Canes Men’s Hoops Early Season Evaluation

The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball squad is currently four games into the Jai Lucas era, owning a 3-1 record. It’s been a promising start to the 2025-26 season, as the team has shown glimpses of what could be a surprise contender in the ACC. Miami has yet to face an opponent from outside the state of Florida, but it has generally looked cohesive and strong as a unit.

The Canes won their first three contests against Jacksonville, Bethune-Cookman, and Stetson by an average of 32.6 points per game. Then, last Sunday, the team fought but failed to pull off an upset of No. 10 Florida in an 82-68 defeat. During this opening stretch, Lucas’ team has given the college basketball world a glimpse of how they like to play and their strengths.

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Indiana Transfer Is The Leading Man

Malik Reneau has been the brightest star for the Canes during the early portion of the season. It’s fitting, as Reneau was the first acquisition out of the portal when Lucas got the head coaching job at UM. He has led the team in scoring by averaging 21.5 points per game. The former Hoosier is also the second-leading rebounder and shot blocker, only behind fellow frontcourt partner Ernest Udeh Jr.

The senior forward was set to high expectations by Lucas, both through his play and his leadership. After Reneau’s debut, Lucas clearly stated his intentions on how the big man would be featured in the offense.

“Malik, I feel just moving forward will be our leading scorer. Part of that is just the position he’s in at the four, and being a bigger four, and just the advantage, and the mismatches they have on a daily basis.” – Jai Lucas Postgame Presser vs. Jacksonville

Other than him being the offensive catalyst, the Miami native has improved his rebounding total each game, going from grabbing only two boards in the season opener to 11 in the recent loss to the defending champion Gators. He’s posted back-to-back 22-point double-doubles.

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Transitioning into a team’s main…

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Publish date : 2025-11-20 22:37:00

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