2019-20 ACC Men’s Basketball Schedule Announced

BREAKING: The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its 2019-20 basketball schedule. For the first time in conference history, each team will play 20 league games, including a season opener against a conference opponent.

Miami will open the season against Louisville at the Watsco Center on November 5. The Cardinals are ranked No. 5 is ESPN’s preseason poll.

“The ACC is the best league in the country and we expect this season will be no different,” Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga said. “Each and every game in this conference is a true test and we look forward to facing the nation’s best teams night in and night out.

“Our fans have helped us perform incredibly well at the Watsco Center the past several seasons and, with their support, we are excited to once again take the court for so many great home matchups.”

UM will begin the remaining part of its conference slate on New Years Eve when they travel to Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum.

The Duke Blue Devils will come to Coral Gables on January 4, before Miami gets ready for their rematch with Louisville in the Bluegrass State on January 7. Games against North Carolina State and Pitt follow afterword.

Fans can circle January 18 on the calendar, as Florida State comes to the Watsco Center. A trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium follows on January 21. The Hurricanes will remain in the Research Triangle as they play in the Dean Dome against North Carolina just four days later on January 25.

Matchups with Virginia Tech, Pitt and NC State will precede the February 8 game at FSU. A nice homestead comes after that, as UM hosts Boston College on February 12 and Wake Forest on February 15.

Matchups at Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech will lead to Miami’s final two home games on March 4 against defending NCAA Champions Virginia, and March 7 against Syracuse.

Against all of its high-profile conference rivals, UM will be looking for redemption. FSU swept the Hurricanes a season ago, winning 68-62 in Tallahassee on January 9 and prevailing soundly in Coral Gables on January 27, 78-66.

UM was also 0-3 against Duke and UNC. Miami took the February 9 game in Chapel Hill to overtime before falling 88-85. The Tar Heels won 85-76 in South Florida on January 19, and the Blue Devils easily took care of the Canes on March 2 in Durham, 87-57.

Miami went 5-13 in ACC play in 2018-19, finishing 12th and bowing out of the conference tournament in the second round after falling to Virginia Tech, 71-56. The season was also plagued by Dewan Hernandez’s absence due to an NCAA eligibility investigation. Hernandez declared for the 2019 NBA Draft after the season.

The Canes return starters Chris Lykes, DJ Vasiljevic and Sam Waardenburg from a season ago. They’ll have to do without Anthony Lawrence, Zach Johnson and Ebuka Izundu, who graduated this past spring.

Redshirt sophomore Deng Gak also will return after missing all of league play last year due to a knee injury. Redshirt junior Kameron McGusty—a transfer from Oklahoma—will return to action this season after sitting out the 2018-19 campaign. Incoming freshmen Isaiah Wong, Harlond Beverly and Anthony Walker will also look to get into the playing rotation. Rodney Miller may also be a factor, having redshirted last season with two years of eligibility remaining.

Larrañaga’s team will unofficially kick off the season with an exhibition game against Flagler College on October 30, six days before the regular season opener. The Hurricanes also played three games in August while touring Italy, which was the first chance for the returning players and newcomers to play together.