attention, and postseason dreams remained the talk of college basketball, but the Bobcats made sure it wasn’t an easy night in Oxford. With a rematch looming on March 6 in Athens, this rivalry is far from settled—and the MAC title race is heating up.