Game time: Fast facts, odds, keys to Miami Hurricanes vs. UConn
When: Saturday, 8:49 p.m.
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Latest line: UConn is favored by 5.5 points
TV: CBS
Radio: 104.3 The Shark
Tip off: Miami is in uncharted waters. The Hurricanes had never reached the Final Four before. But after taking down No. 1 seed Houston and No. 2 seed Texas, Miami is raring to go against fourth-seeded UConn, which has beaten tournament opponents by an average of 22.5 points.
About No. 5 Miami (29-7): The Hurricanes rolled to a share of the program’s first ACC regular-season title since 2013, but ultimately fell short in the conference tournament. Although UM was a trendy upset pick in the NCAA Tournament’s first round, Miami escaped an upset bid by Drake and rolled through fourth-seeded Indiana in the second round. In the tournament’s second weekend, the Hurricanes beat two favored, highly seeded teams in Houston and Texas.
About No. 4 UConn (29-8): No stranger to the Final Four, the Huskies are making their sixth appearance in the national semifinals. In four of its five previous trips to the Final Four, UConn won the national title. After falling in the Big East tournament, the Huskies began dominating their opponents, including an 82-54 dismantling of No. 3 Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.
Three things to watch
1. Since Drake held the Hurricanes to a mere 63 points in the opening round, Miami’s offense has been clicking. The Hurricanes have the fifth-most efficient offense in the nation, according to the basketball analytics website Kenpom.com. They have shown that in their past three games, averaging 87.3 points per game. All five of Miami’s starters are clicking. ACC Player of the Year Isaiah Wong scored just five points against Drake but notched a team-best 27 against Indiana and 34 points combined against Houston and Texas. Guard Nijel Pack led Miami in points against Drake and Houston, averaging 18.5 points in the tournament. Jordan Miller, dubbed “Mr. Perfect” after not missing a shot in the Elite Eight, scored 27 against Texas and is at 16.5 points per game in the tournament. Norchad Omier has been UM’s top rebounder and is adding 10.5 points per game.
2. Will the game come down to the last minute? Will Miami trail late? If so, the Hurricanes may have the Huskies right where they want them. Miami has played in many tight games throughout the regular season and in the postseason, so they are used to it. After coming back from a double-digit deficit to beat Texas, Wong thanked the rest of the ACC for providing stiff competition throughout the season, preparing them for the tournament. Dominating your opponents is never a bad thing, but the Huskies have not needed to play a close game yet. They have not felt the pressure of being in a tight matchup in a game’s final minutes. The Hurricanes have.
3. UConn certainly has the size advantage. The Huskies’ three main guards — Jordan Hawkins (6-5), Andre Jackson Jr. (6-6) and Tristen Newton (6-5) — are all taller than Miami’s Wong (6-4) and Pack (6-0). Wooga Poplar does match up, standing at 6-5, as does Miller, who is 6-5. In the frontcourt, Omier is 6-7, but UConn has 6-foot-9 star forward Adama Sanogo, as well as 6-foot-8 Alex Karaban and 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan, who can come off the bench. But the Hurricanes have been playing with a small roster all season, and it has not troubled them too much to this point.
