Jim Larranaga pleased with Miami's effort, focus vs. Louisville

The most thrilling offensive matchup of the college hoops weekend happened between… Miami and Louisville? You bet. The Hurricanes won in a 93-85 thriller where the clubs combined to shoot 64% from inside the arc and 42% from three.

It was one of the better-played offensive matchups of the entire ACC season, if not the very best one. Sure, poor defense was in large part to blame, but nevermind that. Louisville and Miami traded haymakers for two hours.

After the win, Miami head coach Jim Larranaga was very complimentary of his team, even though they had to gut out a home win over A 3-21 basketball team.

“I thought we played really well,” said the ‘Canes coach in the postgame presser, also crediting UL for a terrific outing. “I thought Louisville played outstanding basketball. When you play the game — whatever an opponent did prior to it or whatever you did prior to it, really is not relevant to what’s happening on the court this night. Because you shoot differently every night, your offense is different based on the defense, your defense is different than guarding someone.”

College coaches often stress to their players to throw prior performances out the window. Though the Cards are a bottom-tier offense in the country, they still have some Power Five talent. Especially in the form of one El Ellis, the team’s offensive savior and a real beacon of hope on that end of the floor. He’s a spectacular talent and Miami simply couldn’t keep him down on Saturday.

“El Ellis is one of the best players in the league and a high-octane scorer,” continued Larranaga. “We knew it and we felt like, ‘Hey, we’re guarding him pretty good. He’s just having a great night.’”

Ellis sure did. He went for 33 points on 60% shooting from the field. One of the better games of the year from one of the better guards in the ACC. Now, he wasn’t alone. Louisville sliced Miami up all night and forced the ‘Canes into their worst defensive game of the year. Yet Miami still dug deep and fended off the Cards, which Jim Larranaga liked to see.

“I’m very, very pleased with the effort and the focus. Now we’ve got to put this one behind us and get to Chapel Hill tomorrow.”

Onto the Tar Heels.