A Brief History of University of Miami Basketball

The University of Miami has a long and successful history in basketball. This blog will take a brief look at the school’s Basketball Program and some of its most successful teams and players.

Origins of University of Miami Basketball

The University of Miami first fielded a basketball team in 1926, but the program really began to take shape in the 1940s under Head Coach Lew Andreas. Andreas led the team to its first postseason appearance in 1943 and helped lay the foundation for what would become a Basketball powerhouse

In the 1950s and 1960s, Miami became known as a “basketball school” thanks to the success of head coaches Bruce Hale and Jack Harding. The team made five NCAA tournament appearances during this time and had some of its most successful seasons.

Miami’s Basketball Program reached new heights in the 1980s and 1990s under head coach Leonard Hamilton. The team made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances during this time, including four Sweet Sixteen berths and one Elite Eight appearance.

Today, University of Miami Basketball is competing at a high level under Head Coach Jim Larranaga The team has made the NCAA tournament five times since Larranaga took over in 2011 and is poised for continued success in the years to come.

The Early Years

The University of Miami’s Basketball Program began in 1926, when the school fielded its first team. The team struggled in its early years, posting a losing record in each of its first seven seasons. In 1933, the Hurricanes had their first winning season, finishing with a record of 9-5.

The program really began to turn around in the late 1930s under Head coach Lewis “Lightning” Normand. Normand led the Hurricanes to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance in 1942. The team made it to the Elite Eight that year before falling to Kentucky.

In the 1950s, the Hurricanes experienced their most successful stretch of basketball. They made five NCAA tournament appearances, including three straight trips from 1952-54. The team’s best finish came in 1958, when they made it all the way to the Final Four before losing to Kentucky in the semifinals.

The Rise of the Program

University of Miami Basketball began its journey to prominence in the late 1960s under the leadership of head coach Bruce Hale. The team achieved moderate success in the early years, but it was the arrival of star player Rick Barry in 1965 that put the program on the map.

Barry led the team to its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1968, and though they lost in the first round, it was clear that Miami was a force to be reckoned with. The following year, they made it all the way to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual National Champions UCLA.

It would be another decade before Miami made it back to the NCAA Tournament but when they did, they made an even deeper run. Led by future NBA Star Tim Hardaway the Hurricanes made it all the way to the Final Four in 1992 before losing to Kentucky in the semifinals.

Since then, Miami has been a regular fixture in the NCAA Tournament although they have yet to make it back to the Final Four. They came close in 2000, when they lost to eventual National Champion Michigan State in the regional finals.

Despite not having won a National Championship Miami has established itself as one of college basketball’s top programs over the last 50 years.

The Golden Years

The University of Miami’s basketball program began in 1926, but it wasn’t until the late 1950s under head coach Bruce Hale that the Hurricanes began to experience success. In 1957, Miami won its first postseason bid to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The following year, the Hurricanes made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament In 1960, Miami won the program’s first conference championship when it captured the Southern conference title

The 1960s marked a golden era for Miami Basketball The Hurricanes won four consecutive conference championships from 1966 to 1969, including three straight years in which they captured both the regular season and tournament titles. Miami also made five straight appearances in the NCAA tournament during this stretch, reaching the Elite Eight in 1968. In 1970, head coach Bill Foster took over and led Miami to its first ever appearance in the Final Four. The Hurricanes finished that season with a 23-4 record and a #3 ranking in the final AP poll.

The Decline

In recent years the University of Miami’s men’s Basketball team has declined in both on-court success and public interest. Once a national powerhouse, the team has missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons and has not made it past the second round since 2013. In 2017, attendance at home games averaged just 4,892 people – nearly 2,000 below capacity. This is in stark contrast to the end of the 2012 season, when home games averaged 7,972 fans and Season tickets sold out for the first time in school history.

The Resurgence

In the late 1990s, the University of Miami was in the midst of a resurgence in its Basketball Program After years of mediocre performance, the Hurricanes had begun to attract top recruits and make deep runs in the NCAA tournament The team’s success culminated in a National Championship in 2001, the school’s first ever.

