Will UNC basketball carry momentum from Duke win to Miami? Prediction, preview

UNC basketball heads to Miami with hopes of snagging a third-straight road win in the ACC.

Following an 0-3 start in conference play away from the Smith Center, the Tar Heels (19-4, 7-3 ACC) bounced back with consecutive road victories in the middle of a five-game winning streak.

Advertisement

That success will be put to the test against the Hurricanes (18-5, 7-3) on Tuesday, Feb. 10 (7 p.m., ESPN), at Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. Former Duke assistant coach Jai Lucas has Miami in the mix for a March Madness bid in his first season with the Hurricanes.

UNC has won three in a row against the ‘Canes and three of the last four in Florida. Here are some things to know and a score prediction for the Tar Heels’ trip to Miami.

UNC basketball’s ability to refocus after Duke win

In the games following the Tar Heels’ first four wins against Duke under head coach Hubert Davis, UNC produced a 2-2 record. They’d be wise to lock in after the fifth win against the Blue Devils. Miami, which combined for 22 wins in its previous two seasons before hiring Jai Lucas, has 18 wins and a trio of veteran players in Michigan transfer Tre Donaldson, Indiana transfer Malik Reneau and TCU transfer Ernest Udeh. If UNC doesn’t show up ready to play, the Hurricanes are more than capable of getting themselves a resume-boosting win.

Advertisement

Luka Bogavac, Tar Heels depth could be problem for Miami

UNC has the advantage in bench production, averaging 20.3 points per game from its reserves. The Hurricanes, who rely heavily on their starters, get an average of 16 points per game from their bench. Substitutions could be put under even more stress if Tru Washington (11.0 points per game) isn’t available. One of Miami’s top defenders and a double-digit scorer, Washington has missed the last two games. UNC’s Luka Bogavac has become the Tar Heels’ top scorer off the bench. Bogavac has reached double figures in four of the last eight games, including consecutive road victories at Virginia and…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/unc-basketball-carry-momentum-duke-093048667.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-02-10 09:30:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.