ACC Basketball: Analyzing each team’s overall offense for 2020-21 season

Miami Hurricanes

2019-20: 69.3 ppg in ACC play

The loss of Dejan Vasiljevic is not just the loss of his 13.2 points per game, but the trickle-down effect is going to limit the open looks of the players remaining. On top of carrying over the worst three-point percentage in the ACC from last season, the Hurricanes are going to be lacking a consistent scoring threat from the inside.

Vasiljevic averaged 13.2 points and 34 percent shooting of the almost seven threes he attempted per game and allowed Coach Jim Larranaga to balance the floor opposite Sam Waardenburg (5.9 ppg) who will have to increase his outside presence. Waardenburg did spend substantial minutes as the lone center as Keith Stone only played in 19 games. Waardenburg was and will be again, particularly valuable in the two-man game with starting point guard Chris Lykes.

Waardenburg will be the screen setter for Lykes (15.4 ppg) and Kameron McGusty (12.5 ppg). When pairing with Lykes, Waardenburg simply ‘reads opposite’ if Lykes uses his quickness to go to the basket, Waardenburg sets at the three-point line for a kick-back, if Lykes drags the dribble to the opposite slot on a defensive switch, Waardenburg rolls to the basket. The third option comes to fruition when Lykes’ defender goes underneath the screen and allows Lykes to shoot from three, which he hits 38 percent of the time.

When Waardenburg is utilized to screen for Kameron McGusty (12.5 ppg) it is going to fall on Isaiah Wong to extend the defense as Vasilijevic did. McGusty’s first reflex is to drive to the basket, so much so, that Waardenburg never rolls after McGusty takes the hand-off and curls to the basket. At center the 7’0 Rodney Miller will set a solid screen and roll for an easy dunk and get some points on offensive rebounding.

Ten players averaged over 12 minutes last season, so freshman shooter Matt Cross could propel himself to a position to replace Vasiljevic. With 2019 Cincinnati transfer Nysier Brooks getting minutes off the bench at center along with the continued development of Deng Gak and Anthony Walker, Larranaga would be wise to use this season to look ahead.