The Second Season of the Jai Lucas Era Kicks Off Against Former National Champions
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The Miami Hurricanes basketball team returns to national relevance after the worst season in program history. Thanks to Jai Lucas, the Hurricanes have a fighting chance to compete with some of the best teams in the country, and they get to prove it again in the opening game of the 2026-27 season.
According to Jon Rothstein, Florida and Miami will open the 2026-27 college basketball season on Nov. 2nd against each other in a neutral site game in Tampa,
NEWS: Florida and Miami will meet in a neutral site game in Tampa on November 2nd to open the 2026-27 college basketball season, according to a source.https://t.co/kp9m13VCbK
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 12, 2026
Based on their last matchup in Jacksonville, this will be more of a game for the Canes to battle with, as the trip is only three hours away from Coral Gables. Not only will it be the best time to show what they can do, but it is also a mission statement for what the Hurricanes are trying to return to.
The Gators are still one of the best teams in the country and are returning plenty of talent from the National Championship-winning team in 2024. However, last season with both programs meeting, it was the first season of Lucas trying to get a team to gel without knowing their real weaknesses.
Now with a chance to bring back a new squad with some of the same talent, it's the perfect opportunity for the Hurricanes to show that they can be one of the best teams in the country.
Miami already has a top-five transfer portal class with many talented players coming off the bench. It is the one thing that killed them last season, along with outside shooting, that will be a major change for the matchup.
Miami Projected Roster for the 2026-27 season:
Starters:
1. Acaden Lewis
2. Dante Allen
3. Shelton Henderson
4. Caleb Gaskins
5. Somto Cyril
Bench:
Marcus Allen
DeSean Goode
Chris Birden Jr.
Quin Berger
Nick Dorn
Brent Bland
This can easily be the best game to watch to open the season. It will likely be a matchup between two top-25 teams with quad-one implications early in the season.
This is also the time to see what the Canes have been working on all season. Miami had two of the best freshmen on the roster last season, and now they have more talented young players to play around them.
It can be the Shelton Henderson show, as most expect it to be this season.
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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.
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