Miami earned a much-needed signature win with a 75-66 victory over North Carolina on Tuesday night. The victory should put Miami in a firmer position in NCAA Tournament bracketology. Miami and Jai Lucas are in position for the latter to achieve multiple first-year milestones for a Hurricanes' head coach.
Lucas can become the first Miami head coach to lead the Hurricanes to an NCAA Tournament berth in his first season. Win the next Miami win, Lucas will also tie Jim Larranaga for the most wins by a first-year head coach with the Hurricanes, with 20 victories overall and nine in the ACC.
What is most amazing about the accomplishments Lucas has led Miami to in 2025-26 is that he is doing so in his first season as a head coach anywhere. Larranaga had been a head coach for 27 years before he was hired at Miami.
Since the rebirth of the Miami basketball program in 1985, Frank Haith is the only Hurricanes' head coach other than Lucas who had no prior experience leading a team before taking over in Coral Gables. In seven seasons with Miami, Haith was 129-101. The best season for Haith at Miami was 23-11 in his fourth season in 2007-08.
MIAMI TAKES DOWN NO. 11 NORTH CAROLINA 🔥
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) February 11, 2026
A STATEMENT WIN IN YEAR 1 FOR JAI LUCAS! pic.twitter.com/trDnLgPe1P
Building an entirely new program and roster
Lucas has led Miami to a 19-5 record after building an entirely new coaching staff and roster. Miami lost its entire coaching staff and roster after finishing with seven wins and 24 losses in 2024-25. Using a mix of highly rated freshmen and transfers, Miami has exceeded expectations in 2025-26.
Indiana transfer Malik Reneau leads Miami, averaging 19.8 points per game and also contributes 6.6 rebounds. Michigan transfer Tre Donaldson is second on Miami, averaging 15.8 PPG, contributes 3.7 RPG and leads the Hurricanes with 6.1 assists. TCU transfer Ernest Udeh Jr. posts 7.2 PPG and leads Miami with 9.6 RPG.
Shelton Henderson leads the Miami true freshman averaging 14.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.0 APG. Dante Allen has started seven games as a true freshman for Miami in 2025-26, averaging 14.4 PPG and 4.7 RPG. Salih Altunas and Timotej Malovec have also contributed for Miami as freshmen.
The ESPN Basketball Power Index ranks the Miami remaining strength of schedule seventh in the ACC and 59th nationally. Miami plays at North Carolina State on Saturday. The remaining Miami regular season schedule is Virginia Tech, at Virginia, at Florida State, Boston College, at SMU and Louisville.