Milestone 700th win awaits for Miami’s Larrañaga
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — It’s almost like Miami coach Jim Larrañaga wrote the script. A game against his alma mater, one win away from a milestone few have reached.
That’s the scenario on Saturday.
Larrañaga and Miami take on Providence in the opening round of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-off Tournament in Uncasville, Conn., — with the Hurricanes’ coach, and 1971 Providence graduate, entering with 699 career wins.
“People talk about milestones,” Larrañaga said. “I’ve been at this a long time. I enjoy the coaching. If I get to my 700th win, I’m hoping it will be this season. I hope I don’t have to coach another year to get to it. Only got one more to get; I’m assuming I’ll get there at some point. But quite honestly, it’s more about this team trying to play its best basketball on Saturday at 4 o’clock against a very fine opponent.”
When Larrañaga — who is in season No. 39 as a head coach — gets there, he will become the 34th Division I men’s coach with 700 wins on his official NCAA resume, and the ninth active coach on that list. Iona’s Rick Pitino likely will be next; he needs 15 more to officially reach 700.
At 73, Larrañaga shows no signs of slowing down. Miami won 26 games last season and reached the Elite Eight, falling there to eventual national champion Kansas, in Larrañaga’s deepest postseason run since taking George Mason to the Final Four in 2006. This season’s Miami team has opened with three double-digit wins, and a win over Providence would move the Hurricanes to 4-0 for the first time in the last four years.
Larrañaga’s career started when he was 27, hired at Division II American International. He won his first game, 84-66 over Umass-boston. The game has changed quite a bit since then. Larrañaga hasn’t. Larrañaga still ranks among Providence’s career scoring leaders. He’s also 0-2 against Providence (3-0) as a coach.