Tafara Gapare (5) has scored in double digits in Tech’s last two games. (photo by Danny Karnik)
After an historic run to the Final Four, followed by a preseason No. 13 national ranking, Miami entered the year with visions of another deep run in March.
The Hurricanes instead limp in to Saturday on a five-game losing streak, with injuries unraveling almost any hope of an encore. The Hurricanes’ starters account for 88 percent of their points, meaning any injury would have an outsized impact on their scoring, and lately Miami has dealt with a pair of them to forward Matthew Cleveland (14.0 ppg) and guard Nijel Pack (13.7 ppg). Both remain questionable for Saturday.
Regardless of their availability, Tech will still have to deal with 6-7 Norchad Omier (17.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg), who roams in the alleys and gives Miami a bouncy, forceful presence underneath. After a 3-of-14 shooting performance against Duke, the pre-season, first-team All-ACC forward will likely waste little time getting engaged. Outside, guards Wooga Poplar (13.7 ppg) and Bensley Joseph (8.8 ppg) have deep range and can score off isolations, with Poplar especially gifted at pull-ups. Along with Pack, the Hurricanes hunt threes and are effective at chasing down long offensive rebounds.
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has lamented his team getting outworked during its losing streak. Tech will need to defend well against Miami’s dribble weaves and DHO’s, which aims to clear out the lane for them to attack off a pick-and-roll. They’ll also look to strike quickly after defensive rebounds and turnovers, even if a team hurries back. Can the Jackets force a steady diet of non-rim two’s and limit transition against a Hurricanes team that still features plenty of talented individual scorers?
*****
Georgia Tech upset Miami 76-70 at McCamish Pavilion last year, highlighted by a career-high 24 points from guard Lance Terry.
Alas, Tech won’t have his services for the rematch: while he still accompanies the Yellow Jackets on most of their road trips, a nagging leg injury forced the senior to take a redshirt in December.
Though if the situation calls for scoring Saturday, he’s already found a workaround to maintain his eligibility.
“I’ll check in and wear Marcos’ jersey,” Terry joked, referring to walk-on Marcos San Miguel.
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Damon Stoudamire said he can live with mistakes from Tafara Gapare, so long as they come from a place of aggression.
The sophomore has obliged of late, using his long strides and condor-like wingspan to attack the rim more consistently. It’s no surprise, then, that Gapare has scored in double figures in back-to-back games after having only one such game all season.
It’s also resulted in a late-season harvest of free throws for the Wellington, New Zealand native, who has helped give Tech a much-needed boost from their front line.
To wit: Gapare and Baye Ndongo have gone 23 of 29 at the free throw line in their last five games (79.3 pct.).
| Gapare & Ndongo |
|
|
|
FT% |
FTA/g |
| Last 5 games: |
79.30% |
5.8 |
| Previous 22 games: |
59.50% |
3.8 |
Free throw trips may be hard to come by against the Hurricanes: Miami averages the fourth-fewest fouls in the nation, and they allow the lowest volume of points to come off free throws in the ACC.
