Miami basketball hosts Campbell in last non-conference game of 2018-19

The Miami basketball team will play their final non-conference game of the 2018-19 season when they host Campbell on Saturday afternoon. The Hurricanes enter Saturday’s game against the Camels with a 7-4 record.

Saturday’s game is the first-ever meeting between the Campbell and Miami Basketball programs. Campbell enters Saturday’s game 6-6. The game against Miami will be Campbell’s second this season against a team from a major conference. The Camels lost 93-85 at Georgetown in November.

Miami enters the game with what has been thus far a tough season. Much like the Football program, the Hurricanes had a five-game winning streak to open the season, followed by a four-game losing streak and then wins in their last two games. The only difference was that the football team began 2018 with a loss.

The first three losses of the season by the Miami basketball team came by a total of nine points. The Hurricanes fourth loss of 2018-19 was by 14 at Pennsylvania. Miami was 1-1 against the Big Five of Philadelphia this season. Miami defeated LaSalle in the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, California.

In addition to the mediocre start to the 2018-19 season, Jim Larranaga and the Miami basketball team has had to deal with a short bench because of injuries and eligibility issues. The front line has been the most impacted.

Miami redshirted Junior center Rodney Miller at the beginning of the season because of what was perceived to be a gluttony of men in the post. The Hurricanes were returning centers Dewan Hernandez who was Miami’s leading returning scorer and rebounder, Senior Ebuka Izundu and Redshirt Freshman Deng Gak.

Hernandez has been out the entire season while awaiting an eligibility issue related to last year’s Adidas bribery scandal. It came out during the trial that Hernandez might have been paid. The school denies any knowledge of Hernandez accepting money or that he did at all. The scandal cost Miami a 2018 recruiting class.

Gak was a valuable member off the Hurricanes bench early in the season. He was averaging 14 minutes per game and 2.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Gak suffered a knee injury in Miami’s loss to Yale on December 1 that would later require season-ending knee surgery.

That leaves Izundu as the last healthy post player on the Miami roster. Iznundu is having the best season of his collegiate career. It’s essential for Larranaga and the Canes that Izundu stays out of foul trouble that has plagued him throughout his college career and at the beginning of this season.

Izundu is third on Miami with 12.9 PPG and leads them with 9.4 RPG and 2.2 BPG. After fouling out against Yale, Izundu has only one foul in the Hurricanes last two games against Penn and their win last Saturday over Houston Baptist.

Miami has to be cognizant on the defensive end. The Camels are an excellent shooting team both beyond the arc and overall. Campbell is 31st nationally in 33rd in three-pointers made with 120 and attempted with 344. Their 34.9 three-point percentage ranks 155th. Campbell shoots 47.4 percent overall. That’s 77th in the nation.

Campbell features the nation’s leading scorer Chris Clemons whose 30.5 PPG scoring average is nearly four points more than his closest competitor. Clemons will be a great challenge for Miami point Chris Lykes. It will be one of the few times this season that Lykes will be able to guard his opponent face-to-face. Clemons is 5-9, 165.

"Game InformationDate/Time: Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018/4 p.m.Location: Coral Gables, Fla./Watsco Center (7,972)CAMPBELL FIGHTING CAMELS (6-6)Head Coach: Kevin McGeehan (Gettysburg, ‘99)Record at CU: 77-100 (6th season), Career Record: 77-100 (6th season)MIAMI HURRICANES (7-4)Head Coach: Jim Larrañaga (Providence, ‘71)Record at UM: 168-83 (8th season), Career Record: 638-417 (35th season)Broadcast InformationTelevision: RSN; Online: ACC Network ExtraPlay-by-Play: Wes Durham, Color: Brian OliverRadio: WQAM 560 AM (Play-by-Play: Joe Zagacki)Satellite Radio: XM 389, XM Internet 980Series vs. Campbell: First MeetingInformation Courtesy of Hurricane Sports.Com"

Following their game against Campbell, Miami will open ACC play by hosting North Carolina State on Thursday night. The Hurricanes first ACC road game of 2019 a week from Sunday night at Louisville.

Both the Wolfpack and Cardinals have gotten off to outstanding starts to the season. NC State is 12-1 under second-year Head Coach Kevin Keatts. They won their last non-conference game on Friday and are off until Thursday.

Louisville hosts Kentucky in their final non-conference game of the season on Saturday. The Cardinals are off until they play Miami in what is their ACC opener.