TNT Sports college basketball analyst Charles Barkley likely didn’t make Akron (or any Mid-American Conference team’s) fans happy during his argument that the Miami RedHawks shouldn’t have had to play in the NCAA Tournament First Four in Dayton.
“I want to make one thing perfectly clear,” Barkley said, in a video posted by TNT. “Miami of Ohio got screwed also too. They should be a higher seed. They went 31-0 (in the regular season). I know my man Bruce Pearl, who I love, disagrees with me. But I’m not a big proponent of strength of schedule. It’s not their fault everybody in their conference sucks. They only played the schedule they were dealt. They should be in the main draw. I don’t normally root for teams, other than Auburn, to be honest with you. But I’m rooting for Miami (Ohio) to advance in this tournament.”
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The Zips were 29-5 and won their third consecutive MAC tournament title to earn the league’s NCAA Tournament automatic bid. A No. 12 seed, Akron is scheduled to face Texas Tech on Friday, March 20.
SMU Mustangs head coach Andy Enfield, whose team is facing the RedHawks in a First Four game at University of Dayton Arena, said Miami deserved its first at-large bid since Wally Szczerbiak’s 1999 Sweet 16 team, and critics of the RedHawks should shut up.
The RedHawks are scheduled to face SMU on Wednesday, March 18, at 9:15 p.m. Eastern.
Former North Carolina Tar Heels standout Tyler Hansbrough was among those insisting that the RedHawks didn’t deserve an at-large bid.
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Szczerbiak, Barkley’s TNT/CBS colleague, said during the network’s “NCAA March Madness bracket breakdown” that he was “very surprised” the RedHawks were sent to Dayton.
As the RedHawks heard their name called on Selection Sunday, CBS analyst Seth Davis said Miami received the final at-large bid available. Chairman Keith Gill clarified a short time later that North Carolina State, Texas and SMU were ranked lower than Miami by the selection committee.
Charles Barkley, Dick Vitale and Brian Anderson broadcast a First Four game between North Carolina State and Texas.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Charles Barkley: It’s not Miami-Ohio RedHawks’ fault MAC teams suck
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