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UMBC is back in the men’s NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Retrievers famously stunned No. 1 seed Virginia in 2018.
After UMBC won the American East Conference Tournament to clinch its Big Dance automatic bid, the Retrievers had some fun with former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl, who is now a studio analyst with CBS Sports and TNT.
“Just realized the best part of having an autobid is that we don’t need a relative going on tv to explain why we deserve to be in over a 30-win @MiamiRedHawks,” UMBC posted on X.
Pearl went viral for recent comments in which he said that Miami (Ohio) needed to win its conference tournament to get into the NCAA Tournament, even though the RedHawks would ultimately finish the 2025-26 regular season at a perfect 31-0 before getting bounced in its first Mid-American Conference (“MAC”) Tournament game.
Miami (Ohio) is 31-1. The RedHawks are on the bubble for the field of 68, although they are expected to get in, likely as a No. 11 seed. Pearl’s former team, Auburn, is 17-16 overall.
However, the Tigers, out of the rugged Southeastern Conference, have faced a much tougher schedule, with Auburn currently at No. 38 in the NCAA NET rankings, while Miami (Ohio) is No. 64.
Auburn is led by first-year head coach Steven Pearl, who is the son of Bruce Pearl. Some believe that Bruce Pearl’s prior comments on Miami (Ohio) suggest that he’s stumping for his son’s squad to make the field over the RedHawks, although Pearl did recently soften his stance a smidge.
Either way, when UMBC last made the NCAA Tournament, the Retrievers became the first No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed. UMBC defeated Virginia, 74-54, and the Retrievers’ X account was filled with humor (and shots fired) back then.
Let’s see what UMBC (24-8 overall) has for an encore in 2026. This won’t happen, but it would be glorious if the Big Dance selection committee lined up a First Four match-up between Auburn and either the Retrievers or the RedHawks.
That would be appointment TV at its finest.
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