Everything Jai Lucas Said Ahead of Road Matchup Against SMU

CORAL GABLES — The Miami Hurricanes have their sights set on SMU for the last road trip of the season. However, there is more at play than just a game against the Mustang.

No. 22 Miami is playing for seeding in the ACC tournament, and now Jai Lucas is starting to pass that down through the grapevines. These games are like tournament games for him, helping his team get into the mindset of playing for something more.

These next two games will be like a round of a 64/32 game for the Canes. Lucas highlights this and more as he spoke with the media on Tuesday:

On The Last Week of the Regular Season Being Like A Tournament Week...

Yeah, we will, but we did this last week; it's the perfect segue for March for us. You know, we treat these games just like two tournament games because they are, you know, two really good teams as viewed first.  Of course, Louisville will after that, for this is what the rest of March is like. You know, if you want to win a conference championship tournament, that's really good teams. If you want to advance, hopefully at the NCAA tournament, you're going to beat really good teams.  So I think this week is a good, very good concept for that. and approaching it that way.

On Being Ranked...

Yeah, you know, for me, it's more so just about them and the guys getting some type of credit, I guess, with the working and the season that they've had.  I mean, for us as a team, there's really no change, you know, still a lot that we have to do, a lot that's on the line, but I appreciate it for them because of everything that will overcome and everything they've done this season to get some type of credits, some type of validation. I think it is well warranted.

On if he has had time to take in what this Season has been...

No, I haven't. No, I always said. I probably do more of that, but I guess reflection period after the season.  You know, I'm just trying to stay and keep everybody in the program, the players, everybody just in the moment as much as possible. You know, still so much basketball left between now and even, you know, conference tournaments, but after conference tournaments is so much left. And so much more, you've got to get better and continue to do.  And so just trying to keep their minds focused on that.

On the Growth this season...

No, you have to figure it all out, but I think the season has prepared us for this, and I think the way that our season went and our scheduling has led us to this point.  You have to go through some things and experience some things so that kind of be able to deliver your message and tell your message. So, you know, it starts just going back playing Florida. That game and then going from there and then, you know, the BYU and the weekend in Orlando, and then, you know, coming out of death, starting a conference off the good and playing swim. So each step and each part of the season has kind of built us to where we are.

On SMU...

I mean, they are as good as offensive team as we've played this year.  Just thinking back, even thinking it through, BYU, I think they're a little bit different than them, but offensively, they have so much firepower. You know, with Pierre, By Miller, just, you know, how they play the pace, you, they're good.

They're good, you, but I think it's just the firepower offense and the pace and speed and the way they play played anybody like that in a while. So it's a little bit different than the teams that played, I guess the one team that will be, I guess as close to that, will be North Carolina State, but it's still completely different brand.  And so I think offensively trying to slow them down, give them different looks, is the biggest thing.

Similarites on defense...

No, I think it makes it for it, and it still be an exciting game. It should be a fun, high-possession, fast-paced game.  You know, the one thing that's going to be exciting for me to see, they're one of the best teams that women in points in the paint, that's kind of what we do, you know, I think we add like 28 points in paint where they give up? We don't see a double that. And so it's kind of an identity in a wheel game, so that'll be good to see just how we kind of, I guess, flow.

On More Time for Bench Players...

Yeah, you know, we got to use. Everybody being known with his men against Boston College, of course, you know, earned some more minutes, but he hasn't done anything to kind of put himself, I guess, in that position is just kind of the flow of games and, you know, spyles make fights and make games. So, you know, the Boston College play was a good game for Noam.  

This one is a good game for Noam too, because they play a little bit of their own. So it gives you the ability for him to stretch it, stretch the cord, it'll give you some different books. But we need everybody, you know, and we've had guys that have played a lot of extended minutes.  We're banged up a little bit, but I think everybody will be available for the game, and we'll see coming down.

On Treating this Week like Tournament Week...

You know, I've stayed away from everything with the guys until yesterday.  And now, because it's just a little more, March is a little more intense, just a little bit more pressure, and now we have to be able to deal with it like this week. We're treating it like a tournament week, like this is, you know, we have to win to both these games, you know, it's not like we're comfortable when we're in a situation like you're saying, we're g but, like we're playing for everything still.

And now I think it's time for them to understand that because that's what this part of the season is about.  So, like leading up to this, we had to turn out the tournament. We haven't talked about March Madness. They talked about double bye, bye, any of them.  But now, because of where we are as a program and where the season is, I felt like it needs to be focused right.