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James, FSU defeat ‘Canes in physical bloodbath

Miami headed into Tallahassee riding a 5-game winning streak but fell 64-59 to the Seminoles. The game was marked by rough rival-style play reminiscent of a time when Miami was in the Big East and Leonard Hamilton was their skipper. Hamilton brought his physical brand of basketball to the ACC and Miami was ready to go toe-to-toe.

The ‘Canes threw everything they had at the Seminoles but Bernard “Social Security” James (18pts, 6reb, 2stl, 4blk) was too much for the ‘Canes to handle. James, an FSU elder-statesman at 27 years-old, had one of his best games of the season and was a nightmare for the ‘Canes all afternoon. All kidding aside, James served the U.S. Air Force admirably before winding up at Florida State – and Category 6 salutes his service. Cool story about him here. Well, maybe not all kidding aside . . .

The game was a physical bloodbath for the most part as the referees let both teams play. There were a few early possessions where Reggie Johnson (4pts, 6reb, 1ast, 1stl) was creamed trying to establish post position and it seemed to take him out of his game. Here’s some footage of the back-and-forth action from Tallahassee . . .

FSU’s blistering physical defense was also a culprit on Miami’s inability to score in the post. Kenny Kadji (14pts, 6reb, 1ast, 1blk) led the ‘Canes in scoring, but most of his shots (4 out of 7) were 3-pointers. Kadji can definitely nail the 3 and ‘Canes fans worldwide hold up their arms in anticipation of a make when he shoots ‘em, but the ‘Canes inability to get it going inside was evident in the team’s collective woes from beyond the arc (5 out of 23 – 21.7%). Sure, there were some open looks that were missed, but for the most part Miami had to jack up 3′s as the shot clock faded to zero. FSU’s tough defense deserves a tip of the cap.

Durand Scott (12pts, 5reb, 3ast, 2stl) surged late in the game. Scott’s two steals resulted in coast-to-coast dunks, the latter kept the door open for a possible ‘Canes comeback. Malcolm Grant (9pts, 3ast, 1stl) found some range inside the arc. Shane Larkin (5pts, 1ast, 1stl) was cold from the field, but he was pesky on defense and helped force a number of turnovers. Rion Brown (5pts, 3reb) and Trey McKinney Jones (3pts, 2reb, 1ast) played tough defense, but quality scoring opportunities were few and far between for all ‘Canes players.

DeQuan Jones (7pts, 5reb, 1stl) played another physical game. When Larranaga went small late in the game, Jones played center for the ‘Canes and did an admirable job. Jones also flirted with technical fouls on almost every play he was involved in by staring down FSU players after dunks and put-backs.

The 3-point shooting was reminiscent of the home loss to N.C. State, but the ‘Canes played with effort and were in the game until the end against a very good (and #15th ranked) team on the road. Miami will get a chance for revenge @ the BUC on Sunday, Feb. 25 @ 6PM.

Next Game: The ‘Canes (15-8, 6-4) have a huge home match-up against UNC on Wednesday night @ 8PM. Come out and support the team!

Miami (FL) Hurricanes
STARTERS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Kenny Kadji, F-C 5-8 1-4 3-3 2 6 1 0 1 3 4 14
Durand Scott, G 5-12 1-3 1-2 1 5 3 2 0 2 1 12
Malcolm Grant, G 3-9 1-6 2-2 0 0 3 1 0 2 1 9
Shane Larkin, G 1-9 0-3 3-4 4 5 1 1 0 2 1 5
Reggie Johnson, C 2-4 0-1 0-0 1 6 1 1 0 3 3 4
BENCH FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
DeQuan Jones, G-F 3-6 0-0 1-2 3 5 0 1 0 2 2 7
Rion Brown, G 2-6 1-3 0-0 1 3 0 0 0 1 2 5
Trey McKinney Jones, G 1-3 1-3 0-0 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 3
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
22-57 5-23 10-13 12 32 10 6 1 15 15 59
38.6% 21.7% 76.9%
Florida State Seminoles
STARTERS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Bernard James, F 8-13 0-0 2-4 3 6 0 2 4 7 2 18
Michael Snaer, G 4-11 2-6 2-2 0 5 2 0 0 4 3 12
Luke Loucks, G 3-7 1-2 0-3 2 6 6 2 0 0 1 7
Xavier Gibson, F-C 2-5 0-1 0-0 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 4
Deividas Dulkys, G 1-3 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 2
BENCH FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Ian Miller, G 2-4 2-3 5-6 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 11
Okaro White, F 2-6 0-2 2-2 3 5 0 0 1 0 3 6
Jon Kreft, F-C 1-1 0-0 2-2 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 4
Jeff Peterson, G 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
23-50 5-16 13-19 9 27 9 7 6 16 13 64
46.0% 31.3% 68.4%

‘Canes do the Hokie-Pokey on Virginia Tech, win 65-49

Coming off a monumental win at Cameron over Duke ‘Canes fans wondered if the next match-up was the definition of a “trap game”. It had all the ingredients of a let-down in the making. VT has been struggling this season getting wins, but they’ve played some of the better ACC teams tough. Miami had the momentum and used it early and often on their way to a 65-49 drubbing of the Hokies. The win also moved Miami to 6-3 in the ACC with 7 games to play.

