No. 14 Miami has high expectations in second year under coach Jai Lucas, and wants it that way
FILE -Miami head coach Jai Lucas yells from the sidelines during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Missouri, Friday, March 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
No. 14 Miami (26-9, 13-5 ACC)
The Hurricanes had one of the best turnarounds in the nation last season in Jai Lucas' first year as coach, going from 7-24 in 2024-25 to winning 26 games, returning to the AP Top 25 and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament (and in a season where he had zero returning players from the previous regime). This season, the Hurricanes will have the burden of expectations, which is exactly the way Lucas wants it. The preseason poll ranking of No. 14 is the third-best in school history; the Hurricanes entered the season No. 13 on two previous occasions.
Players to watch
It starts with Malik Reneau, whose eligibility was extended by a court order and now could be one of the favorites to win the Atlantic Coast Conference's player of the year award. Miami already figured to be good this season — and then back comes Reneau, who averaged a team-best 18.9 points per game.
Shelton Henderson started all 35 games for Miami last season, when the forward averaged 13.8 points and made 62% of his 2-point attempts. Transfer guard Acaden Lewis was an All-Big East player last season at Villanova; he now takes over as the quarterback for a group that will want to play fast, fast, fast.
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No. 14 Miami has high expectations in second year under coach Jai Lucas, and wants it that way
FILE -Miami head coach Jai Lucas yells from the sidelines during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Missouri, Friday, March 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
Posted
By The Associated Press
No. 14 Miami (26-9, 13-5 ACC)
The Hurricanes had one of the best turnarounds in the nation last season in Jai Lucas' first year as coach, going from 7-24 in 2024-25 to winning 26 games, returning to the AP Top 25 and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament (and in a season where he had zero returning players from the previous regime). This season, the Hurricanes will have the burden of expectations, which is exactly the way Lucas wants it. The preseason poll ranking of No. 14 is the third-best in school history; the Hurricanes entered the season No. 13 on two previous occasions.
Players to watch
It starts with Malik Reneau, whose eligibility was extended by a court order and now could be one of the favorites to win the Atlantic Coast Conference's player of the year award. Miami already figured to be good this season — and then back comes Reneau, who averaged a team-best 18.9 points per game.
Shelton Henderson started all 35 games for Miami last season, when the forward averaged 13.8 points and made 62% of his 2-point attempts. Transfer guard Acaden Lewis was an All-Big East player last season at Villanova; he now takes over as the quarterback for a group that will want to play fast, fast, fast.
Departures and arrivals
Losing Tre Donaldson (16.4 points per game) and Ernest Udeh Jr. (9.2 rebounds per game) will hurt, but Lucas clearly restocked the roster well — keeping five-star recruit Caleb Gaskins from Miami's famed Christopher Columbus High home and adding, among others, Somto Cyril from Georgia to help anchor the frontcourt. Cyril shot 76% from the floor last season.
Top games
Miami opens Nov. 2 against No. 1 Florida in Tampa, will be part of an absurdly stacked Players Era tournament in Las Vegas around Thanksgiving, plays host to Alabama in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Dec. 2 and goes to Houston to meet Texas on Dec. 12. The Hurricanes face Duke and North Carolina only once each in ACC play this season; both are on the road.
Facts and figures
Miami was one of two ACC teams to finish among the top five in the conference in both scoring offense and scoring defense last season. Duke was the other. ... The Hurricanes set a school record by shooting 49.7% from the field last season. But free throw shooting (68.3%) was an issue. ... Miami was 26-4 when holding teams to 81 points or less last season, 0-5 when giving up 82 or more.
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