Countdown to the 2011-12 Men's Hoops Season Begins
Oct. 4, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – With the first University of Miami men’s basketball practice just 10 days away, HurricaneSports.com counts down 10 things to look forward to in the first season under Head Coach Jim Larranaga.
10. The Returners
Miami returns 11 players from its 12-man roster that went 21-15 and advanced to the NIT quarterfinals in 2011. The Hurricanes return 80 percent of their scoring, including 90 percent of their free throws and 67 percent of their three-pointers, 89 percent of their assists, 69 percent of their blocked shots, 85 percent of their steals and 79 percent of their rebounding.
Three statistical leaders return for the Hurricanes, led by Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott. Reggie Johnson will return to the court for ACC play after injuring his knee in the offseason.
Among Miami’s 11 returners is leading scorer and All-ACC Third Team pick Malcolm Grant (14.8 ppg, 3.2 apg, 1.8 rpg). Of the 15 All-ACC picks in 2011, just five will return to the collegiate ranks in 2012 — with Grant the only one not suiting up for the Tar Heels. He recorded an ACC-high 2.6 three-pointers per game at a league-high 42.3 percent (19th in the nation), while converting an ACC-best 85.3 percent from the charity stripe.
Miami also returns second-leading scorer Durand Scott, who had a breakout rookie season in 2010. As a sophomore, he averaged 13.6 points (12th in the ACC), 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from beyond the arc and 83.7 percent (third in the ACC) from the charity stripe. Over three NIT games, his scoring leapt to a team-high 19.3 points per game — converting 50 percent from the field and 89 percent from the line — to go with 3.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds an outing. Scott scored in double figures 29 times last season, with six 20-point performances.
Big man Reggie Johnson, who earned 2011 All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades, tested the NBA waters after averaging 11.9 points (20th in ACC), a team-high 9.6 rebounds (fourth in ACC) and a team-best 1.3 blocks per game as a sophomore. He shot 59.1 percent from the field – the third-highest single-season percentage in UM history. His 347 rebounds were the most by a Cane since Rick Barry notched a school-record 475 in 1964-65. Johnson posted 13 double-doubles last season. He is expected to be back on the court in December/January after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during a pickup game in June.
Junior Garrius Adams (7.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg), senior DeQuan Jones (4.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and sophomore Rion Brown (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) will add experienced depth to the guard position for the Canes. Senior forward Julian Gamble (4.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg) will sit out the entire season with a knee injury so sophomore forward Raphael Akpejiori (6-10, 230lbs) adds a big body in the paint in the absence of the other two returning big men.
