Everything Jai Lucas Said Ahead of Regular Season Finale Against Louisville

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — No. 22 Miami continues to make waves as a budding team as well as head coach Jai Lucas.

Now the Canes prepare for the final regular-season game of year one, also highlighting Senior Night. It might not be the same senior night as years prior, but for Lucas, it will feel like it.

Here is everything he said ahead of the regular season finale.

On Senior Day...

You know, this day would probably feel at least for me, a day feels like and I that these guys have had such an impact this year for us, first program.  And for me, being the first time as a coach to just kind of start this. And honestly, building it with them, I'm mistaken, I think there were three first recruits that we got to kind of build a team around and build a team through. And so it will be what a normal Senior Day used to feel like.

On the Recruiting Process of Those Seniors...

For me, I wanted to play started on Malik, and then when we were going through Malik and Malik committed was right when Tre went in the portal, and then we got on the phone right away with Tre in their relationship.  And then Ernest was somebody I had recruited prior. And so when he went in his forties, he was somebody I knew that I wanted to build this with and build an apartment. So it kind of fell like getting a domino and then I think True and Sheldon and Dante kind of followed after that.

On Those Emotions ahead of the Final Game...

Will it be to staying level-headed and same measured or will be kind of feet off that adrenaline and firing that may feel? just the same level-headed and just it's a normal day. You know, we're honoring them, but it's still is a normal day and a normal game and we're trying to keep it as normal as possible and also understand, and it's not in the same sense.  So we kind of talk about it, embrace it, and then kind of go from. Should the first 10 minutes will be you know, all over the place, but once we settle in the game and once we get going to just continue to be who we are. But it all in your days are hard because of the emotion that you' everything that comes with it.

On What to Expect from Louisville...

Louisville, of course, you know, just as a program and one of the greatest programs ever in college basketball in the history of players that have won championships, coaches that they had every team score. And Kelsey's done a great job.  You know, he did a great job last year. I'm doing a great job this year, putting a position to, you know, be in the tournament and compete. You know, they have a lot of shooting all over the court.  They have a lottery pick, you know, freshman guard. You know, the back court is kind of the strength of their, I guess, team. And then offensively, you know, we talked about this SMU, they were probably like the not, but it's not a knock on SMU I just think they're a nacho offensively or what they are what they're capable of doing.

On Louisville's Style of Play...

Definitely clash of styles, but it'll be an exciting game. It'll be an entertaining game.  You know, one thing about this week: I feel like the SMU game was a comparison for the season, a little bit different, but the same conceptually in how they play. But, you know, with the game, just like you, it's a game that I think they're still fighting for seeding. I don't know where they are.  I think it's like a tie-breaker or something. It's the same for us. We're not fighting for Seed, but we're fighting for everything we want. And we still have to go to attack. It's all I expect them to be at a high level. I expect him to play with greater urgency and desperation and come in and try to get a win.

On How the Team has Responded to Tournament Week...

we are this season, you know, so whatever we play on Saturday, whatever happens, you know, everything we've done, it's all. You know what I mean?  So, whatever our record is, it's we've done a good job. We put ourselves in a position, but the hell it's time to turn the page and get to the next chapter, which is turning next place, surviving advance. So, you know, the season set up in his last season, I thought it was perfect.  His last week, sorry, I thought it was perfect to kind of simulate what a tournament will be and having to play two really good teams and beat two really good teams on the shorter week. and not having a break in between. So it was perfect for us guys. I think the guys that responded with.

Timo Malovec Updates...

Timo's doing well. You, we're still trying to get him back.  You know, he just had his back come just locked up on them, and they have them where you can't really function to the best of his ability. So we're just barely taking a day by day, so there's doing a little bit more, did a little bit more yesterday than the day before, get a better look at the day, and then kind of go from there.

On Nearly Having the Best Regular Season in Program History...

I haven't thought about it, just had like my favorite lunch and cupcakes brought in, and like happy anniversary. I didn't even know what it was until they told us. And, you know, somebody mentioned that, what you said before, you know, for me, it's just the recognition that I wanted once to go through the guys.  So if winning 25 games gets Malik first team all ACC or gets Ernest all defense and gets Tru, they have recognition, then that comes with it, you know, everything comes with winning, and that's what I told the guys the whole year, you know, everything we want comes with competing and winning, and postioning ourselves in position we win just like that. So for me, it's fine. But if it goes and it gives them things that help them and advance them and help their basketball careers and gives them some type of confidence and satisfaction.  That's all I ask for as a coach.