Canes Warning
Fansided

Miami basketball success in Wooden Legacy could be vital to NCAA Hopes

By Alan Rubenstein

BLACKSBURG, VA - FEBRUARY 3: Miami Hurricanes players stand during the national anthem before the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum on February 3, 2018 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Lauren Rakes/Getty Images)
BLACKSBURG, VA - FEBRUARY 3: Miami Hurricanes players stand during the national anthem before the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum on February 3, 2018 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Lauren Rakes/Getty Images) /
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The other half of the bracket in Fullerton is Seton Hall against Grand Canyon and Utah against Hawaii. Half of the bracket includes teams from a Power Five Conference as opposed to a quarter in Honolulu last season.

If the bracket holds up as expected Miami would play Northwestern in the second game and either Seton Hall or Utah in their third game. If the Hurricanes can win all three of those games it would be a big boost to their postseason hopes in March.

Seton Hall is the only team playing in the Wooden Legacy that won an NCAA Tournament game in 2018. They defeated North Carolina State before losing to Kansas in the second round.

The Hurricanes cannot rely on a boost from their ACC-Big Ten Challenge matchup. For some reason, Miami plays Rutgers for the second time in three years in the annual competition between arguably the most tradition laden conferences in college basketball.

Next: Is Miami basketball fairly matched in ACC-Big Ten challenge?

Playing in the Wooden Legacy will give Miami basketball coach Jim Larranaga a good measure of where his team is early on the season. The Hurricanes coaching staff will be able to see which lineups work best together. The team we see in November will likely not be as good as the one Larranaga will have by next March.

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