Podcast: Jim Larranaga leads ‘Sweet’ turnaround at Miami. Can the Canes make the Final 4?
The Miami Hurricanes are hardly the biggest underdog in the Sweet 16, but their turnaround story still stacks up with anyone’s.
For the past three years, Miami was ravaged by injuries and an FBI investigation, and posted three consecutive losing seasons. Jim Larranaga’s long-term job status was a question, and the roster was littered with question marks after transfers in and out left the Hurricanes nearly impossible to evaluate.
Now they’re into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 and the best Tourney run in school history is within reach.
On a new episode of the Eye on the U podcast, David Wilson and Michelle Kaufman, the Miami Herald’s Hurricanes beat writer, talk about just how this happened, as we have gone from optimistic about this team’s Tournament chances in the preseason to optimistic about its Final Four hopes right now.
Yes, No. 10 seed Miami has a real chance to make it to New Orleans. Only a meeting with the No. 11 seed Iowa State Cyclones on Friday stands in the way of the Hurricanes’ first ever trip to the Elite Eight and then anything can happen if Miami (25-10) gets there.
There are two secrets to success for this team: Its experience on the court and its experience on the bench.
With two 24-year-olds starting in the backcourt and another sixth-year redshirt senior starting at forward, the Hurricanes’ emotional maturity shone through in their 79-61 upset of the No. 2 seed Auburn Tigers on Sunday, as Auburn, with an 18-year-old as its best player, got “hit in the mouth” and didn’t know what to do, Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said.
On the bench, coach Jim Larranaga provides the postseason experience his players lack. He’s now coaching in the second weekend for the fourth time in his career and this might be his best coaching job yet, with starters who didn’t play for Miami last year and a big midseason adjustment to go small all the time guiding the Hurricanes deep into March Madness.
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This story was originally published March 25, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
