Miami basketball-Wake Forest match for third time in 2019 in ACC Tournament

The Miami basketball team will play Wake Forest for the third time in 2019 in the opening game of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday at Noon in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Miami basketball team split their two regular-season meetings with Wake Forest. Each team won on their home court. The Hurricanes should have swept the season series. Miami blew a 10 point lead with under two minutes to go in Winston-Salem. The Hurricanes won 76-65 in Coral Gables in January.

Miami enters the 2019 ACC Tournament after finishing the regular season with a loss at Virginia Tech on Friday night. The Hurricanes finished the season 0-10 on the road. They were 2-2 in neutral site games. The ACC Tournament is considered a neutral site for all the teams.

Miami finished the 2018-19 season 13-17 overall and 5-13 in the ACC. The Hurricanes losing record is their first under Larranaga and only the second time that they are under .500 in the ACC during his tenure. It’s the first time that the Hurricanes are sub .500 in the conference since 2014.

Wake Forest enters the ACC Tournament 11-19 overall and 4-14 in the conference. Miami is the 12th seed and Wake Forest the 13. A loss by the Demon Deacons on Tuesday will duplicate their 2018 season finishing 11-20 and 4-14. Former NBA top overall draft pick Danny Manning’s job could be in trouble.

The Demon Deacons have won more than five games in the ACC only once in Manning’s five seasons and have never broken .500. Wake Forest closed the season with three straight losses. Their last win was over Miami last month.

Miami and Wake Forest met once in the ACC Tournament. The 12th seeded Hurricanes earned an 82-63 victory over the fifth Demon Deacons on their way to the semifinals.

The winner of Wake Forest and Miami moves on play Virginia Tech at 2 PM ET on Wednesday’s second round. The Hurricanes were swept by the Hokies this season. That includes an 84-70 loss in the regular season finale on Friday night in Blacksburg.

Game Information:

ACC TOURNAMENT • GAME 31 • MARCH 12, 2019 • NOON • CHARLOTTE, N.C.
Location: Charlotte, N.C./Spectrum Center (20,200)

13 SEED WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (11-19, 4-14 ACC)
Head Coach: Danny Manning (Kansas, ‘91)
Record at WFU: 65-92 (5th season), Career Record: 103-121 (7th season)

12 SEED MIAMI HURRICANES (13-17, 5-13 ACC)
Head Coach: Jim Larrañaga (Providence, ‘71)
Record at UM: 174-96 (8th season), Career Record: 644-430 (35th season)

The players and matchup to watch on Tuesday afternoon are at point guard between Wake Forest’s Brandon Childress and the Miami’s Chris Lykes. Childress’ father Randolph was the 1996 MVP of the ACC Tournament for Wake Forest playing with Tim Duncan.

Childress is averaging 14.7 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals. He is making 36.5 percent of his three-point shots and making 2.4 per game. Childress averages more three-point attempts and makes per game than he does two-point attempts and makes.

Lykes enters the ACC Tournament averaging 16.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.3 APG and
1.4 steals. The diminutive Sophomore is shooting 41.5 percent from the floor and 31.5 percent on threes.

Broadcast Information:

Television: ESPN; Online: WatchESPN
Anish Shroff, Dan Dakish, Maria Taylor
Television: Raycom; Online: TheACC.com
Tim Brando, Mike Gminski, Brian Oliver
Radio: WQAM 560-AM (PxP: Joe Zagacki)
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 81, SiriusXM Internet 371
Series vs. Wake Forest: Miami trails, 12-10
ACCT: 1-0 | Neutral: 1-0 | Home: 8-2 | Road: 1-10

Navigating the ACC Tournament is going to be difficult for the Miami basketball team and their seven-man rotation. The Hurricanes are going have to live by the cliche taking the tournament one game and one day at a time.