It is always great to be a Miami Hurricane.
But today, if it is possible, it seems it may be just a little better than great.
When, even in your wildest dreams, did you think you would be able to say this out loud: "The University of Miami won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in basketball!"
That's right, forget Tobacco Road, it is time for the ACC to get used to a South Beach diet of strong defense, excellent coaching and a well executed offense. All of this courtesy of a team wearing orange and green that will not quit and simply would not be denied.
In a conference of blue-blood teams like Duke and North Carolina, your Miami Hurricanes went into Greensboro, NC and walked out with their heads held high and as winners of their first ever ACC title in basketball.
The ninth-ranked Hurricanes now have the program's first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship to go with its first regular-season title.
Miami's Shane Larkin scored a career-high 28 points, eight coming in the final 2:30 minutes, to help No. 9 Miami pull away late to beat North Carolina 87-77 in Sunday's final. Trey McKinney Jones added a career-high 20 points for the top-seeded Hurricanes (27-6), including the go-ahead 3-pointer from the left corner with 6:27 left that started Miami's final push to secure the program's first ACC tournament title.
In a terrific back-and-forth game filled with big shots, the Hurricanes finally slowed P.J. Hairston and the third-seeded Tar Heels (24-10) enough to secure what amounted to a road win in front of UNC's home-state crowd.
Larkin was chosen the tournament's MVP after finishing as the runner-up for league player of the year to Virginia Tech's Erick Green. But Larkin was at his best when the Hurricanes needed him in a tight game to complete their surprise run from being picked fifth in the preseason poll to ACC champion.
Miami shot 51 percent and made 12 of 22 3-pointers, six coming from McKinney Jones and four from Larkin. Miami used its size advantage against North Carolina's four-guard lineup to take a 36-28 rebounding advantage that led to 13 second-chance points.
Larkin drove by Dexter Strickland for a layup and a 76-71 lead, then McKinney Jones struck again with a 3 from the left corner off a feed from Rion Brown that made it 79-71 with 1:36 left - the Hurricanes' biggest lead to that point. Larkin also went 6-for-6 at the foul line in the final minute to keep Miami
in control.
It was an emotional moment for Miami seniors Durand Scott, Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble - who were all part of the team that was a last-place seed in the 2010 tournament that made the program's first run to the semifinals.
As the confetti fell from the rafters of the Greensboro Coliseum after the game, Scott leapt into the arms of Gamble, then shared a hug with Johnson.
The question now is how the win will affect Miami's NCAA tournament seeding and whether the Hurricanes have done enough to earn a No. 1 seed?
So unsurprised to see a judgement call ACC officiating whistle of a charge on Larkin's layup not only providing the final margin of the game at Cameron but also the seeding. Why even play the conference tournaments if they don't count for the seeding?
Must have been a bad year to win the ACC . . . and not wear blue on your uniform. Don't ever question just how deep the bias runs against this athletic department.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | March 17, 2013 at 10:09 PM
http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/11/01/kyrie-irvings-new-uncle-drew-commercial-features-bill-russell-and-kevin-love/
This is for all the old cane fans who enjoyed the back to back blocked shots down low. Get that outa here! LOL
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | March 17, 2013 at 10:12 PM
OGV,
we got the short end of the but thats ok.
yeah i know, thats what she said lol
Posted by: WWIN | March 17, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Honestly I have no dog in the seeding fight and as long as you get a top four, but maybe they thought UM's defense was overrated WWiN?
No, that was a joke. When UM tears Illinois a new one on Sunday that will be the final proof necessary that the mid major was completely over-seeded at #1.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | March 17, 2013 at 11:24 PM
I saw some Larkins post game presser and he said he read a lot on the Internet that fans thought the team peaked too soon. Maybe he reads Canespace???
Posted by: MIA Chi 'Cane '98 | March 17, 2013 at 11:29 PM
/\/\/\
My thoughts exactly when I read it.
Shane, if you're reading this, I never said that about you, just that I was worried there was only one way to go when you hit that #2 ranking possibly.
The play these last three days has made me think there's still another level you can reach.
No turn off the internet and start watching the Pacific film in 26 minutes.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | March 17, 2013 at 11:33 PM
Evidently our Canes play Pacific at 1:10 Central on TNT or 2:10 Eastern on TNT. Let's go Canes.
Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | March 18, 2013 at 12:12 AM
So if Miami and Illinois play on Sunday it will very interesting in my household. My wife is an Illinois alum and most of our friends are Illinois alumni as well as some family and neighbors. If we do play them I sure hope we beat them so I can have bragging rights on all of them for years to come. My daughters have Miami gear but my wife was saying she wanted to get some Illini gear for them. I am already out outnumbered 4 to 1 in the male to female ratio in the house and don't want to be outnumbered in the Miami to Illinois ratio as well...
Again, let's take care of Pacific and see what happens in Illinois vs Colorado game.
Posted by: Mia Chi 'Cane '98 | March 18, 2013 at 12:51 AM
OGV,
I don't think our d is overrated, but we've been playing too laxed on d these last 8-10 games. The recipe for bad d is; giving up lay ups, uncontested 3's, and giving the opponents second chance opportunities, we've been doing all three. Not trying to be negative just saying what we need to get back to if we wanna make a title run
Posted by: WWIN | March 18, 2013 at 01:03 AM
believe.
Posted by: usagainsttheworld | March 18, 2013 at 06:03 AM
Jim Larranaga with one of the best coaching speaches I've heard in a long time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4-MmRnt8-c&feature=youtu.be
Monday I've got Friday on my mind :-)
Posted by: VfB_Cane | March 18, 2013 at 06:43 AM
^^^ speeches
Posted by: VfB_Cane | March 18, 2013 at 06:55 AM
Monday I've got Friday on my mind :-)
Posted by: VfB_Cane | March 18, 2013 at 06:43 AM
Love it!
Posted by: SOUP | March 18, 2013 at 08:16 AM
A.C.C. Champs.
Yeah!
Great seed, good region.
----------------------
"I have a great relationship with the Miami coaches, recruiting is open to everybody around the country and the relationship is the same everywhere."
"No. It is still good and I don’t have a problem with Miami, Not one bit. The relationship with Miami is the same if not better then the relationships with other schools in the country."- Ice Harris
Posted by: LB | March 18, 2013 at 08:20 AM
Just curious...how many schools have won a NC in football, baseball, and hoops? Please tell me they gators have not??
Go Canes!
Posted by: jgatsby1112 | March 18, 2013 at 08:23 AM
UMAA game watch parties, all fans are welcome:
http://www6.miami.edu/alumni/events/gamewatches.htm
Posted by: SOUP | March 18, 2013 at 08:53 AM
MIAMI NCAA NOTES:
• Miami is making its 18th postseason appearance in program history and fifth in the last six seasons.
• Miami NCAA Championship seed history: 11 (1998, South), 2 (1999, East), 6 (2000, South), 5 (2002, West), 7 (2008, South) and 2 (2013, East)
• Miami is 4-6 in six previous NCAA Championships (last appearance in 2008).
• Miami has never advanced past the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Championship.
• 2013 in Miami's sixth NCAA tournament berth since 1997 (first appearance was in 1960).
• Coach Jim Larranaga is making his seventh NCAA tournament appearance - and 14th overall postseason trip - as head coach. He led George Mason to the 2006 Final Four.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 18, 2013 at 08:57 AM
Miami made history, and not in a good way: The Hurricanes became the first regular-season and tournament ACC champion not to get a No. 1 seed. Not only that, they were slapped into a region featuring Indiana, probably the best and most consistent team in the country over the course of the season.
The team that snuck past them? Gonzaga, which has beaten only one NCAA tournament team – St. Mary’s, in the First Four – since December. Miami beat two in the past two days.
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/17/2759179/decock-ncaa-snubbed-the-acc.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop#storylink=cpy
Posted by: 86Cane | March 18, 2013 at 09:03 AM
Jim Larranaga with one of the best coaching speaches I've heard in a long time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4-MmRnt8-c&feature=youtu.be
Posted by: VfB_Cane | March 18, 2013 at 06:43 AM
-------------------------------------------
Ya, this speech is just fantastic. Great stuff
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | March 18, 2013 at 09:28 AM
I've taken some time to look over this Region, and it's a very winnable one.
I think Syracuse and Indiana will meet in the Sweet 16, so we'd play one of them if we make it to the 8 round.
Final Four is VERY possible.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | March 18, 2013 at 09:31 AM
86 - I have no issue where Miami is seeded and the region. We get past Indiana and it's a done deal. You want to talk about a killer region, look at the mid-west. Louiville, Duke, Michigan State, Memphis....BRUTAL.
Posted by: raizecane | March 18, 2013 at 03:08 PM