UM expects packed arena for Tuesday showdown against No. 11 North Carolina
The University of Miami student ticket allotment sold out within a few hours for Tuesday’s basketball game between the resurgent Hurricanes and the 11th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, the first sign that this is no ordinary regular-season game.
UM students are not known to show up in big numbers unless it is a high-profile game and there is a chance to get airtime on ESPN. Both are true for Tuesday’s 7 p.m. matchup.
UNC moved up the AP rankings Monday after rallying to upset fourth-ranked Duke 71-68 on the final play Saturday. The Tar Heels are led by 6-10 freshman sensation Caleb Wilson, who averages 20.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
Miami has a chance to leapfrog North Carolina into fifth place in the ACC standings with a win. UM and UNC are tied with 7-3 conference records, but the Tar Heels have the edge with a 19-4 overall record, one win better than the 18-5 Hurricanes.
In an effort to boost attendance, the school will honor the Hurricanes’ football team at halftime. Football players and staff will appear on court for a ceremony, the Fiesta Bowl trophy will be on display in the concourse for photo opportunities and there will be an auction for game-used, signed footballs. As part of the “Orange Out”, students will get free T-shirts and 6,000 fans will get orange rally towels.
Asked about the importance of having a packed arena on Tuesday, UM coach Jai Lucas said: “It’s huge. I feel like our guys deserve it, the way they compete, the way they play. It’s a testament to them to get some engagement, and to put us in situations like this where we can get the fans out. We need them out this game, but every game, especially down the stretch. I’m excited to feel the building and see the environment.”
Although a chance to see the football team at halftime is a draw for UM fans, the real show will be the Hurricanes against the Tar Heels, two teams that mirror each other in playing style.
Both like to employ two big men in the lineup. North Carolina’s frontcourt includes 7-foot Estonian Henri Veesaar and 6-10 Wilson. Miami has 6-11 Ernest Udeh, Jr., (9.6 rebounds per game) and 6-9 Malik Reneau, who averages 20 points per game.
The Canes will have their hands full trying to contain Wilson.
“I see what all the hype is about,” Lucas said of the UNC freshman star. “His ability to give everybody else confidence on the court as a freshman is the most impressive thing. They have a guy they feel they can go to, and he usually delivers, and you can see the life he gives everybody else.”
Also, both teams are at their best when sprinting up the court in transition.
“North Carolina is one of the best programs in the history of basketball, and the one thing that’s always been the same, ever since I played against them, is their transition [game],” Lucas said.
“They’re one of the fastest teams ever, and it’s no different this year. They have great size with Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar on the inside, but their speed and ability to turn makes and misses into layups on the other end is one of the things they do best.”
Lucas said the parallels between the teams should make for an interesting game.
“It’s kind of scary, because we run a lot of the same stuff,” Lucas said. “It’s going to come down to whose identity shows more. We both are high scoring teams. We both like to play in transition. Both play double bigs, love to rebound. So, whoever wins in the trenches will be the separator.”
Reneau agreed.
“They’re long and lanky, so they’re well-built and get out in transition very well,” Reneau said. “For me and Ernest, we’ve got to be the more physical group, be dominant, rebounding the ball, guarding their front court,” Reneau said.
Miami’s guards, fiery Michigan transfer Tre Donaldson and freshmen Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen, will go up against freshman Derek Dixon and senior Seth Trimble.
UM guard Tru Washington, who missed the past two games due to a personal matter, is back working with his teammates.
“Tru is starting to come back around and is feeling a little bit better and will be around a little bit more this week,” Lucas said. “I don’t know exactly what that means for the Carolina game, but he has started to work his way to being back in the program.”
The Hurricanes have missed Washington and could use him in the final stretch of the season.
“Tru’s one of our best defenders, he’s a 12-point scorer a game, one of the best two-way guards in the country,” Lucas said. “He also adds to our depth. He’s one of our ultimate competitors. No moment or situation is too big for him. You always feel comfortable with him on the court. So, whenever you take someone like that off the court, it changes everything.”
Lucas added that he feels UNC is playing its best basketball of the year in recent games.
“I think they showed their next step, their resilience and character because I know what it’s like to play in that game [against Duke], and I know what it’s like to get down in that game and have to battle back and win,” he said.
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis praised Miami’s defense and ability to dominate in points in the paint.
“They don’t make or take a ton of threes, but they have the ability to get hot, their persistence, ability to be able to dominate points in the paint through posts, penetration, offensive rebounds, and ability to get to the free throw line is huge and get some teams in to foul trouble,” Davis said.
“Jai has done a terrific job in his first year with this team and put together a really talented bunch.”