Out of Chances?

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

Playing without second leading scorer Dwayne Collins the Canes fought to the last whistle. But as has been the case so many times this season, the team fell just short. Without Collins, play in the post was a concern forcing Frank Haith to go to exclusively to a zone which did contain Tyler Hansbrough inside and led to five key blocks for Jimmy Graham.

Jack McClinton was on fire offensively leading the Canes back from a 14 point deficit midway through the second half but they were simply not good enough missing two critical chances to take the lead inside two minutes to go. Once again, Miami's late game execution was poor and while the team fought valiantly, a team that blows so many opportunities to win signature games in the last few minutes or overtime does not deserve to be dancing come March.

Miami's NCAA hopes are effectively dead unless the Canes run the table. With teams such as Florida State, Boston College and Virginia Tech ahead of the Canes in the ACC standings, and three of the final final five games on the road (where Miami has lost four straight including twice in OT) and potentially without Collins for the most important of these in Tallahassee, it's difficult to find a way back for the Canes now. Two wins this week (against FSU and BC) would put the Canes back in the field of 65, but can one really expect that at this point?

As crazy as this sounds, an NIT birth is not yet assured either. Per an NCAA rule change two years ago, conference champions who do not win their league tournament or receive an at-large NCAA bid now automatically qualify for the NIT. A team with just four wins and likely six or seven wins in the ACC at season's end is not assured an NIT birth under this new system. A year ago Wake Forest at 7-9 in the ACC was not invited to the NIT and turned down an invitation to the third tier CBI.

So that is where Miami stands. Over half of the Canes points tonight came from Jack McClinton whose heart and desire he wears on a sleeve. But even a player of his caliber: all ACC, maybe even all American, cannot carry a team whose mental weakness late in games is striking and whose psychology is that of a losing side.

Frank Haith has done a good job with this team: he's held a team together that has faced adversity all season and could have quit. But sadly the emotion and good coaching cannot carry a team with its back against the wall in the final possession of every game.