Associated Press
CORAL GABLES, Fla. ó First the Miami Hurricanes fell from the rankings, and now they’re slipping in the standings. Two recent overtimes losses suggest they’ve been unable to catch a break, and the ACC schedule offers none.
The Hurricanes play host to seventh-ranked Wake Forest tonight. They visit No. 4 Duke on Saturday. They’re at home against No. 3 North Carolina on Feb. 15. All three opponents have been No. 1 this season.
“If you’re a competitor, this is a great opportunity, man,” coach Frank Haith said Tuesday. “You’re definitely not going to be fearful of it.”
Lose all three games, and Miami (14-7, 3-5 ACC) probably won’t repeat last year’s trip to the NCAA tournament. Win all three, and the Hurricanes might become the only seven-loss team in the Top 25.
The Hurricanes, who were 23-11 last season, began this season with their highest preseason ranking ever at No. 17 and were picked to finish fourth in the ACC. But they were out of the rankings before Christmas, and three consecutive conference losses have dropped them to ninth place.
Miami was beaten in overtime by Virginia Tech and at North Carolina State, then lost at Maryland 73-68 Saturday.