Feb 10, 2024; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga talks to protect Matthew Cleveland (0) towards the North Carolina Tar Heels throughout the first half at Watsco Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Sam Navarro-Imagn Photos Miami opens its season Monday towards visiting Fairleigh Dickinson wanting forward whereas longing to outrun recent recollections of final season.
One participant eager for these latest glory days with the Hurricanes is Nijel Pack, an elite 3-point shooter who averaged 13.3 factors final season and was chosen to the Atlantic Coast Convention preseason first workforce this season.
He was a starter in 2022-23 when Miami completed 29-8 and reached the NCAA Remaining 4.
Final season, Miami slipped to 15-17 (6-14 ACC) and did not make the match. The ACC preseason ballot projected the Hurricanes to complete sixth within the convention this season.
Fairleigh Dickinson was predicted to complete third within the Northeast Convention preseason ballot after a 15-17 (9-7 NEC) final season.
The Knights misplaced their greatest participant from final season as first-team All-NEC ahead Ansley Almonor (16.4 scoring common) transferred to Kentucky.
Now, the Knights are powered by 6-foot-6 junior submit Jo’el Emanuel, 6-6 senior wing Cam Tweedy and 6-3 sophomore guard Terrence Brown.
Emanuel is the workforce’s main returning scorer (10.6). Tweedy missed final season on account of a knee harm.
Brown is considered the league’s prime defender, and junior-college switch Dylan Jones, a 6-5 junior who’s a 3-point shooter, could possibly be a key contributor.
Knights coach Jack Castleberry mentioned he is wanting to see Tweedy again in motion.
“He is nonetheless gaining confidence in his knee,” Castleberry mentioned. “He hasn’t run round at a excessive degree in 11 months. I think about he’ll be significantly better in January and February than he’s proper now. However’s he nonetheless efficient now.”
The Knights, who led their league in rebounding final 12 months, could have fairly a problem towards Miami’s energy ahead/heart combo of 6-8 senior Brandon Johnson and 6-10 senior Lynn Kidd.
Johnson began 31 video games for East Carolina final season, averaging 14.0 factors and a team-high 8.6 rebounds.
Kidd began 33 video games for Virginia Tech final season, rating third within the nation in field-goal share (66.8). He averaged 13.2 factors and 6.5 rebounds.
Three extra seniors spherical out the possible beginning lineup: 6-0 Pack, 6-2 Jalen Blackmon and 6-7 wing Matthew Cleveland, who averaged 13.3 factors for Miami final season.
Miami’s Jim Larranaga, who obtained his begin as a head coach at Bowling Inexperienced in 1986, mentioned Pack and Blackmon have developed good backcourt chemistry.
“I am proud of that mixture,” mentioned Larranaga, 75. “However they don’t seem to be very large.”
Larranaga mentioned he’ll try to unravel the scale problem with reserves akin to 6-5 freshman Jalil Bethea and 6-4 junior A.J. Staton-McCray.
–Area Degree Media