Another Overtime Loss

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

One of these days the Canes will win another overtime game in ACC play. But tonight, Miami blew a four point lead in OT to Virginia Tech to lose the school's seventh consecutive OT game. Miami's last OT win was in January 2006 at Florida State.

Two story lines from this game. Miami's inability to stop Ad Vasallo inside or outside and Virginia Tech's inability to stop Dwayne Collins in the paint. Strangely Miami didn't go inside to Collins late in OT while VT kept running its offense through Vasallo and Malcolm Delaney.

Seth Greenberg knows the Miami program as well as any opposing coach. It's no coincidence Frank Haith's otherwise good coaching seems to break down against the two ACC coaches with Miami links. The Canes are now 6-11 vs Leonard Hamilton (FSU) and Seth Greenberg (VT) since joining the ACC.

Jack McClinton was off his game tonight but continued to force shots in the second half and deep into overtime. With Brian Asbury playing the best game of his four year Miami career and Collins dominating inside as he often does against smallish ACC opponents, the continued reliance on McClinton has to stop. But that is as much the fault of the rest of the team as it is on Jack.

Miami now travels to Raleigh to face NC State. A quick turnaround with the game on Tuesday Night. The Canes need a bounce back game in the biggest way. It's not just about wins and losses but also about the RPI when you are chasing an NCAA bid. Miami's RPI can afford a loss to #39 VT even at home but cannot afford a loss to #123 NC State, even on the road.

Winning Tuesday Night is imperative. Last year Miami beat the better ACC teams and lost to the bottom feeders including the memorable OT loss at NC State a year ago. That was enough to get Miami safely into the NCAA field with a #7 seed.

This season Miami has yet to steal a game from one of the top ACC teams, so giving away games to teams near the bottom of the league cannot happen again.