Audio By Carbonatix
If you haven’t already, join the rest of the city and pretend you love college hoops. The University of Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball bandwagon is quickly filling up, and celebrity superfans Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and James Jones are partially to blame.
The Big Two and their Heat teammate/UM alumnus recently popped up courtside at the Canes’ February 9 battle against North Carolina, where UM sophomore Shane Larkin racked up 18 points to help his team effortlessly steamroll over their ACC rivals in a 87-61 victory.
“Everybody from North Carolina always thinks it’s just about North Carolina,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams told reporters after the game. “It’s not. Miami is pretty dadgum good.”
When the Tar Heels left the BankUnited Center (1245 Dauer Dr., Coral Gables) at the end of week 14, the Canes were sitting pretty in the AP’s top 10, comfortably nestled in the eighth spot, between Arizona and Syracuse.
By week 15, Miami had jumped five spots and into the top three. Only Duke, a team Miami decisively slaughtered last month when the Blue Devils were still Division I college basketball’s top-ranked team, and Indiana ranked higher at presstime.
On Wednesday at 7 p.m., the Virginia Tech Hokies will have an opportunity to avenge their January 30 loss to Miami when they swing through Coral Gables for a night of hoops.
Wed., Feb. 27, 7 p.m., 2013
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