University of Miami Men's Basketball Clips 2015-16
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University of Miami Men’s Basketball Clips 2015-16 2011-15 highlights on last 35 pages UM seeded third in South Miami Herald “One was agony, and the other was glee,’’ the game between No. 6 seed Arizona and Michelle Kaufman said Larrañaga. “This time, super excited, the winner of the Vanderbilt/Wichita State March 13, 2016 very happy. Last year, frustrated, angry, play-in game. Kansas is the top seed in the thinking you can’t believe you let it slip South region, and Villanova is the No. 2 A giant archway of orange and green away.” seed. Cal and Maryland are also in UM’s balloons, cheerleaders, Sebastian the quarter of the bracket. Ibis and a couple hundred Hurricane fans Senior guard Angel Rodriguez recalled greeted the University of Miami basketball “Last year was like a funeral, literally. It is Miami’s eighth appearance in the NCAA players as they gathered at the campus Tournament. UM’s best finishes were in Rathskeller for a Selection Sunday watch “When I went home, I was quiet the whole 2000 and 2013, when they reached the party. time…Felt sick, sad, I didn’t want to talk. Sweet 16. In 2013, Larrañaga’s team I was just hurt. This year, it was exciting – led by Shane Larkin, Kenny Kadji, and With a 25-7 record and a No. 11 national knowing we’re going to get picked, but to Durand Scott – entered the tournament as ranking, the Hurricanes knew they hear the name, even knowing that it was a No. 2 seed and beat Pacific and Illinois were getting an invitation to the NCAA a sure thing was a great feeling. I couldn’t before losing to Marquette. Tournament this year. The only question be happier right now.” was their seeding, the site and opponent The only player left from that team is for their first-round game. Immediately after the announcement senior center Tonye Jekiri. Sunday, the team met with renowned As the Selection Show was getting sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella, “My freshman year, I wasn’t playing started, UM Coach Jim Larrañaga stood a longtime friend of Larrañaga’s, who much, I didn’t really know what was going up, let out his trademark piercing whistle, worked with the George Mason team on, so I acted excited on Selection Sunday and yelled to the fans: “Hey, when they that Larrañaga led to the 2006 Final Four. because the guys who were playing were announce our name, go crazy!” Rotella reminded the Canes to have fun, excited,’’ Jekiri said. “But now, I’ve seen and gave them team and individual tips on the hard work we put in all season long, They obeyed. When Miami’s name flashed how to best focus during the tournament. and it was truly exciting to be selected. on the giant T.V. screen with a No. 3 seed It’s a great feeling, and we seniors want alongside it, the place erupted. When it Miami’s first-round opponent, Buffalo to end our careers with special memories.” was revealed the Canes would be playing (20-14), won back-to-back Mid-American No. 14 Buffalo in Providence on Thursday Conference titles. Former Duke star Bobby (6:50 p.m., TNT), the players (wearing Hurley coached the Bulls to their first “Made in March” t-shirts) and fans went NCAA Tournament appearance last year, nuts. left for Arizona State, and his assistant, Nate Oats, kept the winning going. It was a far different scene from Selection Their campus is a 450-mile drive from Sunday last year, when the team watched Providence, so they are expected to bring alone in a coaches’ conference room. The a lot of fans. Canes were on the bubble back then, lamenting losses to Eastern Kentucky Larrañaga is quite familiar with and Wisconsin-Green Bay, realizing their Providence, as he played at Providence resume might not be quite good enough for College, graduated as the Friars’ fifth all- an NCAA tournament bid. time leading scorer, and was the captain of Providence College’s NIT team in 1971. By When their name was not called, the Sunday night, he had already fielded calls room got silent. They moped away from old friends asking for tickets. and begrudgingly accepted a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, where If the Hurricanes win on St. Patrick’s Day, they reached the final. they play Saturday against the winner of Bracket facts for 2016 NCAA tournament ESPN.com Keith Lipscomb March 13, 2016 Miami: Jim Larranaga has the Hurricanes back in the tourney as a No. 3 seed, with designs on the school’s first advancement past the Sweet 16. In Miami’s