Podcast: How will a Final Four run change Miami basketball? And UM’s 2023-24 outlook
The Miami Hurricanes made it to the Final Four and men’s basketball in Coral Gables will never be the same.
At least, this is the argument David Wilson and Michelle Kaufman, the Miami Herald’s Hurricanes beat writer, are making on a new episode of the Eye on the U podcast. After its deepest-ever run in the NCAA Tournament, Miami has transformed what the expectations should be for this program.
Kaufman was at NRG Stadium for the No. 5-seed Hurricanes’ season-ending 72-59 loss to the No. 4-seed UConn Huskies, but what she saw in Houston shocked her. She was a student at Miami when the school restarted its men’s basketball team and the support she saw from the community, students, alumni and former players — at the team’s hotel and the stadium — was overwhelming, perhaps proof the Hurricanes (29-8) can make these runs through March Madness sustainable.
Although Miami ultimately wasn’t really close to knocking off UConn, no one was and the Hurricanes had their season end with losses to the eventual champions in back-to-back years. It’s a mark of where the program stands at this exact moment: Right now, Miami is good enough to compete with anyone in the country and was the only team to reach the Elite Eight in each of the last two seasons.
It sets the Hurricanes to be competitive moving forward, too. Even with star shooting guard Jordan Miller out of eligibility and All-American guard Isaiah Wong potentially headed to the NBA, Miami should have a strong core coming back, led by guards Nijel Pack and Wooga Poplar, and forward Norchad Omier. Coach Jim Larranaga has always been a master of the transfer market, too — long before anyone was talking about the transfer portal — and he has a strong pitch to make for anyone looking for a new home.
After the way Miami lost to the Huskies, look for Larranaga to search for another big man and perhaps another guard to replace Wong, if he enters the 2023 NBA draft.
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