CT GAMEDAY: Kentucky Hosts Miami in the ACC/SEC Challenge
Tonight Miami will have the honor of doing something never done before. The inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge tips off at Rupp Arena when the Miami Hurricanes take on the Kentucky Wildcats.
Miami had never been to an Elite Eight in program history. Jim Larranaga took them to one in 2022, then won another game the following year to take the Canes to the Final Four in Houston. Miami returns most of its talented backcourt from that team. Led by Nijel Pack, all five starters average double figures in scoring. The Hurricanes rank 10th nationally in points per game (89.0) and 11th in adjusted offensive efficiency.
If you’re thinking it’s setting up to be an entertaining, high-scoring affair, you’re probably correct. Cal’s electric offensive attack ranks third in scoring and is No. 6 in KenPom, thanks to a balanced attack anchored by Antonio Reeves, who is surrounded by a slew of sensational freshmen.
Kentucky vs. Miami: How to Watch, Listen
Miami gets one heck of a lead-in. The final Tuesday night reveal of the CFB Playoff Rankings will be at 7 pm. Once the college football world reacts ahead of championship weekend, Rece Davis will pass the mic to Dave O’Brien for the ESPN broadcast of Kentucky vs. Miami.
How To Watch
- When: Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center — Lexington, Kentucky
- TV: ESPN
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Fubo (Try for free) Fubo’s holiday offer just kicked off – For a limited time, new subscribers can save $40 on Fubo’s Pro, Elite, and Premier plans ($20 off the first and second months)
- Ticket Cost: $37.00
What to Know
The Kentucky Wildcats will stay at home for another game and welcome the Miami Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. ET on November 28th at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both teams will really light up the scoreboard on Tuesday.
Kentucky has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four matches by 20 points or more this season. They claimed a resounding 118-82 victory over the Thundering Herd at home. Winning is a bit easier when you nail seven more threes than your opponent, as Kentucky did.
D.J. Wagner was the offensive standout of the contest as he scored 28 points along with 5 assists and 3 steals. He continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he’s played. The team also got some help courtesy of Rob Dillingham, who scored 16 points along with 8 assists and 5 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Miami put another one in the bag last Sunday to keep their perfect season alive. They came out on top against the Wildcats by a score of 91-83.
Miami relied on the efforts of Norchad Omier, who scored 23 points along with 7 rebounds and 3 steals, and Nijel Pack, who went 7 for 12 from beyond the arc en route to 28 points and 0 assists. Wooga Poplar was another key contributor, scoring 15 points along with 6 rebounds.
The Wildcats pushed their record up to 5-1 with that win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 96.4 points per game. As for the Hurricanes, their win bumped their record up to 5-0.
Not only did both teams in this Tuesday’s matchup win their last matches, they also took care of their bettors and covered the spread. Looking forward, Kentucky is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by six points. This will be Miami’s first time playing on the road this season.
Tuesday’s matchup is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Kentucky has themselves a killer kicker this season, having drained 51% of their shots per game. However, it’s not like Miami struggles in that department as they’ve drained 52.4% of theirs this season. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Vegas on Kentucky vs. Miami
Kentucky is a 5.5-point favorite over Miami on FanDuel, with a total of 164.5. The Cats are 3-3 against the spread (ATS) this year, while the over has hit in four straight contests. The Hurricanes are 4-1 ATS, with the over cashing four times this fall.
The Canes and the Cats have faced off four times and not once over the last 15 years. Kentucky is 3-1 in the series, only dropping the most recent matchup back when Billy Gillispie was on the sideline in 2008.
Tyler Van Dyke, Chaney, Flagg In The Transfer Portal
Tyler Van Dyke
Starting Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will no longer be a Miami Hurricane.
In 2021, he finished with 2,931 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee left Miami after that year to become the coach at SMU, and the Hurricanes hired offensive coordinator Josh Gattis as a replacement. Van Dyke had his worst season in 2022, finishing with ten touchdown passes and five interceptions and battling a shoulder injury.
Miami hired Houston offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, Van Dyke’s third coordinator in as many years. After a 4-0 start, Van Dyke began to have issues with interceptions.
Van Dyke was benched against Florida State, for Emory Williams, but the freshman was injured in the waning moments of the game, and Van Dyke returned as the starter.
In three seasons, Van Dyke totaled 7,469 passing yards with 54 touchdowns to 23 interceptions while completing 63.7 percent of his throws.
A four-star prospect, Van Dyke was rated as the No. 8 pro-style quarterback nationally and the No. 2 player in Connecticut by Rivals. He chose Miami over Michigan, Boston College, Cal, Duke, Georgia Tech, Louisville, NC State, Pitt, and Syracuse.
Donald Chaney Jr.
