NCAA Push Begins Tonight in Earnest

The Hurricanes enter the new year 12-1, and despite falling out of the AP Top 25 this week, the team is poised to make its first NCAA appearance since 2002. The most critical stretch of the season begins tonight against Penn. The Quakers have fallen off mightily this year after making the NCAAs last year in its first season after longtime Coach Fran Dunphy moved across town to Temple.

Miami's shot selection and perimeter defense left little to be desired in Saturday's loss to Winthrop. (When Miami blew an 11 point second half lead) Those aspects must improve tonight, as the Hurricanes prepare for a brutal ACC stretch. Following next Saturday's ACC opener versus Georgia Tech, a team that is to this point one of the worst in the league, the Canes travel to Boston College who has beaten Miami twelve straight times, and to Raleigh to face NC State in an arena where Miami has never won. Following that game Miami faces North Carolina at the Bank United Center, currently ranked #1 in the nation. Following that game, the Canes host #19 Clemson, a team Miami is 5-1 against since joining the ACC. In this upcoming six game stretch Miami needs to finish 3-3 or better to make the NCAAs.

I'll have a full post game wrap up after I return from the game early tomorrow morning or late tonight.