Just before tip-off . . .

Coach Larranaga had his squad ready to play and the Hurricanes coasted to an easy win. The ‘Canes used a balance attack to systematically wear-down the Hokies. Miami didn’t go away from their big match-up advantages and utilized Reggie Johnson (15pts, 7reb, 4ast, 1blk) and Kenny Kadji (11pts, 4reb, 3blk) effectively in building a 8 point halftime lead.

 

Trey McKinney Jones (7pts, 3reb) and Rion Brown (8pts, 3reb, 1stl) both played with energy and really stretched the floor for the ‘Canes and finished breaks with athletic dunks. DeQuan Jones (4pts, 2reb, 1stl, 3blk) played great defense and continues to focus on being opportunistic on offense.

Coach Larranaga has some final words for the team in the waning moments of the win over VT.

Again, one of the hallmarks of ‘Canes victories this year is the assist/turnover differential. Against VT, the ‘Canes dished out 13 assists and only turned the ball over 9 times. There is no question that the approach Coach Larranaga has brought to the Hurricanes is already paying dividends in a variety of areas.

 

 

But there is also little doubt that the emergence of true freshman point guard Shane Larkin (14pts, 2reb, 4ast, 1stl) has really solidified the ‘Canes offense. Larkin was all over the court (as usual) and was deadly from behind the arc. Larkin is also a calming influence on the Hurricanes, even with his frenetic style of play. I’ve heard a rumor that Larkin was just a so-so athlete before he arrived at the U. There was something about an accident in his chemistry class. Someone made a mock trailer for his story . . .

Durand Scott and Malcom Grant both struggled from the floor but contributed in other ways. Scott hit the glass and Grant found teammates for open looks. It’s never good when two of your best offensive players can’t find the range, but it’s also a testament to how far this team has come. The ‘Canes are deep and can cover for each other on a day when the shots just aren’t falling.

This game wasn’t a sterling display of basketball, but it was evident that Miami had more talent and experience than a very young Virginia Tech team. They seemed to coast to a lopsided victory. There was a brief moment where VT cut the lead to 5 in the 2nd half, but there wasn’t an ominous feeling. On the next possession McKinney Jones nailed a three and the Hokies seemed to be looking for a way out of the BUC.

Offensive Player of the Game: Reggie Johnson continued his torrid week. After feasting on the Plumlee brothers Miami’s marshmellow-handed center played with energy and intensity. He even hit a 3 which drew some rousing cheers. No offense Reg, but your 3-pt form looks like what I’d imagine a giant would look like throwing stones at a village nestled in a canyon below. Since I couldn’t find that on the interwebs . . .

Defensive Player of the Game: This was a team effort, but Kenny Kadji had a ridiculous block. I’m shocked the ball didn’t fuse with the backboard somehow.

Player of the Game: Reggie Johnson takes it by a nose in a team-effort.

The Good: The ‘Canes won and didn’t have to sweat all that much.

The Bad: Too many empty seats at the BUC. There was a decent student turnout – and they were plenty noisy – but we need more foot-soldiers from the campus. We especially need more support from alumni and the community.

Sebastian leads the student section battlecries!

The Ugly: The post I’m going to pen discussing the volume of empty seats at the BUC.

Next Game: The ‘Canes venture to Tallahassee on Saturday to take on the Seminoles of FSU @ 1pm.

Virginia Tech Hokies
STARTERS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Victor Davila, F 22 3-4 0-0 0-0 2 6 1 0 0 4 3 6
Jarell Eddie, F 24 2-6 2-4 0-0 0 7 1 2 1 2 3 6
Dorian Finney-Smith, F 32 2-6 0-1 0-0 2 8 1 0 1 2 1 4
Marquis Rankin, G 21 1-3 1-2 0-0 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 3
Erick Green, G 39 7-17 0-4 3-5 1 5 0 1 0 2 1 17
BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Robert Brown, G 13 1-5 1-2 0-0 0 3 1 1 1 1 4 3
Cadarian Raines, F 18 0-5 0-0 2-2 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 2
Dorenzo Hudson, G 25 3-8 1-2 1-2 0 1 5 1 0 3 0 8
C.J. Barksdale, F 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
19-54 5-15 6-9 9 37 10 6 3 15 13 49
35.2% 33.3% 66.7%
Miami (FL) Hurricanes
STARTERS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Kenny Kadji, F-C 29 3-8 1-3 4-6 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 11
Reggie Johnson, C 31 6-11 1-2 2-4 3 7 4 0 1 2 3 15
Shane Larkin, G 31 5-9 3-5 1-1 0 2 4 1 0 1 2 14
Durand Scott, G 28 1-7 0-1 0-0 1 6 1 1 0 3 1 2
Malcolm Grant, G 28 1-9 0-5 2-2 0 2 4 2 0 2 0 4
BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Trey McKinney Jones, G 18 3-6 1-3 0-0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 7
DeQuan Jones, G-F 14 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 1 3 0 1 4
Raphael Akpejiori, F 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ryan Quigtar, G 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Justin Heller, G 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rion Brown, G 17 3-3 1-1 1-2 2 3 0 1 0 1 0 8
Erik Swoope, F 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
24-58 7-20 10-15 8 29 13 6 7 9 7 65
41.4% 35.0% 66.7%

Technicals: None
Officials: Doug Sirmons, Bernard Clinton, Sean Corbin
Attendance: 4,292

 

Holy &^@$!: “Down Goes Duke, Down Goes Duke, Down Goes Duke” ‘Canes WIN!

