The Difference-Makers

Miami’s still here because of Nijel Pack and Isaiah Wong. The Hurricane guards are strong shooters and excellent at getting to the free throw line, which saved their season against Drake in round one.

But getting good shots against Texas is difficult, and the Hurricanes lack both depth and size. Their starters mostly play 30 minutes, and Miami prefers a four-guard lineup to maximize its shooting and speed. That puts a lot of pressure on Norchad Omier inside, as he’ll be essentially by himself against Texas’ size.

Even if Disu can’t play, the Longhorns can meet and exceed Miami’s size with Timmy Allen and Christian Bishop. Bishop hadn’t played much in the first two rounds, but with Disu injured, he had to make himself a presence down low against Xavier.

But it’s Allen who should really concern the Hurricanes, for his defense more than his offense. Allen is a solid scoring threat, but he also possesses the ability to take a player out of his game at the other end. In the second round against Penn State, Allen held Jalen Pickett to 11 points and forced him into a season-high seven turnovers.

The Pick

Texas’ defense makes opponents do things they don’t want to do, and one thing Miami wants to do is get to the foul line. The Longhorns likely won’t let it happen. Texas hasn’t allowed any of its NCAA tournament foes to get more than 12 looks from the stripe because of how well it plays clean defense.

That means Miami has to make shots and avoid turnovers, and the latter is a concern with the Hurricanes. They handled Houston’s defense well, but they gave it away 12 times against Indiana. That’s a problem against a Texas team with quick hands that will not beat itself. The Longhorns also excel at mid-range jumpers, something Miami really can’t stop. This game should be tight for most of the contest, but Texas should pull it out down the stretch.

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