The Miami Hurricanes lost to the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks, 76-50 in the Elite Eight. Miami started with a good game plan in the first half, but Kansas was just too much for the Hurricanes at the end of the game. Regardless, Miami had a great run in the tournament, and Jim Larranaga’s squad will be back for revenge next season. Here’s a recap of the Hurricanes’ blowout loss to the Kansas Jayhawks.
Isaiah Wong and Kameron McGusty Not Enough
Isaiah Wong and Kameron McGusty had an average performance for Miami, with both combining for 33 points. However, they each shot less than 50% from the field, which was not enough for the Hurricanes. In fact, no player for Miami shot above 50% in this game.
Other than Miami’s two best guards, no other Hurricane finished with more than five points. Miami had impressive outings in the Sweet Sixteen and Round of 32, but the team needed an impeccable performance against Kansas to win.
The Hurricanes’ three-point shooting, especially in the second half, really put them out of the game. They shot less than 15% from behind the arch, which is likely the lowest for them all year. It was just a total collapse on Miami’s side.
Jayhawks’ Starters Carry the Load
Initially, the Hurricanes did a great job of neutralizing the Jayhawks’ offense, which was similar to the previous two matchups against Auburn and Iowa State. However, Miami could not hold up for long, and Bill Self got his team’s offense on the correct page in the second half.
The Kansas squad is the top seed for a good reason, and that ranking stems from their impressive talent. David McCormack, Christian Braun, and Ochai Agbaji combined for 45 points, which was just five points less than Miami’s total score.
Jalen Wilson also racked in 11 rebounds for the Jayhawks, and he came in as a top 15 rebounder in the nation. Overall, the experience and skill of Kansas just blew Miami away after halftime; the 32-point scoring margin in the second half was one of the biggest margins in history.
Concluding Thoughts
If the Miami Hurricanes had reached the Final Four this year, it would’ve been one of the more incredible feats in the recent years of March Madness. Nonetheless, this Hurricanes’ squad should be proud of their performance and accomplishment of reaching the Elite Eight. Expect Miami to be a contender in the coming years, and Kansas could very well go all the way.