A heartbreaking loss ends the regular season, dropping the Miami Hurricanes from the AP Top 25. Can they rebound and build for the future?
Despite an overachieving season, the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball squad was unable to end the regular season on a strong note. They suffered a 92–89 loss to the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday, March 7. Despite trailing by as many as 12 points, the Hurricanes rallied back in the second half, sparking a 13-3 run, but fell short of a completed comeback after a critical turnover by senior guard Tre Donaldson on an unbalanced pass to senior forward Malik Reneau.
The Hurricanes were ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press’ top-25 list ahead of the final week of the regular season, pushing the Cardinals out for the first time all season. However, after a head-to-head matchup, the standings flipped for both programs.
After the latest rankings were released on Monday, the Hurricanes were pushed out and the Cardinals reclaimed a spot, No. 24. Given the standings in the ACC, a rematch is aligned in the tournament. Also, both teams are projected to qualify for “March Madness.”
The Hurricanes earned 60 votes, the most among programs that didn't make the top 25.
The Hurricanes were 7-24 last season and finished 24-7 in coach Jai Lucas’s first-year as the head coach, with no returning players. Donaldson, Reneau, and senior center Ernest Udeh Jr. were vocal points to the program’s rebuild. They delivered leadership and production on the court.
The team successfully established a new foundation, one that can attract high school recruits and transfer portal candidates. Following the loss, coach Lucas made a pitch as to why the Hurricanes should be considered a top destination:
“You can come here, develop, and get better,” he said. “Even with Tre, Malik, and Ernest, they’ve all been [at] different places, but these are career years for them. I think it goes to putting them in the right spots, our style of play, and what we do here in our culture of how we work and how we develop. Even though you’ve been somewhere else and maybe didn’t have this in your game, you can come here and work on it, and then continue your career.”
The Hurricanes have an opportunity to remain competitive, but it starts with roster retention, especially with five-star forward Shelton Henderson. He started in all 31 games as a freshman, averaging 13.9 points on 56.7 percent shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 steals in 30.7 minutes. The 19-year-old struggled from behind the arc, with just 27.7 percent shooting.
If Henderson decides to stay and develop his three-point shooting, it unlocks more possibilities individually and as a team.
The Hurricanes return to the court on March 12 for the ACC Tournament quarterfinals in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Spectrum Center.
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