Miami

Miami comes into the season with a young team and bitter memories of a last-place ACC finish in 2010. The program capped off its disappointing season on a high note, however, with a charmed performance in the ACC Tournament, making it to the semifinals before falling to Duke, 77-74.

This season, Hurricane coach Frank Haith will look to the backcourt duo of junior Malcolm Grant and sophomore Durand Scott for leadership on the court. Unlike last year, when Grant and Scott were only on the court together for long stretches during the conference tournament, Haith plans to play the duo together all year, adding a new dynamic to the team. Scott averaged 10.3 points per game last season and Grant chipped in 9.6, and both figure to improve their scoring on a team with few upperclassmen.

Although the Hurricanes are young, they have size and strength on the perimeter. Garrius Adams is a key player for Miami, which looks to bolster up its backcourt. The 6-foot-6 sophomore guard started seven games as a freshman, averaging 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Another piece to success on the perimeter is sixth-year senior Adrian Thomas, who led the ACC in 3-point percentage last season. He was granted an extra year of eligibility after missing both the 2007 and 2008 seasons with injuries.

The Hurricanes have shown they can be a threat in the conference after their promising run in the ACC Tournament. With its improving perimeter play, Miami can once again shock its conference opponents.