Larranaga prepping his team for Pitt, wants Miami Hurricanes "in the mix right until the bitter end" to win regular season ACC title

The University of Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team rebounded from a devastating road defeat to the Duke Blue Devils with a statement 23-point victory over rival Florida State, snapping a nine-game losing streak against the Seminoles.

Although the win was a major relief for Jim Larrañaga and his squad, the Hurricanes’ head coach has his eye on the bigger picture. 

“I told the player beforehand how important the game was,” Larrañaga said. “Mostly for this season (because) a lot of those guys weren’t even a part of the last few years. We want to win as many conference games during the regular season as possible. We’ve got Clemson and Virginia sitting atop of us, and they’re only a game or two ahead of us, so we want to be in the mix right until the bitter end.” 

With 10 ACC matchups remaining in the year, 9 of the 15 teams in the conference are above .500 in conference play and still have a shot at being crowned ACC regular-season champs.

“I think every year in the ACC is a crazy year,” Larrañaga said. “There are so many good players, teams, and coaching styles. All we do is take it one game at a time, prepare for that opponent, and try to play the best we can.” 

Miami’s next opponent Pittsburgh, which is coming off an 81-79 win over Wake Forest, is one of those teams right in the mix with the Hurricanes. Larrañaga had high praise for the Panthers and their head coach, Jeff Capel.

“One of the things coach Capel has done at Pitt right now is he’s gotten a group of hard-nosed kids who really play defense,” Larrañaga said. “They do a lot of ball screening, and we do a lot of ball screening.” 

Larrañaga believes the matchup may come down to two important factors: who scores better in transitions and who scores better out of their pick-and-roll offense. 

“They’re about our size, maybe a little bit bigger like everyone else,” Larrañaga added. “This is more of a matchup of similar sizes. Norchad (Omier) will have a 6-foot-11 guy he has to guard, but everybody else is in the same ballpark.” 

Leading the Panthers this season is 6-foot-7 forward Blake Hinson, who is averaging a team-high 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

“They’ve got two really athletic big men who alternate at the five position who are doing very well,” Larrañaga said. “Hinson is a really outstanding three-point shooter. They’re going to really challenge our defense.” 

The Panthers’ offense will be orchestrated by 6-foot-4 guard Jamarius Burton, who is averaging 15.9 points and 4.7 assists per game.

“Jamarius Burton is an outstanding two-way guard,” Larrañaga said. “He’s strong and tough.” 

Looking to slow down the Panther attack will be Miami sophomore guard Wooga Poplar, who has been a steady fixture in the Hurricanes’ starting lineup this year, averaging 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

In the Hurricanes’ win against Florida State, Larrañaga compared Poplar to former Canes do-it-all guard Kameron McGusty after his 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists performance against the Seminoles. 

“I’m just trying to be Wooga,” Poplar explained.”I’m trying to do what I do best and taking it day by day. When I get the ball, I just try to play my game. I don’t really have nothing too crazy.” 

Fourth-year junior forward Anthony Walker has seen Poplar’s progression over the last two seasons and was happy to see his teammates shine against a bitter rival. 

“Wooga just looked very comfortable during the FSU game,” Walker said. “He looked very aggressive and looked like himself. He plays at a very high level with a lot of energy and a lot of joy. Just seeing him play with confidence and just meaning is good to see.” 

With Miami wrapping up its three-game road trip against the Panthers, Walker hopes the Hurricanes head back to Coral Gables with a win but understands the challenge at hand in Pittsburgh’s hostile environment.

“Pittsburgh is a great team, and they’re very well coached,” Walker said. “They have a lot of talent on their team, so like all ACC games, this is going to be a tough one, especially on the road. We’re excited to go into hostile territory and handle business like any other day.”