Miami Hurricanes Can Run ACC Table

By bertdesalvo
Jim Larranaga Miami Hurricanes
Melina Vastola-US Presswire

The Miami (FL) Hurricanes are the ACC leaders by a comfortable margin at this point, with a two-game lead on the Duke Blue Devils with seven games remaining in the regular season.

Miami is ranked No. 3 in the country and are one of the hottest teams in the nation, winners of their last 12 contests. Miami is also undefeated in ACC play, and are one of six teams in the country who is undefeated in conference play.

Their last conference game was a close one against in-state rival, Florida State. However, the ‘Canes pulled it out with the help of their superstar point guard, Shane Larkin, who scored nine points late and had a game-high 22 points. Coach Jim Larranaga acknowledged that “Shane Larkin is all about winning. He is going to do whatever he thinks the team needs him to do. I thought Shane did a great job.”

With Larkin playing as well as any point guard in the country, and Kenny Kadji and Reggie Johnson emerging as one of the top frontlines in the country, the Hurricanes are making a push for a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

However, in the season of upsets in the college basketball landscape, the Hurricanes could fall to the Virginia Cavaliers or maybe even the Clemson Tigers. Still, the Hurricanes only real threat of ruining their chance at an undefeated ACC regular season crown seems to be Duke. However, Miami embarrassed the Blue Devils in Coral Gables, Fl., 90-63.

Even if Duke returns the favor and beats the Hurricanes, Miami should still be able to win the ACC.

Nevertheless, it would be sweet for Jim Larranaga to March into Cameron Indoor Stadium and sweep the season series with Duke and make another statement that the Hurricanes are for real in the ACC and on a national level. It is the next step for Larranaga’s program.

Only time will tell if the are ready to take the next step.

Follow Bert DeSalvo on Twitter @CoachDeSalvo

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