Miami Hurricanes
Record: 25-7 (13-5 ACC)
Head Coach: Jim Larrañaga (5th season)
Season Recap: The Hurricanes have all of the makings of a dangerous team to face in the NCAA tournament, but will need to put the pieces together and put their late season struggles behind them if they want to make a run in the coming weeks. Miami has regular-season wins against Duke, Virginia, Louisville and Utah under its belt, showing that it can keep up with top talent, but dropped two of its last three entering the Big Dance, including a disappointing 77-62 loss to Virginia Tech to end the regular season. The Hurricanes bounced back and immediately avenged the loss with an 88-82 win against the Hokies to open ACC tournament play, but could not notch a second straight win against Virginia to reach the tournament final.
Miami boasts a number of experienced and talented guards, and they have been crucial this season for Jim Larrañaga. Redshirt senior Sheldon McClellan is one of the most dangerous shooting guards in the nation, posting 15.8 points per game and a 50.0 percent clip from the field. McClellan is a great shooter from the outside, but has also shown an ability to slash through the paint and find the rim, dazzling fans along the way with some highlight dunks. Angel Rodriguez, another Big 12 transfer, is also a threat for the Hurricanes, leading the team with 4.4 assists per game in addition to his 11.7 points per game.
But the X-Factor all season has been 6-foot-6 guard Davon Reed, who averages 11.3 points per game. In a Feb. 22 win against the Cavaliers, Reed poured in 21 points, but had just three when the two squads met in Washington in the ACC tournament semifinals. If Reed can put up double-digits to complement the play of Rodriguez and McClellan in the backcourt, the Hurricanes could be poised to make a big run in the South region.
How they make a run: Reed, McClellan and Rodriguez limit turnovers down the stretch, while finding open shots to fuel the Hurricanes’ offense, especially in later-round games against some of the country’s top teams.
How they falter: Miami runs into a defensive buzzsaw like it did against Virginia in the ACC tournament finals and struggles to put enough points on the board to stay within striking distance.
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