The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team entered the 2020-2021 season filled with optimism and determination. After the previous season’s 15-16 record and yet another year without dancing in March, head coach Jim Larrañaga and his staff had good reason to enter this season with high hopes.
The Canes were bringing back key players such as point guards Chris Lykes and Isaiah Wong, and forwards Kameron McGusty and Anthony Walker, among others. Additionally, an infusion of talent was heading to Coral Gables via another top 25 recruiting class, consisting of four star prospects Earl Timberlake and Matt Cross.
Miami was projected to finish seventh in the ACC in the preseason media poll and were predicted to enter the NCAA tournament as a #8 seed, according to ESPN’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi.