Next Up - Miami

In his piece today, Al Featherston really did a great job of looking at the Miami game, so we're just going to hit a few points.

First, over the last several years, Miami fans have relished a crack at Duke. So expect a top-flight crowd. If Miami is able to stay in the game, the crowd will be an increasingly important factor as the game goes on.

If, on the other hand, Duke can turn Miami over the way the Blue Devils turned State over, Miami won't have time to set up the matchup zone.

It's been a long time since anyone ran up the score on Miami. Nobody's topped 61 since Miami lost to George Washington 71-63 on November 28th.

As Jim Larranaga himself says, Miami has to suppress and repress, because there's not much coming from the Hurricanes side. Rion Brown is averaging 14.1, while Donovan Kirk is just under 10. Garrius Adams manages 9.8, James Kelly 7.8, Manu Lecomte 7.5 and Davon Reed 7.2.

Collectively, Miami is scoring 62 ppg and shooting 42% and 31.9% from three point range.

Duke by contrast is shooting 48.4% from the floor, 41.4% from deep, while Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood and Quinn Cook are averaging 19.1, 17.9 and 13.1 respectively.

The Devils average 83 ppg.

The one great advantage Duke brings to this game is outstanding three point shooting.

Tyler Thornton doesn't shoot a lot, but he's hitting .50% from the bonusphere. Rasheed Sulaimon is checking in at 48.5%, Hood at 45.7%, Andre Dawkins at 45%, Jabari Parker at 40.9% and Quinn Cook at 34.8%.

If anyone gets really hot out there, the zone is instantly devalued and may become a liability.

If it's a slugfest, though, then Miami certainly has a shot.

One thing worth remembering: Miami won this game last year, 90-63. Don't think anyone's forgotten.