Miami basketball performed well vs NCAA 1 seeds UVA and UNC

The Miami basketball team showed a lot of toughness during a difficult season. The Hurricanes can be proud of the way they played against NCAA Tournament number one seeds North Carolina and Virginia.

The Miami basketball team lost to North Carolina twice and Virginia once this season but played well in all three games. Duke is the third ACC Team that earned a number one seed in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

This is the first time in ACC history and the second overall that a conference has earned a number one seed. The Big East in 2009 is the only other conference to earn three number one seeds in the same NCAA Tournament.

Current ACC members Louisville and Pittsburgh were two of the three Big East teams who were number one seeds in 2009. Like this year with Duke earning the NCAA Tournament’s top seed, Louisville was the top seed coming from a conference with three number one seeds.

The Miami basketball team played 13 games this season against NCAA Tournament teams. Eleven of those games were against ACC opponents. The Hurricanes lost in the non-conference to Big East Tournament runner-up Seton Hall and Ivy League Champion Yale.

Several of Miami’s games against NCAA Tournament teams this season were a microcosm of the Hurricanes year overall. Playing a with seven-man rotation Miami faded late in games often. The Hurricanes failed to hold double-digit leads several times.

Miami led Yale by 15 in the second half before losing by four.  The Hurricanes also blew a 15 point first half lead at Louisville. The Cardinals took a one-point lead at halftime and pulled away in the second half to win by 17.

Miami’s games against North Carolina and Virginia this season can help build towards the 2019-20 season. It’s tough for a program that had advanced to three straight NCAA Tournaments before this season to accept moral victories.

Miami was down one to North Carolina with six minutes remaining when the teams played in Coral Gables in January. The Tar Heels outscored the Hurricanes 19-11 from there to win 85-76. Miami also failed to close out earlier in January against Florida State.

The Miami basketball team began February playing at ACC regular-season champion Virginia. The Hurricanes trailed by seven at halftime. Miami cut the deficit to four and five points early in the second half before Virginia pulled away. The Cavaliers maintained a seven to 13 point lead throughout the second before winning 56-46.

Miami had a legitimate chance to win for the second year in a row in Chapel Hill when they played North Carolina in February. The Tar Heels needed a three-point shot from Senior center Like Maye with 11 seconds remaining to tie the game. It was the second year in a row the Tar Heels even the game with a three in the final seconds.

Ja’Quan Newton wasn’t about around to rescue Miami this season. Newton hit a shot from just inside halfcourt to give Miami the victory over UNC in 2018. That came after a Joel Berry three-point shot tied the game.

Chris Lykes three missed at the buzzer and the game went to overtime. It took nearly two minutes for the game’s first points in the extra session. An Anthony Lawrence jumper put Miami ahead with 3:02 left Jn the extra session.

North Carolina answered Lawrence’s OT opening score with a 7-0 run. Although Miami kept it close, the Tar never trailed after taking the lead in overtime. The hurricanes lost another close one 88-85.

Miami lost all 13 of its games against NCAA Tournament teams in 2018-19. The Hurricanes had the talent but not the depth to compete with the best teams nationally this year. Too much attrition from their roster did them in this season.

Miami’s roster should be significantly upgraded for the  2019-20 season. Expect the Hurricanes to contend for their fourth NCAA Tournament berth in the last five seasons.