The ACC is Experiencing a Hurricane

The craziness of this NCAA basketball season continues with upsets every weekend. Joe Lunardi's bracketology changes daily and at this point in the season there are no clean-cut number one seeds. No team is safe! In the midst of this irregular yet exciting season stands the question that is quickly being asked nation-wide: What has gotten in to the Miami Hurricanes?

It seems darn near impossible for a 19-12 team with a mediocre 9-7 conference record to suddenly turn it around in just one season? The Hurricanes were a middle of the road bottom dweller in the ACC before Jim Larranaga took the reins in 2011. Larranaga, who led George Mason on that magical run to the Final Four back in 2006, has wasted no time in bringing the Hurricanes into the national spotlight. In just two years he has the nation speechless as his squad boasts a 13-0 conference record with an overall record of 22-3. His team has embarrassed, not just beat, perennial powerhouses Duke and North Carolina by 20+ points and have a 3-1 record against ranked teams.

How? How could a university that has ALWAYS been a football school suddenly have a better basketball program than they do a football program? The Canes have only made the Sweet 16 once in all the years of the NCAA tournament. They have only appeared in the tournament a total of six times. Six. Such a small number for a member of a Power Six conference. This all explains why no one would ever even think to give Miami basketball a second thought. Why would you when their football program has racked up five national championships?

Yet here we are, with March breathing down our necks and Miami sitting pretty at number two in the nation. What Miami has that is going to help this season continue in the right direction is depth and heart. Watching this team play is, in a word, fun. The players know their roles, they embrace the spotlight, and play for each other. The Hurricanes have very balanced scoring with three players (Shane Larkin, Kenny Kadji, and Durand Scott) averaging thirteen points while Reggie Johnson and Trey McKinney Jones each pitch in nine a game. This team has at least eight players averaging five points or more. Indiana can't say that, Duke can't say that, and Michigan State can't say that. That's quite an impressive stat and one that is going to help the Hurricanes in a bad way in March. With foul trouble and injury always being a possibility teams need players who can come off the bench and produce. Miami certainly has that.

Miami has also been very disciplined this year under a very down-to-earth coach. Their offense is fluid and they pass up good looks for great looks. Their big men can step out and hit threes and they spread defenses well. Miami has what it takes to break any team down. And the thing about this Miami team that makes it even worse for opposing teams is they can do this all while smiling in your face. Take the North Carolina game for instance, by the end of the game the Hurricanes were laughing at the Tar Heels. From off the backboard alley-oops to flashy dribble moves, Miami enjoyed every minute of embarrassing the Tar Heels.

This team is definitely one to keep an eye on. The Hurricanes are to a point now where this season could almost be considered a failure if they don't make the Sweet 16 at least. In reality, with the way they are playing, they could be dancing all the way to the Final Four. The Canes are in the midst of what should be a fairly easy stretch of conference play but have been the victors in some serious nail-biters. You can say that they are playing down to their competition, but with all the upsets this season has seen, outlasting a disrespected team is a tribute to the heart of this team. The grand finale of the conference season will be the ultimate test to see just how real this Miami team is: a trip to the dreaded Cameron Indoor. It has been a fun season to watch and the Hurricanes have provided more than enough excitement, but anything can happen after Selection Sunday.