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NCAA Tournament: Five Reasons the Hurricanes Can Get to the Sweet 16

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 16, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga during practice at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga during practice at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 27, 2017; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Ja’Quan Newton (0) looks to pass against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Tempo

Miami plays the 23rd slowest tempo in the country. Michigan State ranks 264th in tempo and Kansas is 81st. Getting Michigan State and then hopefully Kansas to play at their tempo is going to be exceptionally important.

Miami also only has nine scholarship players and usually only goes eight deep into their rotation. After the five starters there is a significant dropoff in average minutes played. Lawrence averages 26.1 minutes per game. Huell plays the most minutes off the bench at 17.7. DJ Vasiljevic is right behind him at 17.5. Izundu averages 12.9 minutes per game.

Larranga only uses Freshman center Rodney Miller as needed. Miller has played 56 minutes in 13 games.

North Carolina was the highest ranked team Miami played in tempo this season. The Tar Heels rank 70th. The Hurricanes did a great a job in the first game against UNC. They held NC to its lowest point total in a half this season when they had a 39-22 lead at halftime.

They went on to win the game 77-62. That was almost 23 points below North Carolina’s season point average. UNC finished 11th in the country in scoring. Miami was able to do the same against Duke. They won their second matchup this season with the Blue Devils in a 55-50 victory at the Watsco Center.

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