Despite this momentous achievement, the Hurricanes have failed to replicate their early-2000s success in recent years The team has not made it past the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament since 2013, and has not won a conference title since 2002. However, with new head coach Jim Larrañaga at the helm, there is hope that Miami can once again become a force to be reckoned with in college basketball

The New Era

In the late 1990s, the University of Miami began a new era in its Basketball Program The school hired former NBA player and coach Leonard Hamilton to lead the team. Under Hamilton’s guidance, the Hurricanes began to see success on the court. In his first four seasons, the team won two conference championships and made four trips to the NCAA Tournament In 2000, the Hurricanes made their first appearance in the Elite Eight.

The Future of University of Miami Basketball

In 2016, the University of Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time in nearly a decade. The ‘Canes were led by then-senior guard Angel Rodriguez, who averaged 14.5 points and 4.5 assists per game Miami lost in the first round of the tournament to Wichita State but the team’s appearance was a sign of good things to come.

The 2017-2018 season was even better for Miami, as they won their first ever ACC regular season championship. The ‘Canes went on to lose in the ACC tournament semifinals and once again lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament this time to Michigan State Despite the early exits from the postseason, it was a historic year for Miami Basketball

Entering the 2018-2019 season, there is a lot of optimism surrounding the Hurricanes. They return all five starters from last year’s team, including leading scorer Humphrey Smith III and rising star Chris Lykes. With another year of experience under their belts, this could be the year that Miami finally breaks through and makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament

10 Reasons to Love University of Miami Basketball

1. The Canes have a long and storied history of success on the hardwood, dating back to the early days of the program.

2. Miami has produced some of the game’s greatest players including legendary coach Rick Pitino and future NBA Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning.

3. The Canes have won five National Championships including three in Division I (2001, 2002, 2013).

4. Miami is one of only two programs in NCAA history to win at least three championships in two different divisions (I and II).

5. The Canes have made 18 appearances in the NCAA Tournament including four trips to the Sweet Sixteen and two to the Elite Eight.

6. Miami has produced 13 NBA draft picks, including two lottery selections (Mourning and Tim James).

7. The Canes have had six head coaches inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Clair Bee, Morgan Wootten, Rick Pitino, Norm Sloan, Tipawan Latharattana and Tom Penders.

8. Miami’s home court advantage at American Airlines Arena is second to none, with the Canes posting a sparkling 123-27 (.819) record there since the arena opened in 1999.
9.UM fans are some of the most passionate and die-hard in all of college basketball and they pack American Airlines Arena whenever the Canes re Playing at home. 10 Reasons to Love University of Miami Basketball 11 players have their jerseys retired by University of Miami: Dick Vance (#15), Tom Blackburn (#24), Johnny Hannon (#25), Jim Larrañaga (#31), Connie Mack Berry (#32), Bill Foster (#33), Bruce Hale (#34), Lee Corso (#41), Tim James (#42) , Alonzo Mourning (#33) , Shane Battier#31).

5 Reasons to Hate University of Miami Basketball

The University of Miami has a long and storied history in College Basketball dating back to 1926. The team has won 5 NCAA Division I Men’s basketball championships the most recent being in 2013. In that time, they have also made 31 appearances in the NCAA Tournament which is tied for 12th all time.

Despite all of this success, there are still plenty of reasons to hate University of Miami Basketball Here are 5 of them:

1) They Have an NBA-Ready Roster

The roster is loaded with future NBA players including shooting guard Lonnie Walker and small forward Chris Lykes. The team also has two potential first-round picks in the 2020 NBA Draft in center Rodney Miller Jr. and Power Forward Anthony Walker. This level of talent makes it hard for other teams to compete with the Hurricanes, and it’s not fair to the rest of the league.

2) They’re Consistently Good

Since 2000, the University of Miami has only had two losing seasons. In that timespan, they’ve won 5 conference championships and made the NCAA Tournament 11 times. That level of consistency is rare in College Basketball and it’s one of the reasons why the Hurricanes are so hated.

3) They Play Dirty

Miami is known for being a physical team, and they’re not afraid to play dirty if it means getting a win. This was on full display in their 2014 Sweet Sixteen matchup against Villanova, when guard Rion Brown punched Wildcats guard Ryan Arcidiacono in the stomach while going for a loose ball. That type of play is not what fans want to see from their team, and it’s one of the main reasons why people hate Miami Basketball

4) They’re Arrogant

The Hurricanes are usually one of the cockiest teams in college basketball and they’re not afraid to show it on the court. This was on display during their 2013 NCAA Tournament run when they trash talked their way to the Championship game against Louisville. Even though they ultimately lost that game, their arrogance still rubbed people the wrong way and made them even more hated.

5) They Have a shady History