Jai Lucas rebuilt the Miami Hurricanes from scratch, achieving a historic season. Despite immense success, he narrowly missed ACC Coach of the Year honors.
The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball squad finished the regular season with a 24-7 overall record, 13-5 in ACC play, and secured the third seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. The program experienced the biggest win improvement in the nation. However, it doesn't happen without the leadership of coach Jai Lucas.
After years of being an assistant with programs such as the Duke Blue Devils, Kentucky Wildcats, and Texas Longhorns over 12 seasons, the 37-year-old took over after Jim Larranaga retired. He was the Hurricanes' head coach for 13 years.
However, with no returning players, coach Lucas started from scratch. He recruited impactful seniors in guard Tre Donaldson, forward Malike Reneau, and center Ernest Udeh Jr., plus a five-star freshman in Shelton Henderson. Despite the success, he only finished second in ACC Coach of the Year voting, with Blue Devils Jon Scheyer winning it with 51 votes.
Coach Lucas fell to second with 19 votes, which is a 32-deficit.
The Hurricanes tied for the most regular-season wins in program history in his first year as head coach. Despite the team's offensive flaws, specifically from three-point range, they were built on a defensive identity.
Despite Donaldson, Reneau, and Udeh Jr. having success with other programs, each of them finished with career years with the Hurricanes. Coach Lucas demanded more from the seniors in regard to leadership and production and they delivered.
Reneau and Donaldson were named All-ACC and Udeh Jr. made the ACC All-Defensive Team.
After a successful regular season, the Hurricanes secured a double-bye in the ACC Tournament. Coach Lucas has experience in winning the crown, given his time with the Blue Devils. Also, Donaldson has similar experience, having won a Big 12 championship with the Michigan Wolverines after the 2024-25 season.
The Hurricanes have an opportunity to continue shocking the college basketball world. They're 5-5 when facing Quadrant 1 opponents, including a 75–66 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels. The team has the defense to disrupt stars, but the margin of error is thin because of the lack of consistent and efficient three-point shooting. They ranked last in makes and attempts in the ACC.
Regardless, coach Lucas runs a rather old-school offense. They thrive on points in the paint, especially with a double-big lineup, in transition, and by causing turnovers.
The Hurricanes will next step on the court on March 12 in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Spectrum Center for the ACC Tournament quarterfinal.
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