last appearance in 2013, Shane Larkin and crew landed a No. 2 seed, but the Canes were knocked out in the Sweet 16 by Marquette. Outside of teams in the First Four, it takes six wins to win the title. Miami has just six tournament wins in school history. Even making a run to the Final Four with this little of a basketball history is rare. Since the field expanded in 1985, only six teams reached their first Final Four in a year in which they entered the Big Dance with six or fewer NCAA tournament wins. The good news for the Hurricanes? In 2006, it was done by current coach Jim Larranaga at his former school, George Mason, which did not have a single NCAA tournament win prior to its Final Four run. Unranked teams in preseason to be champions Unranked teams in preseason to be champions On the 50th anniversary of Texas Western’s landmark national championship run, it’s worth pointing out that there have been five teams in the past 50 years to win the national championship after being unranked in the AP preseason poll: 1966 Texas Western, 1985 Villanova, 2003 Syracuse, 2006 Florida and 2011 Connecticut. Among the teams that entered this season unranked were No. 1 seed Oregon, No. 2 seed Xavier, No. 3 seeds Miami, West Virginia and Texas A&M, No. 6 seed Texas and No. 7 seeds Iowa and Dayton. Miami Hurricanes a 3-seed in Providence Palm Beach Post Players, coaches and staff watched the Matt Porter announcement on a big-screen TV at The March 13, 2016 Rathskeller restaurant on campus. Jim Larranaga stood up, turned around and The Canes are dancing for the first time faced the bubbling crowd. Fingers pressed since 2012-13, when they reached the to his lips, he let out a piercing whistle. Sweet 16, and the eighth time in program history. Miami is 6-7 all-time in the tourney. “When they announce our name, go crazy,” he shouted to about 200 fans. “Per usual. Committee puts us in the gauntlet lol it’s whatever tho… lets get it They did. Canes!!” tweeted former Hurricanes guard Shane Larkin, the star of the 2013 team. The Hurricanes (25-7) are heading to Providence, R.I., where Larranaga played Some UM players, after losing to Virginia on his college ball, as a No. 3 seed in the Friday in the ACC tournament semifinals, South Region of the NCAA tournament. hoped to start off the NCAA tournament in Brooklyn. They will play 14th-seeded Buffalo (20- 14) on Thursday. If Miami wins, it will face the winner of Arizona vs. Vanderbilt/ The ACC landed two No. 1 seeds in North Wichita State. Carolina and Virginia. Kansas was a slam- dunk for another, but shouts of “woah” The No. 1 seed in the South is Kansas (30- came from the crowd of about 200 when 4). No. 2 is Villanova (29-5). Oregon, not Michigan State, got to the top line. After playing the ACC tournament near where he took George Mason to a Duke will also play in Providence on Cinderella run to the Final Four, Larranaga Thursday, playing UNC-Wilmington in a will experience another happy homecoming 4-13 matchup in the West Region. this week. He was a senior captain on Providence College’s NIT team in 1971 who answered to “Larry.” He was also leading scorer as a junior and sophomore — freshmen were not allowed to play — and graduated as the Friars’ fifth all-time leading scorer (he’s now 25th). He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1991 (and turned down overtures to coach his alma mater in 2008). UM has played an NIT game in Providence in 2009. As a 4-seed under Frank Haith, the Hurricanes beat Providence 78-66 in the first round. It then lost to Florida 74- 60 in Gainesville. What you need to know about the South Region CBS Sports.com roster, including one of the best closers in Gary Parrish college basketball in Melo Trimble. So while March 13, 2016 I really like Cal, I think I like Maryland just a little more. And that’s why I’m picking Kansas is the top seed in the South Region. the Terrapins to join Kansas, Villanova and And for good reason. But the selection Miami in Louisville. committee created a difficult path for the top-ranked Jayhawks. Here’s proof: Seven The Elite Eight showdown will be … schools in the South were ranked in the No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 3 Miami. I’ve top 10 of the AP poll during this season. been a fan of the Hurricanes all season because they’re talented, experienced Seven! and brilliantly coached by Jim Larranaga. So I’ll take them in a Sweet 16 upset of That’s nearly half of the schools in the Villanova, which would setup a game with South Region.