Miami Basketball: 2023-24 season preview and outlook for Hurricanes

Starting lineup

Point guard – Nijel Pack (Junior)

Pack had an outstanding season as the Hurricanes’ third offensive option, but with Wong and Miller now gone, he’ll be counted on to run the show. The former Kansas State Wildcat was already the team’s best free throw and three-point shooter, and he should see significant jumps to his 2022-23 averages of 13.6 points and 2.3 assists per game now that he’ll have the ball in his hands even more.

Combo guard – Bensley Joseph (Junior)

Joseph played nearly 20 minutes a game in a bench role last year, but with 68+ minutes unaccounted for with Wong and Miller off to the NBA, his role should grow, as should his usage rate. Joseph shot nearly 40% from three last year, and with more shots available, he could be a valuable contributor on a team that loves to space the floor with three or even four guards on the court at once.

Shooting guard – Wooga Poplar (Junior)

Though he was probably the fifth option for the Hurricanes last year, Poplar got better as the season went along, and he played a huge role in getting the team to the Final Four, scoring in double digits in three of the four games in the Midwest region. The junior sharpshooter has seemingly taken his game to a new level this offseason, with Christopher Stock of 247sports.com labeling him as the top breakout candidate in the ACC.

Forward – Matthew Cleveland (Junior)

If there’s an X-factor on this Hurricanes team, it’s Cleveland. The Florida State transfer was one of the sole bright spots on a disappointing Seminoles team, averaging 13.8 points per game while improving his three-point shot tremendously. Miami will certainly benefit from his offensive game, but the defensive intensity he brings could be even more important to a team that ranked sixth in offensive efficiency but only 99th in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Center – Norchad Omier (Junior)

Standing at 6’7″, Omier is far from a traditional center, but his ability to lock down the paint on both ends of the floor allowed Miami to terrorize opposing teams from outside all season long. The former Arkansas State Red Wolf proved that he was up to the task in jumping from the Sun Belt to the ACC, averaging a double-double on 57.4% shooting and earning a selection to the All-ACC Third Team.