Jordan Miller praises UConn, says Miami had hardest NCAA Tournament region

Miami emerged from the Midwest Region unscathed and primed for its first national championship in program history — but they have to get through UConn first.

That’s easier said than done — after all, the Huskies at 5.5-point favorites entering the matchup and have a 75 percent chance of winning the game, according to KenPom. ‘Canes guard Jordan Miller reminded everyone that Miami typically isn’t the favorite in big games like this. They’ve proved the doubters wrong before and have their minds set on doing it again.

“First off, credit to UConn, they’re a great team. They played some good teams to get here. I think they have some really good guards that lead them in assists that really make the team run,” Miller said Thursday. “Obviously, they have a really dominant big man in the post who swallows up rebounds and plays really hard.

“But I think personally we’ve had one of the hardest sides of the bracket. I think we’ve played some really, really elite teams. I mean, everybody, I believe, had us losing to all those teams. So we’re fine with being the underdogs we’ve been all year. But it should be a good game.”

That dominant big man Miller refers to is 6-foot-9 F Adama Sanogo, who averages 17.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game to lead the Huskies in both categories. In four NCAA Tournament games so far, he has bumped that total up to average 20.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He has scored 20+ points and 10+ rebounds on two seperate occasions since the tournament began, and there’s no indication he intends to slow down heading into the final weekend on the season.

Miami’s Norchad Omier, who averages 13.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, will be tasked with guarding Sanogo. It could be the key matchup that decides the ultimate fate of the game.

Even though Sanogo is arguably the most dominant big in the Final Four, Miller says no one plays harder than a motivated Miami team. He trusts his teammates around him, and that chemistry has payed off all season long.

“Like I always say,” Miller said, “I think the team that comes out and plays the hardest and leaves it on the floor will be victorious.”

We’ll see which team puts forth their best effort when the Hurricanes take on the Huskies in Saturday night’s late window. They’ll follow the opening game of the Final Four double-header between Florida Atlantic and San Diego State. Final Four coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET live on CBS, but Miami-UConn will likely tip around 9 p.m. ET.