Graham and Hicks intensity propels cold shooting Canes to easy win

Call it a holiday hangover. Miami looked nothing like the team ranked in the AP Top 25 in the first 12 minutes of the game. Turnovers and some horrible shot selection allowed Georgia Tech to run out to a 22-9 lead this afternoon at the Bank United Center. At that point Frank Haith turned to his bench and the bench duo of Ray Hicks and Jimmy Graham took over the paint and set up some nice shots for the guards as Miami went on a 24-7 run to take the a lead into the locker room. James Dews who seemed half asleep (as many of us in Section 107 were commenting) woke up with two late first half mid range jumpers, and then scored 16 in the 2nd half to lead the Hurricanes with 20 points.

The game was never competitive in the 2nd stanza. Once the Canes got out in front 41-33, the closest the Jackets came was within 7 points. However, the ease with which Miami played in the 2nd half was worrying. The team on cruise control in front of a loud sellout crowd became sloppy and began settling for jump shots instead of working the ball inside. While Georgia Tech, who is clearly one of the weaker teams in the league never threatened to make a game out of it, Miami CANNOT show such an indifference to ball handling and good shot selection against most ACC caliber opponents.

Miami unlike past seasons is better on paper than most of the other ACC teams. The only thing that can stop Miami for competiting for a first division place in the league is sloppiness and stupidity. Coach Haith must use today's game filled with turnovers, several bad offensive lapses and horrible ball movement as a teaching tool for the rest of the season.

Early tomorrow morning the new Canes Rising Radio show will be released with some post game thoughts from the Georgia Tech game and a look ahead to Boston College on Tuesday. We'll also have some audio from the arena.