ACC Season Previews
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Miami Season Preview
Projected Statistics (Returning Players Only)Explanation of Statistic Projections
Things to WatchThe Good - The Back Court: Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott might be the best 1-2 combo in the ACC. Grant is a solid playmaker and is a very capable outside shooter. Scott is a guy who is athletic enough to create his own shot and take it to the hoop and either score with authority or get to the free throw line, where he's very efficient. They'll be backed up by promising guards Bishop Daniels, who has a very similar game to Scott but isn't quite as big, and emerging guards Rion Brown and Garrius Adams, who had flashes of brilliance for Miami last season. - Reggie Johnson: Once he returns, Miami has a legitimate NBA big man whose size no one else in the ACC can match. The dude is a 6'10", 303lb behemoth who attacks the boards well and, while being fairly raw offensively, is strong enough to overpower most college big men. - New Coach: While Frank Haith did a lot of good things for Miami, there were some tactical errors he made that he never corrected over his time at Miami that made most believe that he had peaked. Jim Larranaga brings a brilliant tactical mind and Final Four experience with him to Miami, and it will be interesting to see what he does with the 2nd best "Big 3" in the city of Miami. The Bad - Front Court Depth: While Johnson is a 1st Team All-ACC candidate, he has absolutely no help up front on the roster now that energy player and solid defender Julian Gamble is out for the season. Kenny Kadji will be the most likely to step up as the transfer from Florida should take up space and be a solid offensive rebounder. Erik Swoope will also see time down low, while DeQuan Jones will have to play out of position at PF to give them a breather until Johnson comes back. - Turnovers: The 3 people who will handle the ball the most in Miami's offense (Grant, Scott, and Johnson) combine to average 7.3 turnovers per game. Miami has never been a good ball handling team under Haith, so hopefully, for their sake, Larranaga can improve on this flaw in their game. - Rebounding: Even with Johnson averaging 9.6rpg, no one else on Miami's roster is a good rebounder. The next best rebounder last season was Durand Scott at 4.2rpg. With turnovers and rebounding being a problem, opposing teams are going to get a lot of extra opportunities. by Theo Jones Fantasy Player to WatchDurand Scott has filled this spot for Miami last year and he let me know, but I have hopes of a season similar to Josh Howard's senior season at Wake Forest. Durand Scott could be a dominant force all over the court if he asserts himself. Consider Scott a steal if you can pick him up in the second round. Last Year's Player Statistics
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