Nijel Pack analyzes possible impact of playing in dome

No player in this year’s Final Four has ever played in front of a crowd as large as NRG Arena’s will when the event gets underway on Saturday night.

Miami guard Nijel Pack isn’t intimidated by the size of the stadium, but still explained his point of view on preparing to play in such a unique environment ahead of their matchup against UConn.

“I have never played in a dome before, this is my first experience. My first Final Four ever, never been to one, never been in attendance of one,” Pack said after arriving in Houston. “I’m excited for this, loving the experience we’re getting so far.

“Everything about it has been so much fun, and we’ve only seen a glimpse of it. I haven’t got to see the floor or anything like that, but I’m excited to see it.”

While Pack hasn’t played in an environment like the one Saturday will present, he knows someone who has. Former Virginia guard and 2019 National Champion Kyle Guy, who attended the same high school (Lawrence Central, IN) as Pack, told him to stay positive and keep his confidence up.

“Great shooters can shoot anywhere, that’s what he told me,” Pack said. “He told me to believe in myself and my team. And if you believe in yourself and your team, [Miami] will be able to win it all.”

And there’s no reason why Pack shouldn’t be confident in his shot. He had one of the best performances in the whole tournament in the ‘Canes Sweet 16 upset win over 1-seed Houston. Pack scored 26 points on seven-made three-pointers and has been one of the most important pieces to Miami’s Final Four run all tournament long.

His efforts awarded him a spot on the Midwest Region All-Tournament team alongside teammates Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller. Miller was the hero in the Elite Eight win over Texas, scoring 26 points — four of which came on late free throws — to lead the Hurricanes to the victory. Wong, the 2023 ACC Player of the Year, has been the glue that has held this team since November.

Miami will need a similar effort out of all three stars if the Hurricanes want to take home the first national championship in program history. They’ll have to get past the Huskies first, who are 5.5-point favorites heading into the weekend. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday night at 8:49 p.m. ET live on CBS.