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Led by Luke Skaljac’s career-high 19 points, the Miami RedHawks defeated Buffalo on Tuesday night to extend their historic winning streak to 23 games. The victory cemented the longest streak in Mid-American Conference history and maintained Miami’s status as owner of the longest active winning streak in Division I men’s basketball.
The sophomore guard scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half to help the RedHawks extend their streak in the narrow 73-71 victory. Brant Byers added 11 points and point guard Peter Suder added another 10 with eight assists.
Miami (Ohio) guard Luke Skaljac (3) drives to the basket in front of Buffalo forward Ezra McKenna (13) during the first half of an NCAA basketball game in Buffalo, New York, on Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
“We keep finding ways to win and tonight was just another example of that,” Skaljac said via the team’s website.
“I know we can score, we’re one of the best offensive teams in the country,” added coach Travis Steele, according to the Cincinnati researcher. “It’s more about our defense, that’s my focus right now.”
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To call this season’s streak historic would be an understatement even for a program not often recognized as a “powerhouse” in men’s basketball. The RedHawks were unranked for more than two decades before re-entering the top 25 rankings last month for the first time since 1999. They are one of only two teams in Division I remaining undefeated, and are one win ahead of No. 1-ranked Arizona’s streak of 22.
The RedHawks are currently the 23rd ranked team and are on the verge of the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. Unlike that streak, which ended in the first round, Miami has had two other notable stretches: a Sweet 16 appearance in 1999 led by Wally Szczerbiak and three consecutive NCAA bids from 1984 to 1986 led by the league’s all-time leading scorer. school and five-time NBA champion, Ron Harper.
Miami RedHawks guard Ron Harper (34) in action against Maryland Terrapins forward Tom Jones (41) in Cincinnati, Ohio on March 15, 1985. (Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
One Miami alum believes this year’s race is serving as a revival of the Harper days, one he remembers well.
“We would go on Saturday afternoon and Millett Hall would be absolutely electric,” Pak Gazette Chief Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram told Pak Gazette Digital. “They’ve never seen a player like Ron Harper before or since.”
Pergram, who is from Jacksonburg, Ohio, and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Miami University, recalled the excitement of watching basketball games at Millett Hall when he was a student at Edgewood High School in Trenton, Ohio.
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“And yes, Wally Szczerbiak was really good: he played in the NBA, he had a long career, he took them to the Sweet 16, but Harper’s days were exceptional. He was clearly the best player in the MAC and one of the best players in the country. And when he entered the NBA, he had the hardware to prove it.”
Miami (Ohio) guard Justin Kirby (6) hits a dunk during the first half of an NCAA basketball game against Northern Illinois in Oxford, Ohio, on Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Pergram remembered the days when Millett Hall was full, but the program fell on hard times over the past two decades. Attending a game in early January a few years ago, he remembered that “there weren’t 200 people there,” and deduced that most of them were from nearby Eaton High School based on the school colors they were wearing.
But the tides are changing. The program set an attendance record in last week’s win over Northern Illinois with 10,640. Ticket sales for home games appear to be trending in the same direction.
“Everyone is paying attention,” Pergram said, recalling his days in Miami when Harper worked as a resident assistant in his dorm after a great freshman year. “Looking back, it’s just amazing to see Miami basketball reach these levels again after the hype they had in the mid-1980s when he was there.”
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Miami (Ohio) Trey Perry (1) celebrates with teammate Brant Byers (22) after an NCAA basketball game against Northern Illinois in Oxford, Ohio, on Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
The debate about the strength of Miami’s schedule has revolved around its undefeated streak. A victory in the conference tournament would secure the RedHawks’ berth in the NCAA tournament. Otherwise, the Selection Committee will determine Miami’s future.
The RedHawks continue their historic season with a game at Marshall on Saturday.
