24. Miami-Florida (24-7)
The debut season for head coach Jai Lucas has gone about as well as planned. The Hurricanes are competing near the top of the ACC and look like a much better team that in the last few seasons. While Miami isn’t quite in the same shape as that Final Four run in 2023, it’s clear that the direction of this program is pointed up, especially with great showings against the likes of NC State and North Carolina recently.
The Hurricanes pulled off another impressive win on Wednesday, heading to SMU and leaving with a 77-69 road win over the Mustangs. Tre Donaldson had 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists to continue an impressive campaign while Tru Washington added 15 points off the bench. In the end, the ball didn’t quite bounce their way Saturday in a tough 92-89 home loss against Louisville. The Hurricanes fell against another ACC contender despite a 25-point outpouring from Donaldson.
Their 13-5 mark in the ACC still represents a significant step forward and it’s no surprise with the talent in this lineup. Lucas has his head coaching career off to a solid start but we’re going to learn a lot about this program in the postseason. The Hurricanes fell short in some close games during league play and could be a sneaky team to watch at the ACC Tournament, especially since they’ve nabbed the 3-seed in that field.