UM ready and wary
’Canes know Loyola-Chicago will be a challenge in first-round game
CORAL GABLES — Jim Larrañaga, probably more than most, understands how in March, a talented underdog can capture the imagination of college basketball fans and experts across America.
Before he took over as Mi- ami’s men’s basketball coach, Larrañaga led an 11th-seeded George Mason team to an unexpected Final Four berth in 2006. Along the way, the Patriots upset sixth-seeded Michigan State, third-seeded North Carolina, seventh-seeded Wichita State and top-seeded Connecticut.
It was a magical run that ended with a 73-58 loss to Florida in a national semifinal, but what his team did that year has
stayed with Larrañaga. Now, at Miami, the coach is using the lessons learned there to prepare his sixth-seeded Hurricanes ahead of their NCAA Tournament opener tosday against 11th-seeded Loyola in Dallas.
In the days ahead of today’s game, the Ramblers — the Missouri Valley champions who enter the tournament riding a 10-game win streak — have emerged as a potential Cinderella team, with college basketball experts nationwide pegging them as one of the lowerseeded teams capable of putting together a strong tournament run.
That, along with Loyola’s resume, has put the Hurricanes on high alert — and given them an extra dose of motivation this week.
“I think they deserve the recognition they’re getting, but I just think it shows a little bit of disrespect for us and the ACC that people must not think we’re any good,” Larrañaga said. “We’re now the underdog. People are picking them. We need to embrace that.”
Added freshman guard Chris Lykes: “It’s cool. It’s just adding fuel to our fire. We’re still a little bummed out by the North Carolina loss [in the ACC Tournament], so we’re not going to worry about what people are saying or what the expectations are. We know what we can do when we play our best basketball.”
Though Miami (22-9) did fall to the Tar Heels in its lone ACC Tournament game last week in Brooklyn, the Hurricanes closed the regular season out playing at a high level, winning four consecutive thrillers despite being without one of their leaders, Bruce Brown.
Brown, who has missed 12 games since undergoing foot surgery, will dress for today’s tournament opener, though Larrañaga has insisted he won’t play against the Ramblers (28-5).
Instead, the Hurricanes will continue looking to two of its freshmen to continue providing the offensive spark.
Since Brown was hurt, Lykes and Lonnie Walker IV — an ACC All-Freshman Team selection — have been the Hurricanes’ leading scorers, Lykes averaging 13.1 points per game and Walker, 12.7.
Though neither has been on a stage like this one before, the two have been getting tips from veterans such as Ja’Quan Newton and Dewan Huell, both of whom had tournament experience and will also need to play well for Miami to make a run.
“When Bruce went down, it was kind of like a collective team. … Each of us got to step up into bigger roles, and for Lonnie, I think for him, it was more so of a scorer, like we need to put more points on the board. And Lonnie is one of those guys who leads by actions. In practice, he works hard. In the game, he's trying to get everybody up on their energy level so we can continue to play well even if we make a bad play,” Lykes told reporters in Dallas on Wednesday. “But it's been multiple guys. We've got a lot of different guys who lead in different ways in this team. Like Ja'Quan Newton, the senior, he tries to get us all on the same page, definitely prepares us well for the game to get out there and give it the best effort. There's been multiple guys on this team to help take up for Bruce's role.”
While the Hurricanes roster features just one senior that sees extensive minutes in Newton, the Ramblers will counter with a core of veteran players that may not have NCAA Tournament experience, but have played plenty of college basketball.
Redshirt junior Clayton Custer — an Iowa State transfer — enters the tournament averaging 13.4 points per game and was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. Senior Donte Ingram, meanwhile, is averaging 11.6 point and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Rounding out a group of five players all averaging in double figures are junior Marques Towns (11.2 ppg), senior Aundre Jackson (10.9 ppg) and freshman Cameron Krutwig (10.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg).
It’s no wonder, the Hurricanes said after watching Loyola film, that the Ramblers have earned their reputation as a potential bracket buster.
Miami just has to find ways to counter. That’s the goal today.
“Embrace the moment, go out there and play with a chip on our back because a lot of people have us losing this first game,” Huell said. “We want to prove them wrong. This isn’t the first time people have slept on us. We’re just going to prove them wrong, like always. Our regular-season ACC conference play prepared us for moments like this. I think we’re going to go in there and play hard and get a ‘W.’ ”