Miami (Ohio) head coach Travis Steele says he hasn’t been superstitious during the RedHawks’ 22-0 run, a streak that has them sitting alongside No. 1 Arizona as the final two unbeaten teams of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season.

When pressed, though, he acknowledged he wears lucky shirts to every game, at the request of his 3-year-old daughter.

“She loves my shirts that I wear underneath my quarter zip,” Steele said. “I’ve got a Skyline Chili shirt and I’ve got an Ultimate Warrior T-shirt. She likes that.”

His players? Well, they make no such claim.

Senior guard Peter Suder, an All-Mid-American selection last season, is particular about what he puts on his feet every night.

“They’re washed, but I wear the same game socks every single time, regardless,” he said.

Brant Byers, reigning MAC Freshman of the Year, can’t play a game until he scarfs down a bunch of candy before tipoff. Jolly Rancher, Life Savers, anything sweet.

“A bag, a midsized bag that you can get at the gas station,” he said. “Usually, I’ll eat the whole bag.”

Junior guard Eian Elmer‘s superstition is more costly. The James Harden Volume 9 Adidas shoes he wears during games retail for nearly $200 online. Elmer started the season with eight pairs; now he’s down to six. Why? Because if he has a bad game, he refuses to play in those shoes again, choosing to give them away instead. During his worst effort of the season — he finished 0-for-4 shooting against Central Michigan on Jan. 13 — Elmer (11.6 points per game) even ditched an orange pair at halftime.

“I had two bad games in them,” he said. “It was time to give them up.”

For Miami this season, even a bad game has resulted in a victory.

A year after the RedHawks lost to Akron — and to Steele’s half-brother, Zips head coach John Groce — in the MAC tournament championship game, they’re chasing an unblemished season and the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007.

At No. 23 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll, Miami leads the nation in scoring (93.7 PPG) and field goal percentage (53.4%). The RedHawks are also top 25 in 3-point (37.9%) and 2-point (62.6%) shooting. They hold the longest winning streak in MAC history thanks to the chemistry of a roster that returned its best players from last season and the players’ ability to quickly turn the page after each victory.

Up next (6:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, ESPN+) is a Buffalo team that nearly ended the perfect season in overtime two weeks ago (a 105-102 Miami win) — and one loss could spoil any shot the RedHawks have at an earning at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, instead requiring a conference tournament title to secure a berth on Selection Sunday.

Twenty-two games in, though, the campus in Oxford, Ohio, is abuzz about basketball.

Tickets to Miami’s 2024-25 season opener against Wright State sold for $13. Attendance for that game at Millett Hall, the RedHawks’ home arena, was reported at just north of 2,000 — about 20% of the building’s capacity. As of this writing, a ticket for the team’s next home game against rival Ohio on Feb. 13 can’t be found for less than $100. (One of the few remaining courtside seats would cost you $514 on StubHub.) And an attendance record of 10,640 was set at last Saturday’s win over Northern Illinois.

“To have the crowd that we had last game is something that we’re not even used to really, but it adds another element to the games and makes them even more fun than what they had been in the past,” said Byers, whose 15.4 points per game lead the team. “I know there were a few games last year where we were probably pushing a thousand fans.

“It’s really wild to go from a completely quiet gym to a packed, loud gym.”

After leading for most of last season’s MAC tournament title game, Miami saw Akron come back from an 18-point deficit, losing on a shot by former Zips star Nate Johnson with 2.3 seconds to play. Some returning players watched that film a dozen times. Others stayed off social media so they wouldn’t have to see it. But they all agreed on one thing: They wanted another shot.

“I know we’d just gone through probably the worst thing a team could go through basically, but we still felt the connectivity with us,” Suder said. “I think I was the first one to talk to [Steele] within a week and I told him within 10 seconds of our [individual] meeting that I don’t want to leave, I want to come back. And then I told him to tell all of the players in their meetings.”

That decision created a domino effect, and other top players agreed to return, giving Miami continuity few teams in America can match — the sixth-most returning minutes (62%), per KenPom. The RedHawks understand and trust one another. They know one another’s tendencies on the court.

That’s how they are in position to chase a dream.

“I’m really proud and happy for [Steele],” said Wally Szczerbiak, a second-team All-American selection who led the school to the Sweet 16 in 1999. “They have done it the right way through player development and hard work. The team is connected and very close off the court, which shows up in pressure, clutch situations on the court. Miami is a special place with special people walking around on that campus and it’s great to see them going to games to enjoy the ride.”

