UM coach Larranaga after 80-71 loss to Louisville: “We were awful from start to finish”
The Miami Hurricanes were back at full strength Wednesday night for the first time in weeks, but all their manpower was not enough to stave off a Louisville team that played far better than its record.
UM coach Jim Larranaga did not mince words after the 80-71 loss, the team’s first home loss of the season.
“We were awful from start to finish,” Larranaga said. “I heard another coach called us soft, and we were.”
Louisville scored the final nine points after Miami had tied the game on a Matt Cleveland alley-oop dunk that ignited the Watsco Center crowd with just over three minutes to go. Seven of the Cardinals’ last nine points came from the free throw line while the Hurricanes missed their last seven field goal attempts.
UM dropped to 11-4, 2-2 in the ACC. The Cardinals are 6-9 and 1-3 in the conference.
The Hurricanes, who entered the game leading the ACC in points per game (85.2), field goal shooting (50.2 percent) and free throw shooting (80.5 percent), fell short in all three categories. They shot 39 percent, 28 percent in the second half, and made just eight of their 15 free throws (53 percent).
“I’d like to give Louisville a lot of credit, but quite frankly, we were lethargic,” Larranaga said. “The ball didn’t move the way we wanted to. We didn’t execute anything after calling a timeout. We called for a set play and the player with the ball didn’t run it. When the guys think they should take things on their own instead of working with their teammates, we’re no good.”
Miami had turned the ball over 10 times by halftime.
Larranaga said he had a bad feeling during shootaround Wednesday afternoon.
“When you see guys missing layups and fumbling the ball during the shootaround, you know that they’re not paying attention,” the coach said. “At one point I stopped the shootaround and said, `Hey, guys, this is the dress rehearsal for how we’re going to play tonight, and it’s not good. We’re not focused. We’re not executing at all.’ Imagine when you see that at two o’clock in the afternoon, and then again at seven o’clock.”
The Hurricanes had no answer for Cardinals sophomore guard Mike James, an Orlando native who went 8-of-12 for a game-high 26 points. He made his first six shots, his first four attempts beyond the arc, and never let up.
James said he was highly motivated to play against the Hurricanes and had his parents, his AAU coach and friends in the stands.
“Being from Orlando, this was a big one for me, they didn’t recruit me, so I had this game marked on my calendar,” James said. “I wanted to have a good game. So, I came out, shots were falling, and my teammates kept giving me more and more confidence to keep shooting.”
Junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield also had a big night with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
“For my players to go out and play as hard as they did through adversity and all the doubt against one of the best offensive teams in the country, I’m proud of them,” said Louisville coach Kenny Payne. “The only way to beat them is to fight for 40 minutes and I’m proud of them.”
Payne said he watched last year’s game against Miami and felt the best strategy was to be the aggressor, attack the paint, draw fouls, and defend well. They did all of the above.
“Louisville came in with a very good game plan and executed it perfectly,” Larranaga said. “We told our players exactly what Louisville would be like.”
He says coaches warned UM players not to dribble into traffic because the Cardinals are athletic and have active hands. Louisville scored 17 of their 37 first-half points on Miami turnovers.
Miami clung to the lead for much of the game, but went cold midway through the second half, missing 10 of 11 shots, and Louisville took advantage. The Cardinals took a five-point lead with under seven minutes to go and never trailed again.
Wooga Poplar returned to the Miami starting lineup after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury and Nijel Pack, who was questionable with an ankle injury, also started.
Poplar looked like he had not missed any time, as he made four of his first five attempts for 10 quick points in his first 12 minutes. He finished with 18 on 6-of-15 shooting. Cleveland led UM with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Norchad Omier, who had seven straight games with double-doubles, had nine points and seven rebounds.
“You have to give credit where it’s due, Louisville came out and played really hard from start to finish,” said Pack, when went 2-of-11 for six points. “We didn’t do that. We’ve got a great team, a lot of great players. Tonight wasn’t our night. They were in the gaps heavy and we didn’t make the adjustments we needed to make. This will leave a bad taste and I have full confidence we will come out ready Saturday.”
The Hurricanes play Virginia Tech on the road on Saturday night and return home to face Florida State Jan. 17.