Michael Devoe has connected on his last 16 free throw attempts, including 14-for-14 vs. Clemson and Pitt combined. (photo by Danny Karnik)
A reason for Miami’s struggles.
A phobia of Instagram influencers.
Both have the same root cause: a troubling lack of Lykes.
After weeks of expressing hopes for the return of 5-7 guard Chris Lykes, head coach Jim Larranaga expressed doubt Friday that his standout point guard will play again this season for the Hurricanes. Lykes, who has not played since Dec. 4 and has missed the last 17 games with a left ankle injury, has been ruled out for Saturday’s game.
A 15.4-point-a-game scorer last year, Lykes gives Miami an electric, ball-on-a-string dribbler who uses explosive feints and stop-on-a-dime quickness to get off his shots. He’s fearless with the ball, dynamic off screens – the most efficient shooter in the ACC off ball screens last year according to Synergy – and dangerous in late shot-clock situations. Defending him calls to mind a cat chasing a laser pointer.
Without him, though, the Hurricanes have struggled. Miami ranks in the 11th percentile nationally in halfcourt offensive efficiency (0.79 PPP) and in the sixth percentile against zone defenses according to Synergy. Their most efficient offense comes from transition, where they rank in the 82nd percentile (1.1 PPP). In Lykes’ absence, 6-3 sophomore Isaiah Wong (17.4 ppg) has emerged as one of the rising scorers in the ACC, a long-armed, attacking guard capable of creating off the bounce and scoring at all three levels.
Josh Pastner said Miami reminds him of Syracuse in the way its guards have freedom to operate and can erupt at a moment’s notice. They won’t shoot threes often or accurately – they rank last in ACC play in three-point percentage and 13th in three-point rate – which has often invited teams to play heavy zone against them. That could change considerably if Lykes, a 38-percent three-point shooter a year ago, returns. Key for Tech: shut off Miami in transition and make them “see bodies” when defending in the halfcourt.
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Like Notre Dame, Pastner cautions not to look at Miami’s record. The Hurricanes, who earlier this year were down to six scholarship players due to injuries, knocked off No. 16 Louisville and almost beat No. 18 Virginia Tech twice. They’ve also fallen victim to some rotten luck in ACC play. In three straight games from Dec. 29-Jan. 5, Miami fell 80-78 to Virginia Tech, 66-65 to Clemson, and 67-65 to North Carolina.
According to Elias, they became the first ACC team to lose three straight conference games by a total of five points since…. Georgia Tech in 1989-90.
Georgia Tech 1989-90
Date Opponent Score
Jan. 21, 1990 Virginia 81-79 (OT)
Jan. 25, 1990 Clemson 91-90
Jan. 28, 1990 Duke 88-86
Yes, even Georgia Tech’s magical run to the 1990 Final Four had a vortex of close losses midway through the year. Fun fact: that last loss to Duke featured a 36-point outing by Dennis Scott at Cameron Indoor Stadium. It remains the most points ever scored by a Yellow Jacket in a road ACC game.
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The statistic doesn’t exactly strain credulity – if you shoot worse than your opponent, you’re more likely to lose. Yet until this month, Georgia Tech had never won a game in the Josh Pastner era when shooting a lower field goal percentage than its opponent (0-51).
The Jackets have now won two of their last three.
Game GT FG% Opponent FG%
Notre Dame 58.3% 59.3%
Pittsburgh 46.8% 51.0%
The Yellow Jackets can withstand that, of course, because of their improved turnover rate on defense. They may be allowing more accurate shooting, but they’re also forcing more turnovers. And when you force a turnover, your opponent can’t get up a shot. That’s allowed Tech to reverse a trend that, until recently, had always resulted in a loss.
The Yellow Jackets will try to catalyze those turnovers into fast break points Saturday – Miami ranks in the 8th percentile nationally in transition defensive efficiency according to Synergy (1.13 PPP).
