awfulannouncing
Miami (Ohio) head coach Travis Steele did not mince words about the fan turnout at Millett Hall after the RedHawks' 80-73 win over Bellarmine on Saturday in Oxford. In his postgame media session, Steele labeled the attendance for the team's first home game of the season as 'totally unacceptable' and issued a passionate plea to the Miami community.
Steele, the former Xavier head coach who has transformed the RedHawks into a mid-major powerhouse, pointed to the program's recent success as reason enough for stronger support. 'We have the second-longest home winning streak in the country, I believe,' Steele said. 'Like, we need to get more people here at the games. To me, it's totally unacceptable. We went 31-0 last year.'
The RedHawks were the darlings of men's college basketball last March, carrying a 31-1 record into the NCAA Tournament and defeating SMU in the First Four. Despite that run, Steele noted that it took a 20-0 start last season before crowds began to swell. 'We got a really good team. A really good program. And we need to sell this thing back out,' he continued. 'And if it's only going to happen when we're 20-0 or 25-0, man, then people are really spoiled around here.'
Key Analysis
Steele's frustration underscores a broader challenge for mid-major programs: sustaining fan engagement even amid unprecedented success. While he acknowledged his team's responsibility to perform better—'I own both ways, right? We've got to play better. But we also need people to show up'—the coach's message was clear. With Miami expected to contend for another MAC title alongside Akron, a packed and raucous Millett Hall could be the difference in the RedHawks' quest to remain a national story.
Originally reported by awfulannouncing.