Important notes to learn ahead as the Miami Hurricanes prepare to face a ranked BYU Cougars team on the basketball court in Northern Florida. Betting lines, lineups, injuries, etc.
The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team strung together a couple of dominant victories after suffering a difficult loss to the reigning champion Florida Gators on Sunday, Nov. 16th. They've beaten the Elon Phoenix and Delaware State Hornets by an average margin of 41.5.
Jai Lucas and the team have done an excellent job at taking care of business against low-level opponents, but the next step is to do the same against tougher and highly respected competition.
The Hurricanes will face the ninth-ranked BYU Cougars this Thursday.
Location: State Farm Field House - Kissimmee, FL
TV: ESPN
Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Injury report:
Hurricanes - Senior center Ernest Udeh Jr. and guard Tru Washington are both questionable due to lower-body injuries.
Cougars: Sophomore forward Brody Kozlowski and senior guard Nate Pickens are questionable due to undisclosed injuries. Meanwhile, junior forward Kennard Davis Jr. is ruled out due to personal reasons.
Betting line: - 4 BYU Cougars, + 4 Miami Hurricanes, with a total of 149.5 via OddsTrader.
Projected starting lineups:
Hurricanes:
PG - Tre Donaldson
SG - Dante Allen
SF - Shelton Henderson
PF - Timotej Malovec
C - Malik Reneau
Pending injuries.
Cougars:
PG - Robert Wright III
SG - Dawson Baker
SF - Richie Saunders
PF - Keba Keita
C - AJ Dybantsa
Vitals: The Cougars have been ranked within the top 10 since the season began. They've dominated most of their schedule thus far, beating opponents by an average margin of 23.75 points. However, the Utah program faced the third-ranked UConn Huskies on Sunday, Nov. 15th, and lost with a final score of 86-84.
Freshman AJ Dybantsa is off to a great start this season, averaging 19.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 54.8 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three-point range. The 18-year-old is projected to be a top lottery pick in next year's draft, second overall; selected by the Washington Wizards by ESPN.
Dybantsa will be the main focus defensively for the Canes and senior Malik Reneau, who will likely take on the assignment.
The Hurricanes shot 40.4 percent from behind the arc in their previous two games combined and maintaining that efficiency will be crucial in opening the paint for easier baskets. In the Gators' matchup, they only made five three-pointers out of 18 attempts, which wasn't helpful when attempting to attack the rim.
Senior Tre Donaldson has been spectacular in the Hurricanes' previous two victories, averaging 19.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 73.7 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from three-point range. The 21-year-old has been a leader both vocally and productively for the team and must continue against the Cougars.
Freshman center Salih Altuntas is coming off his best game of the season: 13 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, and an assist in 20 minutes against the Hornets. The Hurricanes will need him to carry the momentum, especially with freshman guard Dante Allen stepping up into a starting role as junior guard Tru Donaldson is and could remain sidelined.
The Cougars have three players averaging double figures in scoring: Dybantsa, senior Richie Saunders, and sophomore guard Robert Wright III. If the Hurricanes manage to slow them down and live up to Lucas's defensive standards, then the game should be close and competitive.
More Miami Hurricanes News:
- "BREAKING: Hurricanes Drastically Jump In Latest College Football Playoff Rankings"
- "Hurricanes Focus Remains The Same Entering Season Finale"
- "Hurricanes Failed Opportunity Against Reigning Champion Gators"