Miami v. No. 18 Duke: Preview, Game Time, TV Info, Stream, & More

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017

Game Time: 8:15 p.m

Location: Cameron Indoor Stadium — Durham, N.C.

Broadcast: ESPN, WQAM560

Stream: WatchESPN

All-Time Series: Miami trails 6-17

Current Streak: Miami won 2

Fellow State of the U readers: We freaking own Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Ever since signing on as head coach of Miami Hurricanes basketball six years ago, Coach Jim Larranaga’s Miami squad has consistently had Duke’s number, no matter their talent or ranking. In turn, they’ve shown everybody around that nation that there really is nothing special about those nagging, relentless, obnoxious Blue Devils.

You see, Larranaga is an all-time 4W-3L against the Cameron Crazies, including 4-2 while at Miami, and winning two of his last three as visitors to the most unpleasant fans and team in college hoops. This is a feat as beautiful as it is impressive.

Maybe there is a little magic in Duke U’s basketball program (may as well cut the football program). We’ll go ahead and attribute any and all past success to the talents of Coach Mike Krzyzewski — a fair assessment, if not, the correct assessment.

Alas, Saturday night, thanks to a bad Krzyzewski back there will be no sign of the illustrious Coach K stalking the sidelines to save a Grayson Allen leg (or three) from toppling Kamari Murphy and Dejan Vasiljevic. Now, I’m not promoting the incessant tripping of other players. No, no, no, never.

I’m simply pleading: IF you do decide to stick out the ole’ leg and pull off the oldest trick in the book, just please, please Grayson, do not touch young Bruce Brown, our most prized possession (That is, until 5-star recruit Lonnie Walker steps foot in Coral Gables, of course: See Highlight Here).

Miami is still without a true point guard to run the offense — something y’all, as fans, better get used to for the next one, (hopefully) two months. With that said, there’s little to no doubt the Canes have their work cut out in order to stymie and outscore Duke’s hustle-and-bustle, shoot-the-lights-out offense.

Don’t forget, Duke is on a skid of its own, dropping their past two games to an tougher than usual Seminole squad (No. 10 in AP Top 25) and Louisville (No. 12 in AP Top 25). Then again, they also have a duo of highly-touted prospects in Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles, and the basketball playing robots, Kyle Singler Luke Kennard and Allen.

Yeah, the Canes need that one man who can consistently create and play-make for the other four on the court, we know. That man, whoever may he be, likely isn’t on the roster at this time (may he live healthily and prosper until that time comes). Miami has shot above 45% in just two of their first five ACC contests, an indictment on the offense that sometimes** struggles to find open space.

It’d be nice for last Wednesday’s Dewan Huell to show up, too. The freshman scored nine points and grabbed eight board in 25 minutes, while totaling just 12 points and 16 rebounds in his first four ACC games. The kid is good, he wasn’t ranked 28th on the ESPN 100 last year for nothing. He does bring more to the table as a big than Kamari Murphy ever has and will, that much is certain.

And so, not since the legendary days of Jack McClinton (Jan. 17, 2009 to be exact) has Miami been featured on ESPN’s College Gameday. There’s no better stage to bust this slump in a big way.

That’s it for now. Analysis after the game.

Projected Starters

Miami

G Ja’Quan Newton

G Davon Reed

G Bruce Brown

F Kamari Murphy

F Dewan Huell

Duke

G Grayson Allen

G Luke Kennard

G Matt Jones

F Jayson Tatum

F Harry Giles

Author’s Note: College Gameday a la ESPN is stationed in Durham all day, if you’re into Jay Bilas and Seth Greenberg rambling on about Miami’s imminent upset. Some Duke kids are already filling up the stadium. They really don’t call them the Cameron Crazies for nothing. Tip-off is practically a day away. These students need to just settle down. Don’t they have faces to paint?