Following a historic turnaround, Jai Lucas bolsters the Miami Hurricanes' defense with elite transfers and returning stars, aiming to overcome perimeter shooting woes with hopes of carving out a deep title run.
Miami, Fla. – Although football is the talk around the Coral Gables campus, the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball program has found new life. Despite going 7-24 and having no returning players the previous year, first-time head coach Jai Lucas led a newly constructed team to 26-9. It’s one of the greatest turnarounds in college basketball history.
Following the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since making the Final Four in 2023, coach Lucas made sure the Hurricanes were taking the necessary steps to compete among the nation’s best. The first step was retaining Dante Allen and Shelton Henderson for their sophomore seasons.
After delivering an immediate impact as freshmen, both are looking to take on expanded roles. Once that was taken care of, coach Lucas was prepared to fill out the rest of the roster.
The Hurricanes went on to add a couple of top-market transfer portal players, such as former Villanova guard Acaden Lewis and Georgia center Somto Cyril. Both elected to turn down NBA journeys for an additional year of college basketball.
Afterwards, the program landed Robert Morris transfer and Horizon Player of the Year forward DeSean Goode. The rest of the roster consists of Brent Bland, Quin Berger, and Nick Dorn, plus a couple of high-school recruits in local five-star Caleb Gaskins and Christopher Birden Jr.
It’s worth mentioning that Marcus Allen is listed on the official 2026-27 roster. After playing eight games, the Miami native was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma–a type of blood cancer. Allen completed his final chemotherapy treatment on March 31 and is looking to make a return to the court.
The Hurricanes currently have 11 players signed.
Lucas is a defensive-minded head coach. Last season, the Hurricanes allowed the fifth-fewest points, 71.3, among the Atlantic Coast Conference programs. Even with a new roster, the defense should translate to next season. The Hurricanes can apply lengthy lineups, especially if coach Lucas elects to run Birden Jr., who is 6-10, at center.
Cyril led the Southeastern Conference with 2.2 blocks in 33 games. He should deliver elite rim protection for the Coral Gables program.
The main issue for the Hurricanes last season was the inconsistencies from behind the arc. Despite shooting 34.9 percent, the team finished among the bottom in three-pointers made (233) and attempted (668) within the ACC.
Although coach Lucas never expressed concern about the outside shot-making–or lack thereof–it needs improving to beat the nation’s best.
The Hurricanes certainly have the personnel to score in the paint, but if the threes aren’t falling, it could result in similar struggles as last season. However, there’s no denying the amount of talent on the roster. Given all evaluations, MiamiRoundtable grades the Hurricanes a B+. They should have what it takes to compete against the other ACC’s best, such as the Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, Virginia Cavaliers, and Louisville Cardinals–all of whom are on the upcoming schedule.
If Henderson and Allen make sophomore strides and the rest of the roster properly meshes, the Hurricanes will find success on the basketball court.
- Several Miami Hurricanes baseball players earned All-ACC honors, including a few first-timers.
- The Miami Hurricanes basketball program is reportedly scheduled to open the upcoming season against an in-state rival.
- Coach Mario Cristobal believes the Miami Hurricanes should face an in-state rival every year.
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Anthony Aguirre is the Miami Hurricanes beat writer for Roundtable Sports. Contact info: [email protected] | 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