This recap is going to deviate from the usual format to some extent. As my nerve endings are still jangling and my autonomic nervous system is having a difficult time distinguishing between fight and flight, I’m going to attack this one as the game attacked me: viscerally and on all levels.
Another thing . . . I don’t know if my recollection of the game is very accurate. It’s kind of how witnesses to crimes are poor historians and sometimes fudge the lineup resulting in some poor schmuck rotting in a jail cell until DNA evidence becomes available and . . .

Miami went into Duke with little chance to come out with a win . . . that is if you listen to statistics. It was reported that Duke has only lost 5 home games vs. unranked opponents since the start of the 1996-97 season. That’s 16 years. Congrats to the ‘Canes and their coach for gutting out an emotional win.

Now for some actual basketball . . . Reggie Johnson (27pts, 12reb, 1stl) mimicked Duran Scott’s (11pts, 6reb, 2ast, 2stl) muscle flex from the Maryland game. This is becoming quite the precognitive gesture as both Johnson and Scott have had back-to-back career games after making it. Let’s stay on Johnson a bit.

Big Reg has had a difficult season but seems to be rounding into form at just the right time. Getting back to playing shape has taken Johnson a while and he hasn’t played to the high level he did last year . . . until today. In fact, “Bugaloo” (as reported by Cory Alexander) had one of his best games ever, going 11-17 from the field. He abused the Plumlee clones early and often, forcing Coach K to put Mason Plumlee on the bench in favor of his defensively-minded brother, Miles. It didn’t matter much.

Reggie Johnson (42) flexes his arms to the approval of Kenny Kadji (35).

Kenny Kadji (15pts, 8reb, 1ast) was the perfect counterpart to Johnson’s dominance inside. Kadji did much of his damage from beyond the arc (4-5 on 3’s) and contributed on the boards. K2 showed no ill-effects in returning from a concussion sustained during practice. Kadji missed the thrilling 2OT Maryland game, but not even the specter of neurological damage could keep him out of Sunday’s thrilling win at Cameron. If Johnson and Kadji can both consistently play well, Miami can match-up with ANYONE in the nation.

Kenny Kadji (35) gives a 3-finger salute fellow blogger Jerry is familiar with!

DeQuan Jones (9pts, 8reb) played one of the best games I’ve seen him play as a ‘Cane. Jones haunted the key like Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis haunted their quaint New England home in Beetlejuice. Jones was 3-5 from the field and 3-4 from the FT line. DQJ also made 2 FTs late in overtime helping to clinch the win.

DeQuan Jones (5) battles Duke players for a rebound. This kind of effort was just what the 'Canes needed!

Beetlejuice!

Shane Larkin (7pts, 3reb, 4ast) was money in finding Johnson and DQJ inside. The true freshman played a team-high 38 minutes and despite a couple of unforced errors near the end was fantastic in a difficult place to have the ball in your hands most of the game.

Overall, Miami’s guards struggled, shooting 9-37 from the field. Malcolm Grant (2pts, 3reb, 2ast) had a difficult game from the field, but leaked out in the extra frame and received a long pass for his big lone basket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Offensive Player of the Game: Reggie Johnson. Reggie Johnson. And more Reggie Johnson.

Defensive Player of the Game: Miami’s bigs: Johnson, Kadji, and DQJ. Duke’s big men did next to nothing on the day.

Player of the Game: Miami needed Reggie Johnson to step up and he did . . . big time.

The Good: Watching Duke’s fans cry. Watching Coach K look like he didn’t know what was happening.

The Bad: 7-23 on 3-pointers for the ‘Canes. That’s 30.4%. Duke was equally poor from long range, shooting 9-31 or 29%.

The Ugly: The worst possession of the night was at the end of regulation. The ‘Canes had ample time and the possession resulted in Malcolm Grant holding the ball as the clock expired. It was a dreadful possession that seemed to sap momentum a bit. One thing we’ve learned about these ‘Canes is that they’re a resilient bunch.

Next Game: Miami hosts Virginia Tech Thursday night at 9PM. Come out and support the ‘Canes!

