As the Miami Hurricanes continue to establish a new winning culture with the men's basketball program, Malik Reneau's game has been rising to the occasion.
As Jai Lucas continues to lead a new chapter in the Miami Hurricanes men's basketball program, he put his full trust in Malik Reneau from the start. It was established before the season that the senior forward would be the face of the team and the number one option offensively. The 22-year-old spent three seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers before transferring, averaging 11.4 points, five rebounds, and 11.8 assists while shooting 55.5 percent from the field in 94 games throughout his tenure. He had notable teammates who would enter the league, such as Kel'el Ware, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Jalen Hood-Schifino.
Reneau is a Miami native, which played a big role in Lucas's recruiting process, establishing Florida pride within the new culture in the making. The Hurricanes run the offense through him and he's on pace to finish with new collegiate career highs. This season, the four-star transfer is averaging 20.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 56.9 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range.
Lucas has demanded so much, but Reneau has lived up to the challenge. In the Hurricanes' Saturday afternoon game against the UL Monroe Warhawks, he finished with 22 points, while shooting 66.7 percent from the field, along with 10 rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 25 minutes of game action. He led the charge for the team to secure another dominant victory, with a final score of 104-79, and extend the winning streak to four.
After a horrendous seven-win season, it was important for Lucas to start from scratch, but also have the right personnel to begin this new chapter in the basketball program's history. Reneau was the perfect choice to revolve his plans around, given the combination of roots and talents. He's recorded four double-doubles on the season, while being impactful on the defensive end, and is currently ranking fifth in points per game within the ACC.
Reneau has an opportunity to build his draft stock and he's surely making the most of this unique hometown situation. The Hurricanes have shown legitimate signs of being an under-the-radar threat, not only in the ACC but in the nation. The more wins being stacked, the more the team's confidence grows, which will make them stronger.
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