The Miami Hurricanes battle the Missouri Tigers in a crucial NCAA Tournament opener. Key injuries and scoring threats define this must-see first-round matchup.
The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball squad will face the Missouri Tigers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night. Following a 24-7 overall season, 13-5 in ACC play, the team looks to continue surpassing expectations. Coach Jai Lucas will very likely rely heavily on the veteran experience from seniors Tre Donaldson, Malik Reneau, and Ernest Udeh Jr. Regardless, it’s going to take a collective effort to advance.
Here’s important information to learn before the game.
- How to watch:
TV Channel: truTV
Time: 10:10 p.m. Eastern Time
- Injury report
The Hurricanes listed sophomore forward Marcus Allen (non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis; out for season) and freshman forward Treyvon Maddox (undisclosed) as out for Friday night’s game.
After dealing with back tightness towards the end of the regular season and ACC Tournament, freshman forward Timotej Malovec isn’t placed on the injury report. He averages 4.5 points on 33.3 percent shooting from behind the arc.
The Tigers listed sophomore guard Annor Boateng as out due to a leg injury, which was sustained in the middle of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Jan. 31. He underwent surgery on Feb. 4, with no timetable for a return. The 20-year-old appeared in 15 games, averaging 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.5 minutes, primarily off the bench, for the season.
Alongside Boateng, senior forward Jevon Porter will not participate in the big dance. He’s been sidelined due to injury following an 82–60 victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Dec. 14, 2025. The 22-year-old averaged 6.2 points on 49.1 percent shooting, four rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 12 appearances.
- Game notes:
Senior forward Mark Mitchell is the biggest threat against the Hurricanes. He leads the Tigers in multiple statistical categories: averaging 18.3 points on 55.1 percent shooting, 35.6 percent from three-point range, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 32 appearances. The 22-year-old will likely face matchups against Reneau and Udeh Jr.
The Hurricanes’ offense thrives on points off turnovers, which is a vulnerable area for the Tigers, who led the SEC with 12.38 a game. It could wind up being a serious advantage throughout the course of the game.
Reneau looks to bounce back from an eight-point performance in the ACC Tournament semifinals against the No. 9 Virginia Cavaliers. He’s faced a series of double-teams, which prevent him from finding a rhythm offensively. The All-ACC forward has been relied upon as a scorer all season. If Reneau can play as a facilitator, it will likely leave the defense guessing.
The Hurricanes play a very late-night game, but preparing to compete in an expected hostile environment.
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