Miami enters the week still stunned after losing its fourth straight game. Next up, the Hurricanes will play host to Arkansas on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, Fla., as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Miami (3-4) lost on Saturday afternoon to Charleston Southern, a team that entered with a 1-7 record.
Arkansas (5-2) is coming off a Thanksgiving loss to Illinois on a neutral floor in Kansas City, Mo.
“We’ve got a lot to learn,” said John Calipari, in his first season coaching Arkansas. “We really haven’t scrimmaged because we haven’t had 10 guys (due to injuries).
“But this team is going to be fine.”
The same thing cannot confidently be said about the Hurricanes. Their first three defeats of the current skid were tough for Miami to take, losing to Drake, Oklahoma State and VCU on a neutral court as part of the Charleston Classic.
But the loss to Charleston Southern — which was a 25-point underdog — has to be considered among the worst in Miami history.
Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga was without point guard Nijel Pack, who missed the contest due to a lower-body injury. Pack leads Miami in scoring (15.2) and assists (4.7). There are no reports on how long he will be out.
With Pack unavailable, five-star freshman Jalil Bethea made his first college start. However, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has not yet played up to his ranking.
Bethea is averaging 6.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He is also shooting 30.0 percent on 3-pointers.
Miami ranks 284th in the nation in rebounds and 259th in blocked shots.
“We haven’t been able to put together a solid defensive effort,” Larranaga said following the loss to Charleston Southern.
“Some of it has to do with fundamentals. Some of it has to do with athletic ability. Some of it has to do with size.”
Tuesday’s game will match two veteran coaches: Larranaga, 75, and Calipari, 65.
Calipari brought in seven transfers and five freshmen for his first season in Fayetteville. Two of those transfers — 6-foot-8 wing Adou Thiero and 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic — were signed after leaving Kentucky, Calipari’s previous stop.
Thiero leads Arkansas in scoring (19.1), rebounds (5.9) and steals (2.9). Ivisic leads Arkansas in blocks (2.7) while ranking third in points (12.1).
Freshman Boogie Fland, a McDonald’s All-American, has made a quick transition to college ball. The 6-foot-2 point guard is second on the team in scoring (15.9) and steals (1.9) and first in assists (4.9).
Among Arkansas’ bench pieces are 6-foot-11 Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo and 6-foot-10 Arkansas holdover Trevon Brazile. Their combined 92 college starts illustrate Arkansas’ depth.
“The ceiling is there,” Calipari said. “But we need to be the aggressors.”
–Field Level Media
