University of Miami to face No. 2 Duke at home Saturday. Here’s what you need to know
Most students at the University of Miami remain on holiday break until Jan. 13, but the men’s basketball team has been toiling in the gym, preparing for two huge tests during the next four days.
They play No. 2 Duke at home on Saturday at 8 p.m. (ESPN) and then hit the road for a Tuesday night game against seventh-ranked Louisville (ESPN2).
“I was very, very pleased that in the month of December we won all our games... it was a good way to end 2019; but if you look at our January schedule, I don’t think there’s a team in the country that compares with the level of difficulty we’re going to face starting Saturday night against Duke,” said UM coach Jim Larranaga.
Duke is 12-1 and features a stacked roster that includes sophomore point guard Tre Jones and freshmen Cassius Stanley, Matthew Hurt, and Vernon Carey Jr., a 6-10 and 270-pound South Florida native whose father played football for the University of Miami and the Miami Dolphins.
“Duke right now is probably the best team I’ve seen and they’re the best in so many different categories,” Larranaga said. “They’re a tremendous transition team. Coach K [Mike Krzyzewski] has had so many great teams, but this is definitely one of his best defensive teams since I’ve been in the league.
“They put so much pressure on you. They’re at their best when they steal the ball from you and score before your defense can get set. They’re a tremendous offensive rebounding team. And they’re fast and deep. It’s going to be a real challenge for us.”
Asked what impresses him most about Duke, UM guard DJ Vasiljevic replied: “With how much effort and desire they play the game. They play with a lot of heart. I think Tre Jones leads that, the emotion he plays with. We’re looking forward to the challenge. We’re all excited, ESPN, prime time, 8 o’clock. We’ll be ready to play.”
Miami is 5-5 against Duke since Larranaga took over, but he said that has little bearing on Saturday’s game.
“In years past, the way we matched up with certain teams in our league, we were able to execute a game plan, and when you do, you have a chance,” he said. “Looking at this year’s Duke team, they’re so good defensively and rebounding and we are not a great rebounding team. We have struggled even against far weaker opponents. We have to have a great ball-handling game, and great rebounding game.”
The UM coaching staff is particularly aware of Carey’s strengths, as they recruited him heavily at Davie University School and the Canes were on his final five list before he chose Duke.
“We obviously recruited Vern very hard and have tremendous respect for him and his family,” Larranaga said. “We watched him play from the time he was in eighth grade. He’s so big, so strong, so athletic. Has great instincts at both ends of the court. He blocks shots, gets defensive rebounds, runs the floor extremely well. He can dunk the ball in traffic or shoot a nice little jump hook. He’s shooting 57 percent from three, so he’s got the full package. He’s a handful for us. We know that and our guys know it. We’ll see how we do.”
Louisville is 11-2, including an 87-74 win over the Hurricanes in Coral Gables on Nov. 5. In that game, Cardinals All-American forward Jordan Nwora scorched UM for 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Nwora and Carey are both early candidates for National Player of the Year.
Daunting as those opponents are, the back-to-back high-profile games come at a good time for the Hurricanes, who are 9-3 and 1-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Miami is on a five-game win streak and coming off a confidence-building 73-68 overtime win at Clemson. Guard Chris Lykes led the Canes with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting against the Tigers. Senior Vasiljevic and Kam McGusty scored 15 points apiece. The Canes trailed by 10 with nine minutes to go, but rallied and showed guts in the clutch moments.
Duke and Louisville will certainly present tougher challenges than Coppin State and Clemson, but UM is on the right track since beating Illinois on the road in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
Not coincidentally, UM redshirt senior Keith Stone, a University of Florida graduate transfer, returned from injury that game. Stone, 6-8 and 245 pounds, has made a significant difference in the paint. He had nine rebounds in 27 minutes against Clemson and has been averaging 18 minutes per game.
Larranaga said he has been encouraged by the leadership of his veteran players and the play of his guards. UM is the only team in the nation with three guards averaging 15 points.
“Illinois we won by one, Temple we won by one, Clemson we won in overtime, so it’s not exactly like we’re crushing anybody,” Larranaga said. “But it’s great to win close games. I do think that gives you confidence. Now, the question is, how well can we play against some of the best teams in the country?”
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s game at www.hurricanesports.com
This story was originally published January 3, 2020 at 1:29 PM.