For Miami basketball to improve in 2019-20 Chris Lykes needs help

A lot was asked of sophomore point guard Chris Lykes during the 2018-19 Miami basketball season. If the Hurricanes are going to return to the NCAA Tournament, Lykes is going to have to get help.

At 5’7 about 157 pounds a lot was asked of Chris Lykes during his sophomore season. It is rare for a player his size to have to carry a basketball team. When recent Toronto Raptors draftee Dewan Hernandez was declared ineligible hours before the Miami basketball season opener it crushed the Hurricanes outlook for the season.

In a question and answer session with The Athletic College Basketball Writer Eamonn Brennan, a fan asked him about the increased depth the Hurricanes will have this winter and if Lykes can carry them to the (NCAA) Tournament.  Lykes is a very good college basketball player. It’s a lot to ask him to carry a team to the NCAAs.

The Miami basketball roster was depleted in 2018-19 because of Hernandez’s suspension, injuries and redshirts. Redshirt freshman forward-center Deng Gak was lost for the season with a knee injury after eight games. Junior center Rodney Miller chose to redshirt last season because Miami was supposed to be deep at center.

That depth on the interior evaporated quickly. The losses of Hernandez and Gak, plus Miller taking the year off to work on his game meant three scholarship players, with two who were expected to play key roles last season, were sidelined for the entire and majority of the season. Miami also lost guard Miles Wilson who quit the team.

Jim Larranaga and his staff have done an excellent job restocking the roster for 2019-20. Miller and Gak return. The Hurricanes also add Oklahoma transfer Kameron McGusty who sat out last season. The Miami basketball program has utilized transfers before Manny Diaz made the transfer portal a catchphrase.

This season is no different. Graduate transfer forward Keith Stone should challenge for a starting spot up front. Stone has one season of eligibility remaining. Miami also added Cincinnati center, Nysier Brooks. He will have to sit out this season and then have one year of eligibility left in 2020-21.

The Hurricanes also bring in the nation’s 25th best-recruiting class. Brennan went into detail about the pair of star guards the Miami basketball program signed plus the likelihood of Lykes being able to carry the team in March.

"“Thoughts on the ‘Canes? Miami will actually have depth this year which will greatly help. They were in a lot of games last year but couldn’t hold up due to lack of depth. Is Chris Lykes a guy who can carry them to the tournament? – Daniel S.Miami will definitely have depth, and there are promising additions here — four-star guards Harmond Beverly and Isaiah Wong chief among them. That said, it still looks like a team that is going to ask Lykes to take on 27-percent usage/27-percent shot rates, if not more.If that is the case, he’ll have to be more efficient. I don’t want that to sound too critical, because he was asked to do a ton last season, and that tends to lead to some mitigated numbers.But if we’re talking about a “drag this team through the ACC and into the NCAA tournament” type of season, we’ll have to be talking about a much lower turnover rate (18.4 percent) and much better 3-point shooting (61-for-192 last season). Definitely possible, but also a lot to ask.”"

Lykes averaged 16.2 points per game, 2.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season. In addition to being more efficient in 2019-20, Larranaga is going to need a higher number of assists from Lykes at the point. Lykes shot 40.6 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent on three-point attempts as Brennan alluded to.

The perimeter scoring for the Miami basketball team should be significantly improved this season. The Hurricanes are deep on the perimeter and that should show in their style of play. WIth players selected in three straight NBA Drafts, the Hurricanes have a lot of momentum despite a 14-18 record during an injury-plagued 2018-19.