January 4th 2020 Duke vs Miami (8 pm) pregame predictions, game thread and post game reactions.

Miami still paying for having no recruiting class 2 years ago for being unrightfully tied to Adidas scandal which was bull****.

Utter garbage. Miami will be crippled for years, because you have to even out the classes somehow. That said, L has to get active on the grad transfer market this offseason and find some legit size. You have some sitting on the bench this year, but you need at least 2 more true PF/C types.
 
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When you don't have numerous big bodies, and some of those iffy bodies are starting to break down physically, this is what happens. It's already tough for a school like Miami to find legitimate bigs in the first place(Skilled bigs are more concentrated at the power schools more so than ever thanks to the 1 and done rule), and when you miss on some guys, it hurts more.

Some of this is our own fault...

1. There are other ways to bring in bigs. You can take them as transfers. We seem to do a poor job of bringing them in as transfers.

2. It doesn't help when our best big man is sitting on the bench because we choose not to apply for a waiver. Maybe he doesn't get the waiver, even though others on that team (younger) did.

3. None of our good big men, at least under Coach L, were 1 and done types. Examples: Jekiri, Izundu, Gamble and Murphy. This goes back to roster management. Perhaps if we stopped leaving all these open ships and filled them, we would have "numerous big bodies".

4. Every year we allowed multiple scholarships to remain unused and that didn't help us get to this point.
 
a bit more defense of course would help but lykes really is the pits so far, sets the whole team on a downward trek
 
I know we aren’t playing well, but this really feels like it’s being played at a neutral site
 
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Some of this is our own fault...

1. There are other ways to bring in bigs. You can take them as transfers. We seem to do a poor job of bringing them in as transfers.

2. It doesn't help when our best big man is sitting on the bench because we choose not to apply for a waiver. Maybe he doesn't get the waiver, even though others on that team (younger) did.

3. None of our good big men, at least under Coach L, were 1 and done types. Examples: Jekiri, Izundu, Gamble and Murphy. This goes back to roster management. Perhaps if we stopped leaving all these open ships and filled them, we would have "numerous big bodies".

4. Every year we allowed multiple scholarships to remain unused and that didn't help us get to this point.

Gak was supposed to be that developmental guy. Guess what? No one could have imagined that he would blow out both of his knees. No one. You also forget that due to the issues in regards to the roster, Miami needs a big that can play NOW. Guess what, a freshman version of Tonye isn't helping. That's why I brought up the "One and Done" guys. There are fewer skilled guys around that can do anything immediately, and most of them are at places like Duke, because they are just killing time.

We don't know for sure WHY that waiver wasn't applied for, it's all fan mental *********ion at this point. From the things I've heard, he isn't even fully healthy, and we know what this team is(an NIT team best case scenario). Who knows if L and the staff felt that wasting a year on a guy that may not be the difference is a wise move.
 
I know we aren’t playing well, but this really feels like it’s being played at a neutral site

Unless Miami is really good, the fanbase doesn't care. In fact, the typical Miami football "Fan" is a Duke basketball fan. It's been that way since I first set foot in the Convocation Center(My first Duke experience came as a freshman, which happened to be our first year in the ACC. There were more kids in the student line with Duke gear on, than Miami gear, and I'm not joking).
 
Gak was supposed to be that developmental guy. Guess what? No one could have imagined that he would blow out both of his knees.

1. Injuries happen. They're NOT unique to Miami.

2. Even with a healthy Gak, why didn't we use more scholarships in the past? Gak was tremendously undersized and last year was his first year playing, did they really expect him to play so much this year? Also, he was averaging less MPG this year, perhaps he wasn't ready?

3. Why is Rodney playing so many minutes? Why would anyone rely on him to play so much before any injuries? Who goes into the season with him as your best option? Bring in more transfers.

No one. You also forget that due to the issues in regards to the roster, Miami needs a big that can play NOW.

His name is Brooks, he is sitting on the bench and we didn't apply for a waiver. Also, why didn't we take in more grad transfers? Why didn't we fill class more in the past?

Guess what, a freshman version of Tonye isn't helping.

Perhaps if we brought in more big men a few years ago, then you would have "numerous bodies" today.

We don't know for sure WHY that waiver wasn't applied for, it's all fan mental *********ion at this point. From the things I've heard, he isn't even fully healthy, and we know what this team is(an NIT team best case scenario). Who knows if L and the staff felt that wasting a year on a guy that may not be the difference is a wise move.

He was healthy enough to play in useless exhibition games this summer, remember these games were way before the season, he was healthy enough to play this year.
 
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I don't remember ever personally disliking a college athlete as much as I dislike VCJ. The guy is a traitor. I have no respect for him or his family. Going to Duke isn't going to make him a single dollar more than if he came to Miami. Lame.

Seeing the entire Carey family in Duke colors was pretty sad
 
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How about Walker and Wong? What is the point of not playing them?

You read my mind. But at this point, I honestly don’t think that Walker is going to see the court anytime soon.

Don’t really understand playing a 7 man rotation down by 22
 
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