University of Miami coach Jim Larranaga prefers his players not get overly excited about any given game, but that will be difficult heading into Sunday?s 6?p.m. home matchup against 15th-ranked Florida State University.
For one thing, the game is a sellout ? the first sellout this season and one of the rare full houses since the BankUnited Center opened in 2003.
Then there?s the fact that the Hurricanes are 16-10 overall, 7-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and angling for a berth in the NCAA Tournament with three regular-season games remaining.
Their RPI ranking dropped to 49 last week with a road loss at Maryland, but their strength of schedule is 27, and a win over the Seminoles (RPI 18) would be a big r?sum? builder.
Larranaga said he and his team welcome the late February drama.
?This is the time of year, heading into March Madness, when everyone wants to be part of The Dance,?? he said. ?We are on that proverbial bubble and excited. We?ve never had a winning season in ACC play, and we have a chance to do that. There are a lot of fun things to play for.?
Asked if the game is a ?must-win? and whether he felt urgency to impress the NCAA Tournament selection committee, Larranaga said: ?It is important? Of course. But the committee looks at your entire body of work. ? In the ACC, all the teams are either in the Big Dance, or fighting to get in, so these last five or six games take on greater significance.?
FSU (19-8, 10-3) has beaten UM the past six times they played, most recently 64-59 in Tallahassee on Feb.?11.
Hurricanes center Reggie Johnson was held to four points after dropping 27 against Duke in the previous game.
Johnson is questionable with a knee injury, but if he plays the Canes now know what to expect.
Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/26/2661148/win-against-fsu-would-help-miami.html
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