Why Bruce Pearl is rooting for Akron to beat Miami RedHawks

College basketball analyst Bruce Pearl isn't rooting for the Miami RedHawks to win the Mid-American Conference tournament, but it's not for the reason many would expect.

"(The RedHawks) may not be the best team in the MAC," Pearl explained March 8 on CBS. "It might be Akron. It might be the Zips! … I'm rooting for Akron to make the upset, that way two teams get to the NCAA tournament out of the MAC. … I'm putting Miami of Ohio in (the field of 68). They're in!"

During a TNT Sports interview March 7 with RedHawks head coach Travis Steele, Pearl agreed to pay the amount of Steele's fine from the Mid-American Conference for a halftime tantrum at Western Michigan, to Steele's favorite charity.

Pearl, who emerged as a critic of the 19th-ranked RedHawks by suggesting they wouldn't be as deserving of an NCAA tournament at-large bid as some power-conference teams, celebrated Miami's 31st win of the season with a tweet.

Miami director of athletics David Sayler took Pearl to task via Twitter/X for his take several days ago, while explaining that the RedHawks tried to schedule tougher non-conference opponents but couldn't.

After the RedHawks' win in their regular-season finale, Steele confirmed he still intends to wear a Speedo at the team's NCAA tournament Selection Sunday watch party.

The RedHawks are scheduled to open the MAC tournament against No. 8 seed UMass on Thurs., March 12 at 11 a.m. Eastern.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why Bruce Pearl is rooting for Akron to beat Miami RedHawks