Miami (FL) Hurricanes Miami (FL)

Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
K. Kadji 32 5-8 4-5 1-3 2 8 1 3 0 0 5 15
D. Scott 35 3-12 0-1 5-6 4 6 2 4 2 0 4 11
T. McKinney Jones 16 1-4 0-3 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 2
R. Johnson 35 11-17 0-1 5-10 8 12 0 0 1 0 3 27
S. Larkin 38 2-8 2-6 1-2 1 3 4 3 0 0 1 7
D. Jones 23 3-5 0-0 3-4 2 8 0 0 0 0 1 9
R. Brown 16 2-4 1-2 0-0 1 1 1 0 1 0 2 5
M. Grant 30 1-9 0-5 0-0 0 3 2 1 0 0 1 2
Totals 28-67 7-23 15-25 18 42 11 15 4 0 19 78
Percentages .418 .304 .600 Team Rebounds: 6

Duke Blue Devils Duke

Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
A. Dawkins 14 1-5 1-4 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 3
A. Rivers 43 7-15 1-7 5-9 2 9 0 2 2 0 3 20
T. Thornton 10 1-3 1-3 0-0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 3
J. Hairston 13 1-4 0-0 0-0 2 2 0 1 0 1 2 2
M. Plumlee 28 2-7 0-0 2-3 7 13 0 4 0 2 4 6
Q. Cook 28 3-9 0-3 2-4 0 1 4 1 1 0 1 8
R. Kelly 26 3-10 2-7 0-0 3 7 1 2 1 2 4 8
M. Plumlee 24 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 4 1 0 1 0 3 2
S. Curry 39 7-13 4-7 4-6 1 3 4 0 3 0 1 22
Totals 26-68 9-31 13-22 17 40 12 11 8 5 22 74
Percentages .382 .290 .591 Team Rebounds: 3

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC
Attendance:
9,314
Officials:
Karl Hess, Ray Natili, Michael Stephens

Cardiac ‘Canes down Maryland in double OT thriller

The Cardiac ‘Canes compounded the day’s good football fortune into more momentum for the basketball team with a thrilling, gut-wrenching, and heart-palpitating 90-86 double OT win over the Maryland Terrapins. The emotion in the BUC was palpable as the ‘Canes rode a rollercoaster to a safe finish. The ride was brutally intense and there were dozens of moments where the game seemed to turn. The video below says it all. Watch it through!

Kenny Kadji was unavailable due to a concussion sustained during practice earlier this week. Word is that he will be ready for Saturday’s showdown at Cameron. Kadji has been the ‘Canes most dynamic player this season and his absence would require other ‘Canes to step up – and as Charlie Strauzer says – PLAY ANGRY.

Looking at stats is a usually a good way to judge performance. Durand Scott (24pts, 8reb, 7ast, 1blk) went ballistic and capped off his second straight outstanding effort. Scott was fearless attacking the boards, finding teammates, and drilling shots. After out-muscling the Maryland bigs on the offensive glass, Scott snatched the rebound and scored. On the way down the court he flexed his arms and signaled that he was prepared to carry the ‘Canes. This was true . . . until 2/3rds of the same officiating crew that brought you the Clemson insanity whistled him for a phantom foul early in the 1st overtime, ending his night. You can read about 2/3rds of this crew here.

After Scott headed to the pine for good, the Terps took the momentum and grabbed the lead. At this point the ‘Canes seemed disjointed on offense. Reggie Johnson (13pts, 5reb, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk) and Rafael Akpejiori (4pts, 1reb) were already long fouled-out. The game . . . and possibly the season felt as though it was slipping away. Blowing a 16 point lead at home and not winning the game would have been devastating.

The right side of the 'Canes bench was getting pretty heavy . . .

Miami was on the ropes and Trey McKinney Jones (13pts, 5reb, 2ast) found himself with the ball way beyond the 3-point line. The shot clock was trickling away like so much sand falling through an hourglass. McKinney Jones squared up with the basket and launched a LONG three that found the bottom of the cup and helped the ‘Canes get into the 2nd OT.

With 19 seconds left in double OT the 'Canes needed to close out the game.

Sometimes stats don’t tell the whole story. DeQuan Jones (5pts, 4reb, 2stl, 1blk) was 1-7 from the floor. But what the numbers don’t reveal is that he was called on to play center for the latter part of the 2nd half and both overtimes. Jones did an admirable job against 7’1 C Alex Len (11pts, 7reb, 4blk) and Maryland’s other big men.

 

Shane Larkin (12pts, 7reb, 2ast, 3stl, 1blk) was his usual thieving self. His quick Floyd Mayweather-like hands created fast break opportunities and frustrated Terrapin ball-handlers. Larkin struggled from the field and committed some costly turnovers, but played excellent defense and came up huge at the end of the game. I said it since the first time I saw Larkin play. Watch this kid. He’s got HUGE upside and it’s going to be fun watching him refine his game under Coach Larranaga. Sure, in basketball you can’t teach height . . . you can’t teach quickness and agility either.

Malcolm Grant (14pts, 6reb, 3ast, 2stl) had an up-and-down game. He struggled from the field but contributed on the boards and along with Miami’s other guards, actually played Terrell Stoglin (33pts, 3reb, 1ast, 1stl) pretty tough. Sure, Stoglin burned the ‘Canes for 33pts, but he also needed 26 shots to get there. Stoglin was 6-20 from beyond the arc and converted all 9 of his free throws.

