Miami Basketball Trying to Focus on 'Pace', Starting with Its Star Guard
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With a 9-2 record, the sky is the limit right now for the Miami Hurricanes. The season has been a successful one so far thanks to the coaching and recruiting job done by Jai Lucas in under a year.
The Hurricanes are in a prime position to make the NCAA Tournament, but they must continue winning. Against UL Monroe, the Canes dominated in the second half, keeping the score down and allowing the offense to flow.
It started with their star point guard who is adjusting to being a true point guard.
"My biggest thing as a point guard as a leader just in knowing the team we have is just trying to continue to keep that pace because that's when we're at our best when we're playing fast, getting to our actions quick," Tre Donaldson said after the UL Monroe victory. "So I mean that's been my emphasis for myself. So just trying to continue to do that. It's been working really well for us.
"So, I mean, just continue to do that and get my guys open and get them in spots where they need to be to make plays. And that's why you continue to see those coming in the stat sheet.
Donaldson has recorded back-to-back double-doubles in this small home game stretch the Canes are on. As the team continues to gel, the main glue starts with him. Against Southern Miss, he finished with 12 points and 11 assists, and against the Warhawks, he finished with 18 points and dished out 12 assists.
Against the Warhawks, the Canes also set a program record with 29 total assist.
"A team full of really good guys," Donaldson said. "So, I mean, so just being able to get everybody going and giving everybody opportunities in the right places. That's I feel like that's the that's what that shows them 29 assists. Just everybody being in the right place at the right time where they're supposed to be and then just capitalizing on getting people the ball in the right areas."
His guard play improvement was one of the biggest challenges Lucas set for him when he recruited him from Michigan. Now, it has begun to pay off the first-year head coach envisioned.
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.