Honestly I've run out of superlatives to describe this Miami Hurricane basketball team. Yes, Miami Hurricane basketball team, not that pro team across town that has two superstars apparently seriously interested in what's going on down in Coral Gables. In a game where everything was aligned for the Tar Heels to pull one out--the Canes' long undefeated streak, the surging Heels, the jinx of everyone picking Miami to win--the Miami Hurricanes told everyone to just shut up and watch them play ball. And what a show they put on.
Once Miami won the opening tip-off to a rousing rendition of Sebastian the Ibis' "C-A-N-E-S" chant and Kenny Kadji promptly hit a open three, the Canes were off to the races, jumping to a 13-2 lead in the first ten minutes and never looking back from there. They lead 44-27 at the half and ended winning the game 87-61. Shane Larkin had 18 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds (what?) and a crowd-exploding (and superstar-uprooting) off-the-backboard alley-oop to Kadji once Miami had been comfortably ahead. Kadji and Durand Scott had 17 for the Canes, and only one player on the roster who scored--big man Reggie Johnson--shot under 50% from the field. It was an all-out display from the #8 and rising Hurricanes, whose lights-out defense, domineering inside game, and rain-inducing three-ball game has led to a 19-3 record (10-0 ACC) and eventually a top 5 ranking when the polls come out Monday.
The show has gotten so big here that others are taking notice; Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, James Jones, and Micky Arison from the Miami Heat were inside of the capacity-filled Bank United Center to enjoy the match-up, and the Larkin-to-Kadji play had James and Wade on their feet, clapping, smiling, cheering, and throwing high-fives to each other. Jon Jay and, of course, Shane's dad and Hall of Fame baseball player Barry Larkin were also in attendance and potential recruits have to notice these star-studded games going on at the BUC. Everyone is excited about Canes hoops, and nobody can quite understand how this happened.
To tell you the truth, this win against the Heels really confirmed to me that this team can sustain success. Many omens pointed to the Canes losing their first home game of the year; at the very least, I expected the game to be very close. Instead Larkin and Co. thrashed the historic giants and their legendary coach Roy Williams, who after the game called his opponent "dadgum good." I'm understanding that in the Great South this means that the Hurricanes are "extremely, scarily, tremendously, wholly, unbelievably, superlatively good." Even if I'm wrong, what a compliment from the championship-winning coach!
People, the Canes are for real. I'm not going to bother to debate "basketball town" to "football town" or school or whatever, but the fact of the matter is is that there is a distinct possibility that Miami has a college and professional basketball champion in the same year, the first city to do so since Detroit (kinda) in 1989 when the Pistons and Michigan Wolverines each won a 'ship. That's kinda cool.
Haters are still out there, so feel free to believe that this streak of domination (22+ point differential in the last four home games and 11 straight wins) will continue on pace for a good time. These old dudes are here to stay and don't fall into convectional basketball karma. If they did, then they wouldn't be here right now.
Next up: Feb 13 FSU in Tallanasty, 7pm
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