The Miami (OH) RedHawks take on the UMass Minutemen in Amherst, MA. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Miami (OH) is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -160. The total is set at 165 points.
Here’s my Miami (OH) vs. UMass predictions and college basketball picks for February 17, 2026.
Miami (OH) vs UMass Prediction
My Pick: Over 164.5 (Play to 165)
My Miami (OH) vs UMass best bet is on the over. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Miami (OH) vs. UMass Odds
| Miami (OH) Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 164.5 -115/ -105 | -170 |
| UMass Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 164.5 -115 / -105 | +142 |
- Miami (OH) vs UMass spread: Miami (OH) -2.5
- Miami (OH) vs UMass over/under: 164.5 points
- Miami (OH) vs UMass moneyline: Miami (OH) -170, UMass +142
Miami (OH) vs UMass College Basketball Betting Preview
Miami (OH) Basketball
Miami (OH) needs no introduction as the RedHawks are a household name that most can recognize as the only undefeated team left in Division I hoops.
Miami's offense is rolling and has scored 90 points in back-to-back contests. Also, the defense is one of the most efficient in MAC play.
There still seems to be spirited debate over whether Miami (OH) would be justifiable as an NCAA Tournament “at-large” selection if it were to lose in the MAC Tournament.
Well, Miami (OH) has six chances left in the regular season to prove it is.
The offense has been explosive, and yet the total appears greater than the sum of its parts, as Miami (OH) isn't carried by a true superstar scorer. Half-a-dozen RedHawks average double figures in scoring, and the team is led by Brant Byers, who averages 15 points per game.
Peter Suder averages 14.5 points and Eian Elmer averages 12 points, while leading Miami (OH) in 3-point percentage.
Miami (OH) a lot of weapons and its bench runs pretty deep, with 10 RedHawks playing at least 12 minutes per contest.
The defense isn't exquisite by national standards. The RedHawks don’t have a domineering post presence or exceptional lockdown pressure on the outside.
However, Miami (OH) does defend the 3-point shot well and also succeeds in preventing offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities.
I'll be really interested to see who wins the rebounding war in this game.
UMass Basketball
UMass is coming off back-to-back gut-wrenching losses against Coastal Carolina and Akron, a real microcosm of its season. All 11 losses the Minutemen have endured have been by 10 points or less, and many games featured opportunities for them to flip the script.
The Minutemen have played feisty hoops despite not accumulating many wins, and this will be a real shot to put the MAC on notice if they can hand Miami (OH) its first loss.
The offense runs through Leonardo Bettiol and Marcus Banks Jr., who both average 17 points per game. Banks is a dangerous 3-point threat who buried four triples in the first meeting between these teams.
Daniel Hankins-Sanford and K’Jei Parker each average 11.7 points per game, while Danny Carbuccia has been exceptional running point, including a game against Central Michigan where he had 17 assists.
This is a dangerous offense that should score points on Tuesday.
The UMass defense has been below average due to its inability to keep opponents off the foul line. UMass is in the bottom third of the MAC in 2- and 3-point defense and is the worst team in the league in defensive free-throw rate.
Keeping Miami (OH) off the line and forcing contested shots will be critical in this game.
Miami (OH) vs. UMass Betting Analysis
This line opened at Miami (OH) -3 with the total set at 163.5. I like the over in this matchup.
Miami (OH) has found itself in some closer-than-expected games, and we saw the RedHawks play timidly on the offensive end in crunch time in a few of those games.
More recently, Miami (OH) has continued to attack. The RedHawks have scored 90 points in consecutive games, and I suspect Miami (OH) will have open looks in this game and should generate plenty of trips to the charity stripe.
UMass is going to score points, and I expect we'll see a ton of pace as UMass ramps up the pressure and looks to run on misses and turnovers.
We could see upwards of 80 total possessions in this game, and either one of these teams could be ahead in the final minutes by a margin that would trigger late-game fouling.
I expect Miami (OH) to continue to attack and pursue scoring opportunities, as opposed to bleeding clock and settling for long jumpers.
This is the RedHawks' most dangerous test remaining in conference play during the regular season, and I fully expect them to get the Minutemen’s best punch.
My Pick: Over 164.5 (Play to 165)
