When he’s not winning All-Star weekend three-point competitions, injured Blazers guard Damian Lillard spends his time backing college basketball’s most surprising story, the Miami (OH) RedHawks basketball team.
At least for one night.
With the Trail Blazers off on Thursday and Lillard still recovering from a torn Achilles, Dame took to X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) to express his bewilderment that Miami (30-0) could possibly be left out of the NCAA tournament if they fail to win the MAC’s postseason tournament later this month.
“Can somebody explain to me how Miami OH should/would not get an automatic bid? I’m confused …,” wrote Lillard.
He’s not alone.
Should Miami not win the MAC, they’d still have only one or two losses, depending on what happens in their regular season finale on Friday night versus rival Ohio University.
And at least 30 wins.
30!
Critics cite the RedHawks’ strength of schedule as the reason why they’d be considered an “on the bubble team” should they have one or two losses and no MAC tournament title. Noted college basketball rating system, KenPom, ranks Miami’s non-conference schedule as 360th in the country out of 365 teams.
Despite more than 350 replies to his tweet with commentators making cases for and against the RedHawks, Lillard didn’t engage with anyone. Perhaps he’s waiting for the MAC tournament and/or Selection Sunday.
Lillard spent four years at mid-major Weber State where he was a two-time Big Sky conference Player of the Year. Though he had plenty of individual successes, he was unable to lead his team to a conference title or NCAA tournament berth.
Miami (OH) hopes to avoid a similar fate.
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