The University of Miami men’s basketball team has been predicted to finish 10th out of 15 teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, as announced by the league during Operation ACC Basketball in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday.
Duke University was picked to win the league, followed by North Carolina and Louisville.
Miami’s all-time preseason poll breakdowns (votes) and finishes are as follows:
2014-15 – 10th (442)
2013-14 – 12th (224) – 10th
2012-13 – 5th (436) – 1st
2011-12 – 5th (455) – t-4th
2010-11 – 8th (305) – 9th
2009-10 – 10th (135) – 12th
2008-09 – 4th (344) – t-7th
2007-08 – 12th (153) – t-5th
2006-07 – 11th (173) – 12th
2005-06 – 7th (540) – t-7th
2004-05 – 11th (146) – t-6th
When the Canes open the regular season on Nov. 14, UM will have nine scholarship players available, seven of which didn’t wear a Miami uniform last season. This is the second-straight season the Canes open the campaign with eight or more new players and only nine available scholarship players.
UM’s backcourt could be labeled as one of the best in the ACC, despite the lack of experience in a Miami jersey. All-Big 12 performer in 2012-13, transfer Angel Rodriguez leads the charge for the Canes after averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 assists at Kansas State. Classmate Sheldon McClellan put up 13.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per night for the University of Texas in 2012-13, adding experienced firepower for Miami. Rookie Ja’Quan Newton was a high-volume prep scorer, recording 1,972 career points at Neumann-Goretti High in Philadelphia and redshirt freshman Dre Burnett averaged 37 ppg in his final season at Carol City High in Miami. Fellow freshman James Palmer averaged 15.7 ppg for a strong St. John’s College HS team.
Miami, who is receiving a vote in the USA TODAY Preseason Coaches Poll, returns just two players from the 2013-14 season, in sophomore Manu Lecomte and junior Tonye Jekiri, while sophomore Davon Reed is out until possibly February with a lower extremity injury. The Canes return 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.9 blocks per game from the 2013-14 season.
Coach Jim Larrañaga is 14 wins away from 550 career victories and three wins away from 300 conference victories. He started the 2014-15 season with a 536-370 overall and 297-185 conference record in 30 years as a head coach.
ACC Operation Basketball 2013-14 Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Team Points
1. Duke (41): 935
2. North Carolina (12): 870
3. Louisville (3): 847
4. Virginia: 824 (7)
5. Syracuse: 706 (2)
6. Pitt: 592
7. Notre Dame: 515
8. Florida State: 506
9. NC State: 478
10. Miami: 442
11. Clemson: 330
12. Wake Forest: 221
13. Georgia Tech: 195
14. Boston College: 184
15. Virginia Tech: 155
2014-15 Preseason All-ACC Team
(votes in parenthesis)
Marcus Paige, North Carolina (63)
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (58)
Jahlil Okafor, Duke (57)
Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia (55)
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame (24)
ACC Preseason Player of the Year
Marcus Paige, North Carolina
ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jahlil Okafor, Duke