‘Canes basketball head coach Jim Larranaga solemnly walks off the court after Miami’s 75-84 loss against FSU at the Watsco Center on Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Alexandra Fisher
38 points.
The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team just recorded its lowest point total in a collegiate basketball game since men’s basketball was reinstated at the school in 1985 with 38 points against Virginia last Monday night.
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The game in Charlottesville encompassed everything that has gone wrong for the Hurricanes this season. From start to finish, it was a disaster for Miami. Freshman sensation Kyshawn George was injured right away, continuing the streak of injured UM starters.
The ‘Canes got off to a hot start, leading 7-2, but failed to convert almost anything after that.
“The game. They just outplayed us in every aspect of the game,” Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga told reporters after being asked what happened after a solid opening to the game. “We didn’t play well. They played really well. Thank you for your attention.”
Larrañaga proceeded to walk out of the press conference, disgusted at the product his team displayed on the floor that night.
This is not the first time that Miami has been outplayed or put forth a poor effort. The ‘Canes have developed some detrimental habits this season that were not seen in last season’s phenomenal Final Four run.
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These indiscretions were overlooked at the start of the year, as Miami started 11-2 with impressive wins over Kansas State and then 16th-ranked Clemson. Since that point, Miami is 4-6 without a signature win in that span.
Some of the issues that have plagued Miami are due to injuries. All but one of Miami’s starters have spent time on the sidelines with injuries this season. Juniors Wooga Poplar, Norchad Omier and Matthew Cleveland have all missed time this season, in addition to the new injury to George. The ‘Canes have not been able to be consistently healthy in ACC play. Just when they get back to full strength, the injury bug strikes again.
“For me, it’s very frustrating,” Larrañaga said. “Practice does not look like it should. We miss our starting unit no matter who is out.”
The ‘Canes rely heavily on their starters. With the emergence of Kyshawn George, Miami can have a six-man rotation. Either way, the bench for UM is very thin. Omier leads Miami in points and rebounds per game with 17.6 and 9.8, respectively. The Nicaraguan native also leads the ACC in double-doubles with 12. Cleveland, Pack and Poplar all average at least 13.9 points and are keys to making Miami one of the better offensive teams in the country.
While Miami can score, it has had issues with turnovers. The ‘Canes are third in the ACC with 12.5 turnovers per game. These wasted possessions have led to massive scoring droughts that can put the ‘Canes out of games.
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When Miami’s offense is on, it’s really good. But when the Hurricanes offense is off, it’s really off. There have been multiple stretches over the past few games where Miami has gone upwards of eight minutes without a made field goal. For a team that has hopes of making it back to the dance, that cannot continue to happen.
Currently, Miami is tied for seventh in the ACC with Pittsburgh and Syracuse. The ‘Canes are 15-8 overall and 6-6 in the ACC. The Hurricanes have eight games remaining on their schedule before the ACC tournament. All of those games are against ACC teams, including two games against Boston College, a home game versus Duke, and two matchups against the North Carolina Tar Heels. The first of those games happens this Saturday when the third-ranked Tar Heels come to Coral Gables.
It’s tough to find Miami in any projected NCAA tournament bracket right now. A majority of media outlets have four teams representing the ACC in March. The ‘Canes may very well have to rely on a run in the ACC tournament to convince the selection committee that they are worthy of an invitation to the dance.
Still, all of the wins that the ‘Canes can get improve their chances. And that starts this Saturday when the third-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels march into the Watsco Center to take on the Hurricanes.
UM has had some time to rest after the embarrassing display on Monday. Returning home, the task does not get any easier.
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North Carolina is a powerhouse team, and while they just faltered against Clemson, teams this good don’t lose two games in a row very often. The top team in the ACC this season is led by RJ Davis and his 21.3 points per game. The Heels have four scorers in double figures that aid in their ACC-best 82.8 points per game.
The big-man matchup will be another spectacle. Omier and Tar Heel big man Armando Bacot know each other well after ACC battles over the past two seasons. Both are double-double machines and are leaders down low for their squads.
Miami has their work cut out for them, but with the brief hiatus and a chance to get healthy, this could be an opportunity to collect a marquee win.
It’s a sold-out crowd for this much-anticipated matchup in South Florida. Tip-off for this game is set for 4:00 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
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Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
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Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
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Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
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In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
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Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
Jack and Jill of America’s Miami chapter closed out Black History Month with an inaugural “Roots Across Waters” trip to Nassau, where families explored ancestral sites, honored the Bahamian labor that helped build early Miami, and donated Afro‑Caribbean children’s books to local students.