Chaney compiled his most successful season in 2023, rushing for 478 yards on 94 carries (5.1 yards per carry) and scoring two touchdowns. Chaney experienced back-to-back leg injuries before the 2023 season.
His best game of the year was against Georgia Tech when he rushed for his first-ever 100-yard game, tallying 106 on 24 carries. Chaney was part of a crowded backfield this season, with Henry Parrish Jr. leading the team in rushing with 559 and true freshman Mark Fletcher leading in carries with 103.
In four seasons, Chaney rushed for 852 yards on 175 carries (4.9 per carry), scoring six touchdowns.
A four-star prospect, Chaney was ranked as the sixth-best running back and No. 46 player overall. Out of local high school Belen Jesuit, Chaney chose Miami over Florida State, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M.
Corey Flagg
he fourth-year junior was one of the most productive linebackers during his time at Miami. In his last season as a Hurricane, Flagg totaled 48 tackles (23 solo). He played mainly in a reserve role with Francisco Mauigoa, Wesley Bissainthe, and KJ Cloyd getting most of the starts at linebacker this season.
Flagg did make the game-clinching tackle in a 29-26 overtime win over Clemson this season.
In four years, the Houston, Texas native registered 179 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, and an interception.
A three-star prospect, Flagg was ranked as the No. 25 inside linebacker and No. 72 player in Texas. He chose Miami over Boston College, Virginia Tech, and SMU.
Mario Cristobal Shares Insights on Team Development and Transfer Portal in Joe Rose Show Interview
Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mario Cristobal recently appeared on the Joe Rose show, providing a comprehensive overview of the team’s current dynamics and his strategies for the upcoming transfer portal period. His remarks offer a glimpse into the team’s development and the intricacies of managing a college football program.
Van Dyke’s Commendable Performance
Cristobal began with high praise for quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who had to step in during the last two games. Despite losing his job to freshman Emory Williams, Van Dyke showed remarkable professionalism. Cristobal expressed his respect for Tyler’s approach, saying, “A lot of respect, really approached it like a professional. He had a sense of urgency stepping up in the pocket when things weren’t there – finding a way to make things happen with his feet or get rid of it. All in all, just a really good job.”
Team’s Positive Trajectory
Speaking on the team’s overall progress, Cristobal was optimistic. He noted, “Everything is moving in a positive direction with a lot of progress. From a personnel standpoint, it’s night-and-day as opposed to what we walked into. A lot of it is young and still developing or just got here, but what is really important is the development of the DNA.”
Physical Football Culture
Cristobal highlighted a change in the team’s approach to colder climate games. “For a good dozen years, Miami has blown off those games up North and these guys went out there warming up NFL-style without a shirt on. We challenged them all week – they went up there and played really physical football down a couple guys.”
Transfer Portal Challenges
Cristobal shared his thoughts on the transfer portal, which re-opens on December 4th. He described it as, “It’s the wild, wild west. Trying to figure out who to keep, who to help, who’s staying, who’s going, just be professional as possible and do what’s absolutely best for the program, and try to keep people from getting in the ears of guys and giving them false information. We need another big recruiting haul – we need another 30-plus guys in the mold of Rueben Bain, Mark Fletcher, Damari Brown.”
He sees each player departure as a chance to improve the team. “Any defection that you create or happens to catch you by surprise is an opportunity to upgrade. You keep a three-deep at every possible slot and you just keep that handy and keep going. You have an opportunity to get better everywhere. We are working our way to becoming a really good team. It’s a young team with a lot of juice, improvement across the board, system’s really starting to come on and it’s going to attract some really good players and coaches.”
Cristobal also addressed the challenges of navigating the transfer portal. “It’s completely out of control. The NCAA, and rightfully so, has taken a hardline stance that if somebody is messing around and tampering, they’re going to slam you. But you better be in position if word is out there that a guy is going to move here or there. You’ve gotta be straight up and realistic because you’ve got to be ready to upgrade right away whether it’s coming from the outside or making a move from the inside.”
Combatting Complacency and Building Culture
He spoke about the importance of fighting complacency and building a strong team culture. “We’ve flooded this building with awesome people and we need to get a bunch more. We need to make sure there is no complacency. For example – that the postseason become a serious thing for Miami. Let’s call it what it is – there’s been an arrogant approach to the postseason and late season games unless you’re playing for it all and that can’t happen here.”
Guiding Players’ Career Choices
On the topic of players contemplating their future, whether in going pro, transferring, or staying at Miami, Cristobal stressed the importance of providing accurate guidance. “We respectfully approach it to figure out exactly where it’s at. You help them navigate through the noise and show the guys that it’s relevant to real draft information as opposed to some of the BS they get from their advisors.”
Trinton is the owner of CanesToday. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, he is a freshman in high school and wants to graduate from the University of Miami
