This Week in Miami Hurricanes Basketball: 2/6 Edition

Feb 6, 2023 - 2:00 PM

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It was weird to have no football to watch this weekend. Not sure about you, but I don’t have any interest in the Pro Bowl Games, or whatever it’s called now. What are your plans for the big game next Sunday?

We’re back for another week of Miami Hurricanes Men’s and Women’s Basketball. The guys had a much needed 2-0 week, beating Virginia Tech at home on Tuesday night, then topping Clemson on the road on Saturday. The ladies also went 2-0 last week. They set the tone at Clemson, winning on Thursday night. They then came home and took care of business against Georgia Tech on Sunday afternoon.

It’ll be interesting to see how high the guys are ranked in the new AP Top 25 Poll this afternoon.

Last week:

I recapped Miami’s 92-83 win against VT. This win looks better with the Hokies’ victory over their in-state rival Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon. It was a tight contest throughout. The Canes’ transfers came up huge. Norchad Omier had 21 points and 8 rebounds. Nijel Pack scored all of his 17 points in the second half. Let me be more specific: Pack scored his 17 points in just five minutes and eight seconds of game time. His fifth three-pointer with 2:28 left in the game put Miami up by 8 points, giving them the cushion they needed to hold on against a dangerous offensive team. This version of Pack is the one Canes fans hoped and expected to see this entire season.

I also recapped Miami’s huge 78-74 win over Clemson. The Canes played an overall impressive game on the road. The Tigers are experienced and can make shots. In general, they were an interesting team to watch. Clemson looked unimpressive at times, but they continued to hang around by getting buckets and timely defensive stops. I may be biased, but I think some of those stops were caused by lackluster offensive possessions by Miami. Either way, the Canes did themselves and a few other ACC teams a big favor by winning this game. The conference is totally up for grabs now, and Miami is right there.

The Canes have seven games left: vs Duke, vs Louisville, at UNC, vs Wake Forest, at VT, vs FSU, and vs Pitt. Playing five of their last seven at home is huge. The Watsco Center has been a real home court advantage this season. 12-0! Miami’s goal should be to get a top-four seed in the ACC Tournament, securing them a much coveted double-bye. The pressure is on. Let’s see if this year’s team can handle it.

The Lady Canes began their week with an exciting 69-66 overtime win at Clemson. Jasmyne Roberts led Miami with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Destiny Harden chipped in 19 points and 6 rebounds on 9-14 shooting. Lola Pendande scored 15 points. Amari Robinson led the Tigers with 17 points and 12 rebounds. The ladies of Miami took control of the game right after halftime, outscoring Clemson 23-8 in the third quarter. The home team wouldn’t go away though, as they overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Roberts, Harden, and Pendande scored all 7 of Miami’s points in overtime. They came up big when it mattered most.

It was not an easy Sunday victory for Miami, but Coach Meier will take an ACC win however it comes. The Lady Canes are now 15-8, 8-4 ACC. They let the Yellow Jackets hang around the entire game, but put forth a total team effort to secure the win. Jasmyne Roberts led the way again with 13 points and 9 rebounds. The only other double-figure scorer was Hanna Cavinder, with 12 points off the bench. Roberts was Miami’s MVP this week. She was clutch again on Sunday, scoring a lay-up to put the Canes up by 4 points with 28 seconds left.

This week:

The guys play twice this week. First, they host Duke on Monday, 2/6 at 7:00 PM EST. The game will be televised on ESPN. The Canes will look to avenge their two-point loss on the road last month. The Blue Devils are coming off a big home win against UNC on Saturday. I can’t wait to see the Watsco Center crowd later tonight. Miami stays in South Florida for their matchup with Louisville on Saturday, 2/11 at 7:00 PM EST. The game will be televised on ACC Network. The Cardinals are bad this season; though they did beat Georgia Tech, something the Canes couldn’t do.

The ladies play twice this week as well, both against ranked teams. They first host rival Florida State on Thursday, 2/9 at 6:00 PM EST. The game will be televised on ACC Extra. The Lady Canes will look to avenge their December road loss to the Seminoles. The ladies then travel to Durham, NC to take on Duke on Sunday, 2/12 at 2:00 PM EST. The game will be televised on ACC Extra. The Blue Devils beat Notre Dame on the road on Sunday to take over first place in the ACC. Duke plays Boston College on Thursday before Miami comes to town.

GO CANES!