Amid the newfound hype, Steele has preached keeping focus on the road ahead instead of the rearview mirror. The RedHawks have used that mentality to navigate close games, three of which have been decided by five points or fewer, including two in overtime.

The players point to their connectedness for allowing them to stay honest with one another and play through adversity. Over the summer, they had heated on-court battles in pickup games — which Byers characterized as “probably too intense at times” — after their MAC tournament loss. The RedHawks knew how close they were to their goals. But Steele doesn’t want them to get caught up in the possibility of perfection, or the potential consequences of failing to achieve it.

“My biggest thing for us is that we can always control our own destiny,” Steele said. “I know this: If we win three games in three days in Cleveland [at the MAC tournament], we’ll get the automatic bid regardless of what happens.

“That’s where my mind keeps on going back to and it’s like, ‘How can we peak at the right time? How can we get our team to play the best that it can possibly play in March?’ I’m not as consumed with our record.”

Three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck made sure to avoid defenders when throwing passes in his 18-year NFL career, but now he makes sure that he keeps his cholesterol down in his post-playing days.

Hasselbeck’s father, Don Hasselbeck, passed away suddenly at age 70 from cardiac arrest. Following his death, Hasselbeck’s mother urged him to get screened, and he was humbled by his results.

“It was really my mom who said to, you know, there’s three boys in our family and said, ‘Boys, I want you to get screened for everything, you know, calcium score in your heart, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol,'” Hasselbeck told Fox News Digital in a recent interview with the Family Heart Foundation.

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“And we kind of like to be honest kind of rolled my eyes at the cholesterol one, because I was like, ‘Oh, that’s for people that are out of shape, the people that I crush on the Peloton.’”

“I was humbled really when my scores came back. A lot of my other scores were great, fantastic, and the cholesterol thing was too high, and I was shocked to be honest, and I can’t take credit for taking ownership. I just was trying to honor my mom kind of in a tough time for her and through the process accidentally probably helped myself quite a bit and probably helped my kids. It was eye-opening.”

Hasselbeck has partnered with the Family Heart Foundation for their “Tackle Cholesterol: Get into the LDL Safe Zone” campaign. As a football player, Hasselbeck said he always knew if he was injured, but with cholesterol, the threat is invisible.

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(Left) Matt Hasselbeck, (middle) Don Hasselbeck, and (right) Tim Hasselbeck all pose for a photo.  (Courtesy of Matt Hasselbeck)

“When you’re a football player, a lot of the injuries that you have, you can see them. It’s a shoulder, it’s a knee, it’s a high ankle sprain. It’s like orthopedic. With things like LDL cholesterol, it’s invisible. And you can exercise all you want or eat as great as you want, but if you aren’t in that safe zone of where you need to be cholesterol-wise, it can lead to all kinds of different issues, and cardiac arrest is one of them,” Hasselbeck said.

Hasselbeck, who has a family history of cardiovascular disease, urges families and fans to get screened. Hasselbeck hopes people will visit CholesterolConnect.org for more information or to order a free, one-time at-home cholesterol screening.

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Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck greets fans before the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Jan. 25, 2026. (Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)

“I’m really passionate about trying to tell everyone it’s the easiest thing ever to get screened. Get screened, find out what your numbers are, find out what those numbers mean, and then you’ll know how to lower your risk,” Hasselbeck said.

Hasselbeck played for four different teams in his 18-year career: 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, three with the Indianapolis Colts, two with the Green Bay Packers, and two with the Tennessee Titans. In 209 games, he completed 60.5% of his passes for 36,638 yards with 212 touchdowns and 153 interceptions.

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SUPER BOWL LX is making history: For the first time, the halftime show will feature a Spanish language-dominant solo performance, led by multi-Grammy-winning Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny. While Latin powerhouses such as Shakira and Jennifer Lopez have electrified previous shows, this groundbreaking moment represents something bigger — a celebration of Latin music’s explosive global reach and a nod to the 40-plus-million Spanish speakers calling the U.S. home. This isn’t just entertainment; it’s a cultural earthquake showcasing how American identity and inclusivity are constantly evolving.

As Super Bowl 60 festivities kick off, let’s revisit magnificent moments when Hispanic artists took center stage at halftime.

Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan was the first Hispanic artist to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1992. Estefan performed “Live for Loving You” and “Get on Your Feet” on a 50-foot elevated platform to close out the “Winter Magic” themed halftime show in Minneapolis. The Cuban-American artist returned to the Super Bowl stage seven years later and performed alongside Stevie Wonder and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Super Bowl XXXIII. As part of the “A celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing” halftime show in Miami, Estefan performed her single “Oye,” which blends Spanish and English lyrics.

Arturo Sandoval and the Miami Sound Machine

Sandoval and Latin Pop group Miami Sound Machine shared the halftime show stage with Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett at Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. Sandoval delivered a memorable trumpet solo during Bennett’s rendition of Duke Ellington’s classic “Caravan.” The show, entitled “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye,” featured more than 1,000 performers, including dancers, acrobats and jugglers. The show concluded with a spectacular performance of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” with all the performers sharing the stage.

Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias

The Disney-produced Super Bowl XXXIV halftime show in Atlanta featured Hispanic pop stars Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias. In front of more than 70,000 fans, the co-headliners performed “Celebrate the Future Hand in Hand” on a giant circular stage. The elaborate millennium celebration also included Phil Collins, Toni Braxton, an 80-person choir and Edward James Olmos as the show’s narrator.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars made Super Bowl history at 28 years old when he headlined the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Mars became the youngest artist to solo-headline the Super Bowl halftime show. He was accompanied by the eight members of his band, The Hooligans, which also includes his older brother Eric “E-Panda” Hernandez on drums. The group members were outfitted in matching Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane suits. Mars’ six-song set also featured a special guest appearance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, culminating in a joint performance of “Give It Away.” Two years later, Mars was a special guest at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, where he performed “Uptown Funk” and joined Beyoncé and Coldplay during the show.

Gustavo Dudamel and the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles

LA Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel and the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) were special guests during Coldplay’s halftime performance at Super Bowl 50. The Venezuelan conductor directed YOLA members in performances of “Viva La Vida” and “Paradise “alongside the band at Levi’s Stadium. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin asked Dudamel to join the halftime show, which was watched by 115.5 million viewers.

Fergie and Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas

Two members of the Black Eyed Peas trace their roots to Hispanic lineage. Taboo Nawasha, born Jaime Luis Gomez, has Mexican and Native American roots. Fergie, the group’s lead singer at the time, shares Mexican ancestry through her great-grandmother, who was from Guanajuato, Mexico. Their eight-song halftime set at Super Bowl XLV included hits “I Gotta Feeling” and “Let’s Get It Started.” The halftime show also featured guest performances by Usher and Guns N’ Roses guitarist, Slash, attracting a total audience of 110.2 million viewers in 2011.

Shakira

Shakira and Jennifer Lopez were the first Hispanic duo to co-headline a Super Bowl halftime show in 2020. On the same day Shakira turned 43, she opened the show with “She Wolf,” “Empire,” and “Ojos Así.” As the show drew to a close, the native Colombian star teamed up with Lopez for the grand finale of “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” during which Shakira showcased the Afro-Colombian dance champeta. The Super Bowl LIV halftime show drew an estimated 103 million viewers.

Jennifer Lopez

In a performance that celebrated Latin culture and Latina empowerment, Jennifer Lopez co-headlined the Super Bowl LIV halftime show alongside Shakira. Lopez’s seven-minute portion of the set included hits such as “Jenny from the Block” and “Ain’t it Funny.” Her then-11-year-old daughter, Emme Maribel Muñiz, performed “Let’s Get Loud,” which carried a powerful message about immigration policies. Lopez wore a double-sided feather cape with both the American and Puerto Rican flags as her daughter sang “Born in the U.S.A.” The entire 14-minute production won an Emmy and received four nominations.

J Balvin

The Colombian icon known as “Reggaeton’s Global Ambassador” energized the Super Bowl LIV stage alongside Jennifer Lopez during the mash-up of “Qué Calor” and “Mi Gente.” During the performance, the Spanish-language artist wore his Air Jordan 1 collaboration. The debut of this shoe during the halftime show marked the first partnership between a Latin artist and the Jordan Brand.

Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny appeared as a surprise guest during Shakira’s cover of “I Like It” during the Super Bowl halftime show in Miami. The Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton music performed his verse from Cardi B’s 2018 hit, which blends Spanish lyrics into the mix. The pair then followed up with a collaboration on Shakira’s popular Spanish track, “Chantaje.” Bad Bunny will be the first Latin American male artist to headline a Super Bowl halftime show in 2026.

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