When the University of Miami women’s basketball team lines up toe to toe against opponents, it often looks like a fleet of Ferraris versus a convoy of Mack trucks. The Hurricanes are not imposing if you measure the top players with a yardstick. Only two with consistent playing time stand taller than 6 feet.

But if you measure the No. 6-ranked Hurricanes with a stopwatch, they are the fastest team in the country. If you measure with a basketball IQ test, UM’s array of constantly shifting defenses is among the most dizzying in the country.

Speed is beating size. UM (22-3, 11-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) has won 11 consecutive games, including a 61-37 demolishment of No. 22 North Carolina and a 76-74 comeback at No. 8 Maryland in front of 11,000 fans.

“We have to push the pace because we’re so small,” said 5-11 guard Shenise Johnson, the 2011 ACC Player of the Year who leads the conference in steals with an average of 3.8 per game. She’s the slickest pickpocket on a team full of them; UM ranks fourth in the nation in steals and forces 24.4 turnovers per game that result in 26.2 points per game.

Coach Katie Meier relies on her players’ ninja-like quickness to befuddle opponents, who look like they’re lumbering against UM.

“We want stops on defense,” Meier said. “Sometimes we ambush them with our crouching-tiger, hidden-dragon approach. If we get 20 turnovers, that’s 20 fewer shots they take. If we get 70 percent of defensive rebounds and 40 percent of offensive rebounds, we win.”

UM lacks a dominant center like Baylor’s 6-8 Brittney Griner, who can dunk, or Stanford’s 6-2 Nnemkadi Ogwumike, who averages 22 points and 11 rebounds. Nor does it have a bench loaded with hefty reinforcements. The dynamic duo of Johnson and 5-6 Riquna Williams handle the bulk of the scoring.

Meier didn’t plan to go small, but 6-2 junior Morgan Stroman, the team’s glue in the middle, got hurt and is out for the season. Shawnice “Pepper” Wilson, a 6-6 transfer from Pittsburgh, is still developing her skills and growing accustomed to UM’s system while her rebounding has improved considerably.

“I thought no one would be talking about our size this year; I thought they’d be talking about our inside-outside game,” Meier said. “We thought Pepper would secure the post for us, but that hasn’t happened yet. She’s adopted a warrior’s mentality on defense. I tell her, ‘Take advantage of your size and if you can get a double-double, go for it. If you can’t, shut them down.’ ”

Sylvia Bullock, the 6-2 senior from Alaska, has been a terrific replacement for Stroman and contributed critical plays, including a jumper in traffic against Maryland that sealed it.

“We’ve had to change some things and despite that, someone is always stepping up,” Meier said. “It’s a testament to our competitiveness. This is who we are. I love my roster.”

UM’s electric style was on display at Maryland. While the taller Terps were beating UM in the middle with point-blank lay-ins and rebounds, UM accelerated the tempo, implemented a full-court press and capitalized on Maryland’s mistakes in the last several minutes.

Meier’s assistants asked her if she wanted to insert a bigger lineup and she said no, “It’s magical right now.”

“You’d think we would have tried to go big but then we couldn’t be Miami,” Johnson said. “The funny thing is, we go smaller and it works.”

Meier teaches many defenses and frequently switches schemes on the fly to keep opponents guessing.

“It gets to be pretty complicated and it’s a lot of scouting work for the assistants and film work for the players, but we make it fun, like a game of chess,” Meier said. “We pick on an opponent’s star with a stunt scheme — we dictate where they go.”

Against taller UNC, Miami held center Chay Shegog to six points and one offensive rebound. Although the Canes were outscored in the paint, they forced 35 turnovers and converted them into 39 points. UM scored 26 points off turnovers to Maryland’s seven.

UM will have to keep that pattern humming at full tilt if it hopes to win the ACC tournament and make a run to the NCAA Final Four.

Johnson said she had thought of herself as an offensive whiz until she got to Miami and learned how to beat skyscraper teams. She takes pride in her stealing savvy, reading the eyes and body language of her opponent.

“I don’t want people to say, ‘She’s good on offense but a liability on defense,’” Johnson said. “Defense is what separates a great player from a good player. It’s the part of your game you can improve, with commitment and lots of energy.”