Duke Blue Devils, holding the 8th spot, have triumphed in 15 of their last 17 matchups, set to clash with the Miami Hurricanes in an Atlantic Coast Conference game on Wednesday night in Coral Gables, Fla.
Duke (20-5, 11-3 ACC) has secured victories in four consecutive games and has guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Miami (15-11, 6-9), who reached the NCAA’s Final Four last year, has suffered from a four-game losing streak. To earn a place in the NCAA’s 68-team field, they will likely need to clinch the ACC’s postseason tournament.
Duke showcases a youthful squad led by sophomores Kyle Filipowski, Mark Mitchell, and Tyrese Proctor.
Filipowski leads Duke in scoring (17.3), rebounds (8.3), and blocks (1.7). Mitchell maintains an average of 12.9 points, while Proctor, absent from Duke’s last game due to a concussion, is averaging 10.0 points.
A noteworthy player for Duke is true freshman Jared McCain, who is averaging 13.8 points. McCain’s outstanding performance included a 35-point game in a 76-67 victory against Florida State last Saturday, shooting 8 of 11 from the 3-point line.
He equaled Zion Williamson‘s freshman single-game scoring record and surpassed JJ Reddick‘s freshman single-game 3-point record.
“That’s crazy,” McCain said. “That’s wild company to be with.”
Duke’s most experienced player is senior guard Jeremy Roach, averaging 14.0 points and leading in steals with 1.2 per game. He also tops the team in 3-point shooting accuracy (44.8%).
Meanwhile, Miami has won 3 out of 4 encounters against Duke in the past three regular seasons.
A triumph over Duke would significantly boost the spirits of the Hurricanes, who have encountered a series of heartbreaking defeats this season.
The string of misfortunes began with a game against Wake Forest on Jan. 6 when Miami narrowly missed out on a victory as Matthew Cleveland‘s shot went in and out, leading to an 86-82 loss in overtime.
Two weeks later, Miami faced a 72-69 defeat at Syracuse due to a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Quadir Copeland.
On Feb. 10, Miami put up a valiant fight against the then-No.3 North Carolina, ultimately losing 75-72.
If Miami had emerged victorious in those three games, the standings and momentum would be vastly different.
Instead, the Hurricanes are undergoing their worst losing streak, reminiscent of the six consecutive losses suffered in February and March 2021.
The backbone of the Hurricanes this season is center Norchad Omier, originating from Nicaragua, who tops the team in scoring (17.8) and rebounding (9.8). Omier is relentless on the boards, averaging a team-high of 3.0 offensive rebounds per game, gaining admiration wherever he plays.
“We always joke with him that he’s going to be the next president of Nicaragua,” Hurricanes’ guard Nijel Pack expressed.
Pack, however, was absent from Miami’s recent 85-77 loss to Boston College on Saturday due to a leg injury.
There’s a possibility that Pack might return on Wednesday, providing the Hurricanes with his sharpshooting skills. Pack ranks third in scoring (13.7) and leads in assists (3.6).
Cleveland (14.0) and Wooga Poplar (13.7) are the other Miami players scoring in double figures.
Similar to Duke, Miami excels in 3-point shooting, standing third in the ACC with a shooting percentage of 37.2% from beyond the arc (Duke leads with 37.6%). Poplar leads the team with a shooting accuracy of 42.9%, and freshman Kyshawn George follows closely above 40% (40.8%).
