The Miami (OH) basketball team is having one of the best college basketball seasons in recent memory. Miami finished the regular season undefeated at 31-0. Team coach Travis Steele is getting a ringing endorsement from one of his players.

“He is the coach of the year. The coach of the year — all of D1 — that's all I have to say about it,” Miami star Eian Elmer said Friday, per WLWT-TV. He made the comments following the team's win over Ohio.

Elmer scored 32 points to pace the RedHawks on Friday. Miami (OH) finished the regular season as the only Division I men's basketball team to have an undefeated record.

“Miami had a bumpy stretch during its previous dozen games, with four one-possession wins and two others that went to overtime. This time, the RedHawks needed some late heroics to win in Athens for the first time in 15 years,” ESPN reported.

Miami went 18-0 in MAC play.

Miami (OH) could still miss the NCAA tournament, some project

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The RedHawks have been the topic of much discussion in the last few weeks. That's because some question whether the team belongs in March Madness. Miami will be guaranteed a spot in the field if they win the MAC conference tournament, which is in the coming days.

Former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl questioned whether Miami deserved an at-large bid. That is because the RedHawks didn't play a very hard schedule in non conference play.

Miami (OH) athletic director David Sayler pushed back on Pearl's comments.

“I have a lot of respect for him as a coach, but when he starts to use the word ‘We’ about Auburn, that certainly rankles me,” Sayler said, per Fox News. “He shouldn’t be on a TV screen giving advice or opinions on the NCAA Tournament when he's clearly biased. There should be a disclaimer on the bottom of the screen or something. That’s clearly what he’s doing.”

Time will tell if Miami can win the MAC tournament. Miami (OH) starts conference tournament play on Thursday against UMass.