The Miami Hurricanes, who won their first three games by a combined 95 points, are finally set to take on a tougher opponent.
Miami (3-0) figures to get a challenge from the Drake Bulldogs (3-0) on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the Charleston Classic in South Carolina.
Point guard Nijel Pack leads Miami in scoring (14.7) and assists (6.7) and backcourt mate Jalen Blackmon averages 14.0 points and a team-high 1.7 steals.
However, Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga acknowledges that the size of his guards — Pack is 6-foot and Blackmon is 6-2 — could be exploited as Miami’s schedule becomes more imposing.
“The challenge for (Blackmon) is going to be on the defensive end because he plays next to Nijel,” Larranaga said. “Neither one of them is a big guard. It’s something we’re going to have to handle as the season progresses.”
Miami has a standout at center in Lynn Kidd, a 6-10, 241-pound transfer from Virginia Tech. He is averaging 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds and ranks eighth in the nation in field-goal percentage (.783).
The Hurricanes start two veteran forwards: Matthew Cleveland (11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds) and Brandon Johnson (10.3 points, team-high 8.0 rebounds).
While Miami has been cruising, Drake won its most recent game by just two points over Florida Gulf Coast.
Drake made three of the last four NCAA Tournaments, but coach Darian DeVries left for West Virginia and the Bulldogs had to replace all five starters from last season’s 28-7 squad.
New coach Ben McCollum built a Division II power at Northwest Missouri State, which went 29-5 last season. Four players from that team are now starting for Drake: Isaiah Jackson, Bennett Stirtz, Mitch Mascari and Daniel Abreu. The fifth starter is Wyoming transfer Cam Manyawu.
The only returner from last season is forward Nate Ferguson, a sixth-year senior who is Drake’s sixth man.
Manyawu, who won’t turn 19 until New Year’s Day, tops Drake in rebounds (6.7). Stirtz leads the team in scoring (18.7), assists (5.0) and steals (3.0). He also scored a game-high 25 points against Florida Gulf Coast on a night in which the Bulldogs were not sharp.
“You have to be able to win when you don’t have your best stuff,” McCollum said. “We have to be more ready the rest of the season.”
