The Sports Bankโs college basketball season previews undergo a face lift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference. ย I’ve already counted down theย Pac-12,ย Big 12,ย SEC, andย AAC, and now turn my attention to the already new-lookย ACC.
With three of their top four scorers gone from a year ago, the Miami Hurricanes need to replace some key contributors. A pair of transfers should help in that process but there are still serious questions for Jim Larranaga entering this season.
MIAMI HURRICANES
Last Season: 10th, 7-11 in ACC, 16-17 overall
Predicted ACC Finish: 12th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Tonye Jekiri (Jr)/Omar Sherman (Fr)
PF: Ivan Uceda (Jr)/Joe Thomas (Sr)
G/F: Sheldon McClellan (Jr)/Davon Reed (So)/James Palmer (Fr)
G: Manu Lecomnte (So)/Deandre Burnett (Fr)
PG: Angel Rodriguez (Jr)/JaโQuan Newton (Fr)
Gone: SG-Rion Brown, G/F-Garrius Adams, PF-Donnovan Kirk, F-Erik Swoope, C-Raphael Akpejiori, PF-James Kelly (transfer-Marshall)
2014-2015 Outlook:
The strength of this yearโs team comes in the backcourt where transfers Angel Rodriguez and Sheldan McClellan add a needed shot in the arm. Rodriguez was a Second Team All-Big 12 player as a sophomore at Kansas State and is a capable scorer and distributor. He should have the ball in his hands quite a bit but last yearโs starting point guard Manu Lecomnte provides Larranaga with two ball-handlers in the backcourt. Redshirt freshman Deandre Burnett and JaโQuan Newton will look to add depth.
Texas transfer Sheldon McClellan steps in to help replace what the โCanes lose due to the graduation of Rion Brown and Garrius Adams. McClellan is a physical wing and capable all-around scorer which is important for a Miami team that finished last among power conference teams in scoring last season. Davon Reed put together a solid freshman campaign and should see quality playing time while freshman James Palmer also tries to work himself into the mix.
The question marks come for Miami inside where Tonye Jekiri is the only returning post player. Jekiri is a big body and solid rebounder but not at all a threat on the low block. JUCO transfer Ivan Uceda brings some needed versatility on the offensive end since he can stretch defenses with his outside shooting. Niagara graduate transfer Joe Thomas and Omar Sherman are wide loads down low who will need to play roles off the bench.
Larranaga added another transfer in former Oklahoma State forward, Kamari Murphy. He is lengthy and athletic but must sit out this season but will have two years of eligibility remaining in 2015-16.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/17 at Florida
11/20 vs. Drexel (Charleston Classic)
11/21 vs. USC/Akron (Charleston Classic)
11/22 vs. South Carolina/Penn State/Charlotte/Cornell (Charleston Classic)
12/2 vs. Illinois (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
12/22 vs. Providence (in Brooklyn)
OTHER ACC PREVIEWS:
#14 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS
AAC PREVIEWS:
#1 UCONN HUSKIES
#7 UCF KNIGHTS
#8 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
#9 HOUSTON COUGARS
#10 TULANE GREEN WAVE
#11 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES
SEC PREVIEWS:
#1 KENTUCKY WILDCATS
BIG 12 PREVIEWS:
#1 KANSAS JAYHAWKS
#2 TEXAS LONGHORNS
PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#1 ARIZONA WILDCATS
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior featureย NBA Draft,ย NBA, andย college basketballย writer for the Sports Bank.ย He also heads up theย NBAย andย college basketballย material atย Walter Football.comย and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.ย David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu.ย He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and theย most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draftย on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.)ย You can follow him on Twitter atย David_Kmiecik.