Offensive Player of the Game: Durand Scott. Scott has had many excellent games in his ‘Canes career, but this one might have been his finest or at least in the top 5.

Defensive Player of the Game: Team award. Stoglin’s arms must be tired after so many shot attempts. He missed a ton and a lot of it was good defense. Larkin clearly frustrated anyone he was guarding.

Player of the Game: Durand Scott was a total beast.

The Good: A lot of assists. A lot of effort. A lot of heart. 4-3 in the ACC. Momentum building going against Duke this Sunday.

The Bad: Not bad. Not bad at all.

The Ugly: The variety of technical fouls and other nonsense. Two of the Three Stooges refs, Brian Dorsey and Mike Eades were joined by a new stooge: James Luckie. The refs blew calls for both teams. Sure, I’m probably a bit biased (as a Maryland die-hard would be) but I felt Miami gets almost no calls when ‘Canes players drive to the hoop. Maryland was 26-35 from the line and Miami was 20-27. Scott drove to the hoop all night and only shot 2 FTs.

Next Game: The ‘Canes face a difficult test on the road @ Duke this Sunday at 3pm. Glad it won’t overlap the Super Bowl!

Maryland Terrapins
STARTERS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Ashton Pankey, F 22 1-5 0-0 0-1 4 7 0 0 0 1 3 2
James Padgett, F 22 4-6 0-0 1-2 1 5 0 1 0 2 0 9
Nick Faust, G 24 3-7 0-1 3-4 2 4 0 3 0 3 5 9
Terrell Stoglin, G 44 9-26 6-20 9-9 0 3 1 1 0 3 3 33
Sean Mosley, G 44 1-7 0-3 5-6 0 9 1 1 0 2 5 7
BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Berend Weijs, C 4 1-1 0-0 1-2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3
Mychal Parker, F 15 2-3 0-0 2-4 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 6
Pe’Shon Howard, G 43 2-6 0-4 2-3 0 3 8 2 0 5 3 6
Jonathan Thomas, G 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Alex Len, C 31 4-6 0-0 3-4 2 7 0 0 4 1 2 11
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
27-67 6-28 26-35 11 40 11 8 5 19 22 86
40.3% 21.4% 74.3%
Miami (FL) Hurricanes
STARTERS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
DeQuan Jones, G-F 31 1-7 0-1 3-6 2 4 1 2 1 1 3 5
Reggie Johnson, C 25 6-13 1-1 0-0 2 5 1 1 1 3 5 13
Shane Larkin, G 41 3-11 0-2 6-6 2 7 2 3 1 2 1 12
Durand Scott, G 40 11-14 1-3 1-2 2 8 7 0 1 2 5 24
Malcolm Grant, G 39 3-13 3-12 5-6 0 6 3 2 0 4 1 14
BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Trey McKinney Jones, G 38 4-7 2-5 3-4 1 5 2 0 0 1 0 13
Raphael Akpejiori, F 10 2-2 0-0 0-1 1 1 0 0 0 0 5 4
Ryan Quigtar, G 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rion Brown, G 20 1-4 1-3 2-2 1 3 1 0 0 1 1 5
Erik Swoope, F 5 0-2 0-1 0-0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 0
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
31-73 8-28 20-27 12 41 17 8 4 14 23 90
42.5% 28.6% 74.1%

Technicals: 4 MIAMIFL ( – Team 1, R Johnson 1 ) MARYLAND ( – Team 1, B Weijs 1 )
Officials: Mike Eades, Brian Dorsey, James Luckie
Attendance: 4,611

Category 6 ACC Basketball Preview: Maryland (13-7) at Miami (12-7)

(Editor’s note: Special thanks to Jeremy Gold with http://turtle-soup.com/ for working on this collaboration and providing advanced scouting on Maryland)

The Miami Hurricanes return home to the BUC Wednesday (8pm EST Raycom/ESPN3) with a visit from Terrell Stoglin and Maryland Terrapins. Stoglin who leads the ACC in scoring at 21.2 points per game, will provide UM’s backcourt a unique challenge. Fortunately for the ‘Canes, Durand Scott (19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals against BC) looked the part of an All-ACC guard his last time out. With each team coming in tied for 6th place at  3-3 in conference, it is a game both teams need desperately if they hope to emerge from the middle of the ACC pack.

Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant came alive against BC.

 

 ACC Standings

TEAM CONF OVERALL
Duke 5-1 18-3
North Carolina 5-1 18-3
Florida State 5-1 14-6
Virginia 4-2 17-3
North Carolina State 4-3 15-7
Maryland 3-3 13-7
Miami (FL) 3-3 12-7
Clemson 3-3 11-9
Wake Forest 2-5 11-10
Boston College 2-5 7-14
Virginia Tech 1-5 12-9
Georgia Tech 1-6 8-13

 

Projected Starting Lineups:

Miami

C Reggie Johnson                   6’10 300 JR

F Kenny Kadji                          6’11 260 SO

G Trey McKinney-Jones         6’5  216 JR

G Malcolm Grant                    6’1 188  SR

G Durand Scott                      6’4 198  JR

 

Maryland

F James Padgett                  6’8 215  JR

F Ashton Pankey                  6’9 220 FR

G Pe’Shon Howard               6’3 195  SO

G Sean Mosely                     6’4 210 SN

G Terrell Stoglin                   6’1 185  SO

 

Keys to the Game: Run the offense through Kadji & Johnson. Maryland’s “bigs” are at a distinct height and weight advantage against K2 and Big Reg. It was fun to see Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott break out against Boston College, but Miami is still at its best when the ball works inside-out. James Padgett and Ashton Pankey won’t be able to contain the ‘Canes down low, let’s hope UM’s guards don’t make life easier on them by failing to get the ball in the post.

Give Stoglin plenty of defensive looks. I expect Shane Larkin, Malcolm Grant, and Durand Scott to all get a chance at defending the left handed Stoglin. Maryland’s top scorer  plays like former Piston great Vinnie Johnson and does his best work creating his own shot off the dribble (usually a jumper) and getting out and finishing in transition. Scott and perhaps Rion Brown have the length to bother Stoglin in the halfcourt and Larkin is quick enough to stay in front of him on the break. More then anything the Canes will need to play excellent team defense to keep the Terrapins version of “the microwave” in check.

Terrell Stoglin leads the ACC in scoring.

 

Best Match-up: Stoglin VS Grant/Scott. It’s easy to forget just how great Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott have been over their UM careers. Niether have played their best basketball this season and with expectations being so high for the NYC guards, this season could be classified as a dissapointment thus far. But something seemed to click for MG and DScott simultaneously in the 2nd half at BC. With a match-up against the super scorer Stoglin, Grant and Scott get an other chance to show they too can play with anyone. The key will be to be both poised and productive, and not forget to share the ball with their teammates, while matching Stoglin’s intensity and flare.

 

Prediction: Maryland has niether surprised nor dissapointed this year. New Coach Mark Sturgeon inherited a star in Stoglin but very little inside punch. Miami has way too much depth and versatility to lose, despite the scoring of Stoglin and Sean Mosely. Kenny Kadji will flirt with 20 points, Reggie Johnson will force double teams, and Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant will continue their resurgence. With Trey McKinney-Jones, Shane Larkin, and DeQuan Jones adding punch off the bench, the Canes get a much needed win, 79-66.

Trey McKinney-Jones and Miami look for a big victory Wednesday.

 

Here is our full Q&A with Jeremy Gold of http://turtle-soup.com/   Be sure to check out his site to see our answers to his Q&A as well.

 

 C6: Terrell Stoglin is having an incredible year. What NBA or current college player is his game reminiscent of? What type of players have had success slowing him down?

TS: Right now, a lot of Terp fans are comparing him to Greivis Vasquez.  Their games couldn’t be more disparate; but both players have/had a knack for scoring points in bunches for both teams.  One minute, Stoglin will drain back-to-back threes within the flow of the half court set; and the next minute, he’s chucking up off-balance shots on a fast break just when the team needs a good possession.  Vazquez did the same thing.

In terms of actual style, I’d say Stoglin is a poor man’s Allen Iverson (minus the shut down defense).  He’s a great clutch shooter; but he’s also deadly going to the hole.  He’s also a shooting guard in a point guard’s body.

 C6: Aside from Stoglin, who else has played well this year? Who is the biggest surprise player? Who is the biggest dissapoinment?

TS: It depends.  The first three games Alex Len played were a revelation.  He averaged 14 points and 8 boards in under 20 minutes per game.  He even showed up on an NBA 2013 Mock Draft! He’s fallen down to Earth big time when the ACC Season started. He’s an unreal talent. He’s 7’1″, with good feet, and a three point shot.  He’s learning the US game; but will be a force by the end of the season.

Recently, Sean Mosley has stepped up his offense game; but he often throws up a 3 points, 4 fouls game as often as he turns in 19 point scoring nights.  Ashton Pankey has been the biggest surprise.  He’s a 6’9″ redshirt freshman who will be a star eventually. He is still raw defensively and needs to work on his footwork but he’s got a good offensive game and no one anticipated that- even Turgeon.

The biggest disappointment has been freshman Nick Faust.  He’s going to be good and he oozes athleticism; but his outside shooting has been dreadful.  He was touted as an elite shooter and he’s hitting 19% of his threes.

 C6: How would you classify Maryland’s style of basketball? Do they press? Who is their best defensive player?

TS: The Terps ran the flex offense and pressed for the 22 years that Gary Williams was at the helm.  They run the motion with Mark Turgeon; but you get the sense that Turgeon wants to run more.  He just lacks the horses.  The Terps play 9 guys, but they are the only scholarship players on the team.  The guards are sub-par defenders and Turgeon is not able to press as a result.

 C6: Which players/match-ups on Miami concern you? How do you see the game on Wednesday playing out? What is your prediction?

TS: Obviously, Johnson and Kadji are concerns.  Miles Plumlee took our bigs to school last week and both Kadji and Johnson are capable of doing the same.  Terp bigs Ashton Pankey and James Padgett have displayed good skill; but they’ve lacked the toughness that is required to defend and rebound in the paint night in and night out in the ACC.

The Terps have been in every game they’ve played since they added Len and starting PG Pe’Shon Howard to the roster on 12/28.  Unfortunately, the games are 40 minutes long. The Terps will go toe to toe for 30 minutes and then falter down the stretch.  This happened during  the most recent losses (NCST, FSU, Temple and Duke). A big reason is free throw shooting.  In crunch time, I don’t trust any Terp at the line.  That includes Stoglin who had big misses against both Duke and Va Tech this past week.

 

Thanks again to Jeremy and http://turtle-soup.com/ for working on this preview with us.

ACC Basketball: ‘Canes storm Phillips Arena, down Georgia Tech

Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
-William Shakespeare

After a gut-stomping loss at home to NC State, Miami went into Atlanta like a lamb and emerged a lion defeating Georgia Tech 64-49. Just as the quote above, the ‘Canes were facing a back-against-the-wall situation against the feisty Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in this ACC basketball match-up. Coach Larranaga’s depressing post-game press conference after the loss to NC State gave ‘Canes fans wonder as to how the team would respond.

Instead of sliding into the great abyss the ‘Canes came out energetic on both sides of the ball. Miami played what the coaches have preached the entire season: a complete game.

Miami came out swinging for the fences, connecting on some early bombs from beyond the arc. Within just a few minutes they had already surpassed the total number of trifectas in the burn-the-tapes game this past Sunday. Once again Kenny Kadji (21pts, 8reb, 2ast, 1blk) played lights out, asserting himself on both sides of the ball. Malcolm Grant (16pts, 2ast) was back on track with a 6-10 performance (4-6 on 3’s). After a turnover-fest in the recent loss to NC State, Miami was pure Scrooge McDuck with the basketball, turning the ball over a mere 7 times the entire game. Part of this was better decision-making by ball-handlers and part was the insertion of Shane Larkin (6pts, 5ast) into the starting lineup. The speedy steal-happy true freshman is a calming influence on both sides of the ball despite his frenetic style. DeQuan Jones (7pts, 4reb, 1blk) was again highly efficient in 22 minutes of play.

The best sign was the activity level of the entire team. GT’s biggest scoring threat, Glen Rice Jr., struggled to get into a rhythm as ‘Cane defenders applied pressure. Jay Williams, announcer and closet UM fan, mentioned the job Miami’s guards and swingmen did on Rice, holding him to 11pts on 4-14 shooting.

Offensive Player of the Game: Kenny Kadji. Honorable mention: Malcolm Grant. I’ll talk about Grant here, because there’s more about K2 two paragraphs down. Grant seemed to have that blood-in-the-water look in his eyes. After his first attempt was a brick of the finest quality, Grant’s veins turned icy and he was locked in from downtown.

Defensive Player of the Game: In the previous game against NC State there was no award to give here because the defense was as porous as Swiss cheese. This game was a complete turnaround from the ‘Canes last effort. The team played with fire; with a type of harnessed and productive anger that was focused on defeating GT. If the ‘Canes can bring that same intensity into their next game against Boston College they should be able to earn another road victory and get back to .500 in the ACC.

Player of the Game: Kenny Kadji. K2 has grown by leaps and bounds this year. One of the things ‘Canes fans should love about Kadji is his ability to learn and adapt on the court. On one sequence in the game, Kadji was matched up against GT’s 6-11 C Daniel Miller. Miller went to the ball fake, a move Kadji has struggled to keep his feet on the ground. Kadji didn’t bite. Sure, it was only one play, but it shows consistent improvement. After a couple of low-rebound games in ACC play, Kadji has crashed the boards with more reckless abandon.

Kenny Kadji (35) elevates for the bucket. Kadji continued a string of impressive performances to lead the 'Canes over GT.

The Good: The 7 turnovers was a great number to behold. Even more importantly, out of the 7 giveaways, only 1 or 2 were unforced. The 15 assists seemed to be a function of Coach Larranaga yelling “Pass! Pass! Pass!” from the sidelines during some offensive possessions and a commitment by the ‘Canes to take care of the ball.

The Bad: The attendance at the Phillips Arena was like starting at a bizarro-world BUC. It seemed as though the refs had to brush tumbleweed off the court. Let’s go ‘Canes fans, with 6 home games left can we support the team en mass? Can we pack the BUC?

The Ugly: 7 fouls were called on GT the entire game. 16 were called on Miami. For the most part the ref swallowed their whistles and let the teams play, but Miami didn’t huck and chuck 3’s all game. The ‘Canes worked the ball inside and drove to the hoop. ESPN’s Jay Williams commented on at least 3 non-calls that went against Miami. Not to belly-ache about fouls too much after the Clemson game, but Durand Scott must lead the ACC in getting smashed on the way to the rim. I wish there was a stat widget for that!

Next Game: The ‘Canes take on a struggling Boston College team on the road this Sunday (1/29/2012) at 1pm. Look for Miami to show up with the same sense of urgency and give a solid effort.

Miami (FL)

Name

Min

FG

3Pt

FT

Off

Reb

Ast

TO

Stl

Blk

PF

Pts
M. Grant 30 6-10 4-6 0-0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 16
R. Johnson 24 4-11 0-0 0-0 0 7 2 1 0 0 4 8
K. Kadji 34 8-15 2-4 3-3 2 8 2 3 0 1 2 21
D. Scott 34 3-6 0-0 0-0 0 6 2 0 2 0 2 6
S. Larkin 31 2-3 2-3 0-0 0 0 5 1 0 0 3 6
T. McKinney Jones 10 0-1 0-1 0-0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0
R. Brown 15 0-3 0-2 0-0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 0
D. Jones 22 3-5 1-1 0-0 1 4 0 1 0 1 0 7
Totals 26-54 9-17 3-3 5 27 15 7 3 3 16 64
Percentages .481 .529 1.000 Team Rebounds: 5

Georgia Tech

Name

Min

FG

3Pt

FT

Off

Reb

Ast

TO

Stl

Blk

PF

Pts
M. Udofia 31 6-12 1-5 1-1 0 3 0 1 0 0 1 14
J. Morris 32 0-7 0-1 0-0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0
G. Rice Jr. 36 4-14 2-6 3-7 3 9 5 1 1 0 1 13
D. Miller 20 2-4 0-0 0-0 2 4 1 0 1 1 0 4
K. Holsey 22 2-6 0-0 0-1 2 4 1 1 0 0 3 4
N. Hicks 9 0-2 0-0 1-2 1 3 0 1 0 2 1 1
B. Reed 10 1-3 0-1 0-0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 2
J. Royal 29 5-7 1-1 0-0 2 5 0 3 1 0 1 11
P. Jordan 11 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 20-56 4-15 5-11 12 33 8 9 4 3 7 49
Percentages .357 .267 .455 Team Rebounds: 3

 

Category 6 ACC Preview NC State (13-5) at Miami (10-6)

Miami returns to action Sunday (Noon EST ESPNU) with a measuring stick battle at the BUC against the long and talented NC State Wolfpack. In a game that could tell us where both teams stand in the pecking order of the ACC,  the ‘Canes will have to bring their A game in order to defeat a team that also appears built for long term success. NCSU is led by former McDonald’s All-American CJ Leslie, but he has plenty of support. All 5 starters average between 12 – 13 points a game. Fortunately for UM Malcolm Grant appears to have regained his shooting stroke and Kenny Kadji continues to impress every game out. A balanced attack could be vital for the Hurricanes in this game.

Malcolm Grant played a strong game last time out against Clemson.

 

Projected Starting Lineups:

Miami

C Reggie Johnson                  6’10 300 JR

F Kenny Kadji                         6’11 260 SO

G Trey McKinney-Jones        6’5   216 JR

G Malcolm Grant                   6’1 188  SR

G Durand Scott                      6’4 198  JR

 

NC State

F Richard Howell                    6’8 250 JR

F CJ Leslie                              6’8 209 SO

F Scott Wood                          6’6 177 JR

G CJ Williams                         6’5 224 SR

G Lorenzo Brown                   6’5 189  SO

 

Keys to the Game: Pay attention to detail on Defense. NC State has only one consistent outside shooter in Scott Wood, but he shoots an ACC best 44% on 3 pointers. Miami must stay home on Wood or he will go Tanner Smith and Trevis Simpson on them. Look for Trey McKinney-Jones and Rion Brown to share the duty of keeping a hand in Wood’s face. Additionally Malcolm Grant, Durand Scott, and Shane Larkin all must control the penetration of the very smooth Lorenzo Brown who averages 6.9 assists per game.

Miami will be counting on Trey McKinney Jones on both ends of the floor.

Pound the rock down low. The Wolfpack have the length to bother any team’s outside shooters but they aren’t exactly skyscrapers on the front line. Reggie Johnson (if 100%) and Kenny Kadji should get as many touches as possible. In games that NC State has struggled, post up players like Indiana’s Cody Zeller and Syracuse’s Kris Joseph have put up good numbers. The ‘Canes need to follow this formula if they plan to knock off the Wolfpack.

Best Match-up: CJ Leslie VS Kenny Kadji. Call it a hunch but this is a clash I expect see a few years down the line in the NBA. While Kadji needs to hit the boards a little harder, UM is counting on him more and more for offense each game. Leslie is the most talented player on a very good team. Watching these two work against each other should be highly entertaining.

NC State's talented Sophmore CJ Leslie.

Prediction: NC State is a very good team. But they also rely on their starters for nearly 78% of their scoring and heavy minutes. What makes the Hurricanes so dangerous is that on any given night Larkin, Brown, or Dequan Jones can come off the bench and have a big game. If Miami can sustain a high level of defensive intensity for 40 minutes they should win this key ACC home game. Miami 70 NC State 66.