Miami basketball fourth in ACC projected metric power rankings

College Basketball metrics analyst Bart Torvik projects Miami as the 20th best team in the country in 2022-23 and the fourth-best team in the ACC. The Miami basketball team finished 26-11 overall, 14-6 and in fourth place in the ACC in 2021-22. Miami advanced to the NCAA Tournament regional final in program history.

Perennial ACC Basketball powers Duke who is fourth, North Carolina sixth and Virginia 16th are the only conference programs projected ahead of Miami entering the 2022-23 season. The Miami basketball program has returning starters, wing Jordan Miller and guard Isaiah Wong plus six new players to the 2022-23 roster.

Miami head coach Jim Larranaga has frequently used the transfer portal to improve his roster. Guards Kameron McGusty and Charlie Moore were the corps of the Miami basketball team in 2021-22 with Wong. McGusty began his collegiate career at Oklahoma and Miami was the fourth program for Moore.

The 2022-23 roster was re-fortified by the addition of two transfers and four incoming freshmen that add much-needed size for Miami. All four freshmen and one of the incoming transfers are at least 6’6 or taller. Larranaga hopes to build on the NCAA Tournament run next season. Miami has quickly returned to being competitive.

"4. MIAMIHow can Jim Larranaga build off last season’s surprising Elite Eight run? Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller return as starters from that squad, and Harlond Beverly started 15 of the 19 games he played in two years ago.But the biggest reason for optimism comes from what the Hurricanes got in the transfer portal: Kansas State guard Nijel Pack and Arkansas State forward Norchad Omier were both among the best players available. Pack was first-team All-Big 12 as a shooter and scorer, while Omier is a terrific athlete who can score, rebound and defend at high levels."

The above analysis was from Kevin Flaherty of 247 sports who examined the “ACC basketball power rankings for 2022-23 season, via Bart Torvik projections.” After three straight losing seasons, Larranga has rebuilt the roster and made Miami a nationally relevant program. Miami could be better in 2022-23 than 2021-22.

Wong is the leading returning scorer for Miami at 15.3 points per game. Miller led Miami with 5.9 rebounds in 2021-22. Beverly missed all but two games last season. In three seasons with Miami, Beverly has averaged 6.6 PPG, three rebounds and 2.6 assists. Beverly projects to be the sixth man for Miami in 2022-23.

Beverly or forward Anthony Walker will be the fifth starter with Miller, Omier, Pack and Wong. It depends if Larranaga wants to continue the guard oriented attack and scramble defense. Signing Omier and Pack as transfers was a coup for Miami. Omier and Pack have both been ranked in the top five 2022 transfers depending on the list.