The Miami Hurricanes notch key wins but remain outside the top-25 rankings, focusing on identity and tournament aspirations.
The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball squad is catching strides at the right moment. They've secured back-to-back victories over Quad 1 opponents in the North Carolina Tar Heels and North Carolina State Wolfpack, but it wasn't enough to crack the top-25 in the latest AP polls. Instead, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Wisconsin Badgers claimed the final two spots after being unranked the previous week.
The Hurricanes did receive 10 votes. However, for coach Jai Lucas, that aspect of college basketball doesn't matter to him.
"It's like a tip of the cap," he said. "We have to still just keep chipping away. We got a lot of games and basketball left ahead of us. We have to continue, and I feel like this is what we've done the best and why we're able to win some of these games and be where we are, is we got to continue to fight for our identity. I think that showed on Saturday and it's got to show the rest of the [season]."
Regardless of rankings, the Hurricanes are in a prime position to make the NCAA Tournament, especially after the last couple of victories. They currently sit with a 20-5 overall record, 9-3 in ACC play. The team has proven to exceed expectations this season, especially with it being the first year under coach Lucas's regime.
However, there will be more opportunities for the Hurricanes to crack the top-25 AP polls. They will face the 14th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers on Feb. 21 at the John Paul Jones Arena, then close the season on March 7 against the 21st-ranked Louisville Cardinals at home, in the Watsco Center.
Coach Lucas isn't shying away from reaping the rewards that come with winning, as long as it doesn't cost the team their identity.
"Like Tre [Donaldson] ACC Player of the Week, that came with winning," he added. "There are things that we want that come with winning, because we want to win. We just have to understand why it's there and why it's happening. It's not happening because you got 20 points, no, it's happening because we did this. We put ourselves in this position and we have to keep it about us."
The Hurricanes have completely turned around after a horrendous 7-24 season last year, 3-17 in ACC play. There's still more work to be done, with room to improve, but things are trending in the right direction.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our RoundTable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
More Miami Hurricanes News: