Isaiah Wong calls playing in Final Four a 'big honor'

The Miami Hurricanes are in the Final Four and on the doorstep of a potential national championship in basketball and Jim Larranaga and the ‘Canes are beginning to feel the enormity of the occasion.

Already around campus there’s been a palpable buzz, with players getting far more recognition than they typically would, even after the occasional big win during the regular season.

“It’s been crazy. Fans are supporting us, and just walking around they’re showing us love,” guard Isaiah Wong said. “It just feels good to be in Miami right now. It’s just a little bit more, walking around, everyone looking at you and saying hello and great game.”

Of course, soon the Hurricanes will hit the road and head to Houston, where the national semifinals and the national championship game will be played.

It’ll be quite a venue change after the opening rounds were played in basketball arenas.

That also only serves to underscore the magnitude of the moment in the Final Four, with each of the four teams knocking on the doorstep of a national title. They’re not easy to come by.

Even though Miami has been through some swings in its NCAA Tournament run leading up to this point, players like Wong say this feels a little different. Well, not just a little.

“It feels like a big difference,” Wong said. “Final Four is only four teams left, and you only have to win two games to win the national championship, so it’s a big honor to be in it at this point. Not a lot of teams come here, so it’s a big statement for us.”

Miami is on the side of the bracket with UConn, getting a chance to square off against the Huskies in a game that will tip off at 8:49 p.m. ET on CBS.

Again, the venue will be a little bit of a change of scenery for Miami.

The Final Four games will be hosted by NRG Stadium in Houston, so it’ll feel like a massive area for players used to playing in a basketball arena. But just like in Hoosiers, the court measurements always come out the same.

The ‘Canes aren’t overly concerned.

“I never played in a dome,” Wong said. “The closest experience I got to a dome was Syracuse, so I don’t really know the experience, but I’m just going to go day by day.”

A pretty good approach to take and one that has gotten Miami by just fine thus far.