Tigers, Blue Devils will test Hurricanes
CORAL GABLES — After a disappointing performance in a loss at Georgia Tech last week, the Hurricanes men’s basketball team entered the week knowing up next was a stretch of tough games against three ranked opponents — Florida State, Clemson and Duke.
Against the rival Seminoles on Sunday, No. 18 Miami found itself in a stronger offensive rhythm, freshman
coming off the bench to score a careerhigh 18 points and spark the Hurricanes while sophomores
and put together the kind of performances the Hurricanes have needed from both all year.
Now comes the second and more difficult portion of that three-game stretch: a road game this afternoon at No. 19 Clemson, followed a little more than 48 hours later by a nationally televised prime-time home game against No. 7 Duke.
It’s the kind of turnaround that defines life in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, and for the Hurricanes, it’s a chance to show they can live up to the high expectations that last month gave them their highest-ever December ranking in the AP Top 25, at No. 6.
“We would much prefer to have several days to practice for an opponent rather than just a quick turnaround Saturday to Monday, but everybody in our league has to deal with it,” Hurricanes coach
said. “It’s not like we’re at a disadvantage because the other team has a week to prepare and we don’t. Our players will likely feel a sense of urgency this week. Clemson is a Top 25 team, on the road, a place that’s very, very hard for us to play at and win, and Duke, based on what I saw [Wednesday night], they play like that, I don’t know if there’s anybody in college basketball that can beat them when they’re playing their game like that.”
One of the biggest challenges facing the Hurricanes (13-2, 2-1), Larrañaga said, is having to adjust — quickly — to how differently ACC teams play, particularly on defense.
Clemson, which is ranked for the first time in eight years but is coming off a 78-77 loss to North Carolina State on Thursday night, is known for playing a packing defense, particularly in the paint.
That’s a change from what Florida State tried in what was eventually Miami’s 80-74 win on Sunday.
“We’re going to be talking to our players today about how Florida State pressures and extends their defense. That gave us opportunities to run and attack off the dribble,” Larrañaga said. “Against Clemson, a team that plays much more like Virginia, more of a packing defense, the ball needs to move faster and you need to spread that defense out. And the way you do it is with passing and cutting. And that’s an adjustment. If you think you’re going to score the same way you did against Florida State on Saturday afternoon, well, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Then after Clemson (14-2, 3-1) comes Duke, which once again features a roster of stellar young players, such as freshman
who is averaging a team-high 21.9 points, and
who averages 13.6 points. Back this season for Duke (14-2, 2-2) is senior who gives the young Blue Devils some much-needed experience in the lineup and is Duke’s secondleading scorer, averaging 17.2 points.
In that game, though, the Hurricanes are expecting an advantage.
The Hurricanes have traditionally played well against Duke under Larrañaga, winning five of eight matchups since the coach arrived in Coral Gables in 2011. And Miami has played well at the Watsco Center of late, winning 33 of its last 35 games at home.
“[Wednesday] night, I observed ESPN was pumping up Big Monday. Every commercial [break] I’m watching Duke vs. Miami, and you’ve got Duke players hitting shots and Miami players dunking the ball, and then Kansas-West Virginia. … This Monday, I think, is a huge night for college basketball,” Larrañaga said. “I think our local fans have really gotten into Miami basketball. They follow the Hurricanes very closely. It should be an electric atmosphere.” Added junior
“All the students are going to come back for school, the crowd’s going to be crazy. I think that’s going to get [Lykes and fellow freshman IV] ready.”