Up until last night, the '09 edition of the University of Miami basketball team had been acting more like a UM football squad circa the 1990s, in all its cocaine-fueled, felonious glory. Except without all the victories. Best of both worlds, really.
The school tossed point guard Eddie Rios off the team last month after he admitted to hiding more than $3,400 in stolen electronics -- including a Sony laptop, an Xbox 360, and 12 DVDs -- in a white pillowcase under his dorm-room desk. The Canes responded by tanking three straight games and watching their preseason predictions of a return to the NCAA tournament spiral down the toilet.
So what in hell happened last night? Facing powerhouse Wake Forest -- ranked No. 7 in the nation, and ranked No.1 just a couple of weeks ago -- Miami went nuts. Jack McClinton tossed in 32 points, and the Canes annihilated Wake 79-52.
The game was the first of three in a row against former No. 1-ranked teams, so Miami is still a long way from saving its season. But just as sweet as last night's win was what happened last night to their next opponent -- ACC rival and douchebag central Duke. The Dukebags went down 74-47 at Clemson.
If the Canes can stay out of the police blotter for a few more weeks, we might actually have a contender on our hands.
