Jai Lucas Explains Why He is "Not Satisfied" with 40 Point Victory over Bethune-Cookman
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CORAL GABLES — Even with a 40-point victory, Jai Lucas is still not satisfied with how the Miami Hurricanes played against Bethune-Cookman.
The Hurricanes dominated the Wildcats from the opening tip, but there were still a few little things that the Hurricanes didn't do well. One was rebounding.
Lucas harped on it after the game knowing that it could cause them to lose games if they don't clean it up.
"And we started the game that way and got off to a good start," Lucas said. "So I thought it was a big key to the game. You know, I challenged Shelton [Hederson], Am Malik [Reneau] both. Malik wasn't quite there, but Shelton did a better job of rebounding and getting there, and then I think the biggest thing for us was a 25-to-6 assist turnover.
"And I think it has the opportunity of kind of seeing what we can be and where we're headed. We're nowhere near where I think we can go and what we can be. I thought our defense was better, still not where we should be, but I'm excited."
Offensively, Lucas loved what they did. He emphasized getting to the paint in the last game, and from the first basket of the game, with Reneau collecting another poster, it was the main attack point.
.@MalikReneau SETTING THE TONE EARLY 😤
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) November 7, 2025
📺 ACCNX pic.twitter.com/oTrT3uBJMp
"I mean, it feels good. When you can score 100 points, it's always good. But, you know, the biggest thing I felt like we played the right way, or at least tried to play the right way," Lucas said.
"Got multiple paint touches, making the right reads, the right passes. I thought that was the difference between the first game and this game. You know, the first game, whenever you play the first game, you have a lot of emotions, when people are trying to overestimate themselves and maybe do too much. And I thought we played with better poise today of trying to find the right shots. So I was excited about that, and that's what happened when you do, you end up with 101 points."
It also starts with defense. Tru Washtinton has seven steals in two games for the Hurricanes. He is being challenged to be one of the best defensive gaurds in the country as well as the rest of the team.
"It's just the standard of where we got to get to it and what I wanted to look like, and what I feel we can be defensive," Lucas said. "You know, the one thing that I did, I challenged True Washington, because I think he can be one of the best defensive guards in the country."
What I like most about Tru Washington is the 2 steals a game. Intercepter on Gold
— Justice Sandle (@Justice_News5) April 9, 2025
"They have a kid on their team, Arterial Morris, who I recruited when I was at Texas, a former McDonald's All American, just had 20 at Auburn, know how talented he is, and, you know, that was his cover, one for 13, negative 27. So, you know, just getting true in that mindset, because I do think he could be one of the best defensive cars in the country."
Lucas continued.
"But the thing that I just felt like we lost a lot of rebounds, they had won too many offensive rebounds and loose balls. We didn't get to. And I didn't like when the ball was getting into the pain. I felt like it was getting into the pain too easily. So just some things we got to tweak, you know, just the standard we're trying to get to here."
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.