NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 2020 classes prior to spring

DES MOINES, IOWA - MARCH 23: A detailed view of a Wilson basketball on the sideline of the court during the second half in the second round game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Michigan State Spartans of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 11: Miami cheerleaders perform. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

T30. Miami-FL Hurricanes (2 commits)

Average Class Ranking: 30.5

Miami has now missed the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons with a combined 12-26 conference record during those two campaigns. It has not been the greatest stretch for the program but the future remains relatively bright thanks to the successes of head coach Jim Larranaga and Co. on the recruiting trail. The Hurricanes already have a pair of commitments in the 2020 class and both are elite.

Matt Cross (No. 83/89) was the first commit of the class and he could be an immediate contributor from Day 1 as a 6-foot-6 forward. He was one of the fastest risers in the entire recruiting class over this past summer due to his superb level of production on the Nike EYBL circuit. Cross was the primary option for BABC (MA) and was quite consistent in that role while averaging 23.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Alongside him, Miami was also able to land four-star wing Earl Timberlake. A lefty 6-foot-6 wing with a strong build and plenty of athleticism, Timberlake is a tantalizing prospect ranked at No. 27/24 in the class. There is also a fairly high likelihood that Timberlake joins the starting lineup as a freshman. If he can be a major difference-maker right away, Miami could take the leap back into the Big Dance conversation after missing in recent years.

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