As the Miami Hurricanes continue to battle injuries on the basketball roster, it requires others to step up, which has been seen from Tru Washington.
As Jai Lucas and the Miami Hurricanes continue to establish this new chapter within the basketball program, the team has been producing great results on the court. They've already surpassed last season's horrendous win total, seven, currently sitting with an 8-2 record before conference opponents become a factor.
There's been a couple of bumps on the road, with difficult losses to the reigning champion Florida Gators and the BYU Cougars, both ranked in the top-25. The Hurricanes are currently riding a three-game winning streak, in which the offense has been clicking, and the defense remains the identity. Part of the reason for the latest success has been Tru Washington.
The junior guard was a four-star recruit as a transfer after spending two seasons with the New Mexico Lobos.
Washington is one of the core players Lucas is looking to establish a new culture within the Hurricanes' men's basketball program. He proved to be an excellent guard who can produce offense and defend with tremendous effort.
The 21-year-old is currently averaging 14.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.8 steals, which leads the ACC, while shooting 50.5 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range. He's on pace to set new career-highs at the collegiate level.
Washington has improved in production during the Hurricanes' current three-game winning streak. It started at the ESPN Events Invitational, facing the Georgetown Hoyas for third place in the Magic bracket, when the junior guard finished with 17 points, six rebounds, four steals, which tied a season high, and an assist in 28 minutes.
Afterwards, when they traveled to Oxford, Mississippi, to face the Ole Miss Rebels, he came through with another excellent two-way performance: 17 points, including four three-pointers made, which is a new season-high, seven rebounds, three steals, and an assist in 34 minutes.
Lucas's main components during the recruitment process were to gather defensive-minded players who also shared Florida pride. Seven players on the roster are from the "Sunshine State," but while Washington is from Phoenix, Arizona, his play suggests a full buy-in.
In the Hurricanes' recent game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, he finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals in 35 minutes. It doesn't matter what happens offensively for Washington, as long as the defensive impact remains strong.
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