Behind the steering wheel of the Atlantic Coast Conference?s hottest team, Miami coach Frank Haith is taking a simple approach to the regular season?s stretch run.
“We have four games left,” Haith said. “Let?s try to win all four.”
The Hurricanes (19-7 overall, 6-6 ACC) are making a strong, late-season push for an at-large bid in next month?s NCAA Tournament. While some analysts might suggest Miami has work left to do, Haith thinks his team is deserving of a bid ? so long as it finishes .500 in conference.
“I think, when I look at our resume with our strength of schedule and our [Ratings Percentage Index], if you can get to .500, the resume we have should get us in,” Haith said. “That?s just me. I?m not in the room to make that selection.”
While North Carolina (26-2, 11-2) and Duke (23-3, 10-2) have top-five rankings in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), five other conference teams are in the RPI top 70: Clemson (23), Miami (24), Wake Forest (62), Virginia Tech (64), and Maryland (66).
ESPN.com bracketologist Joe Lunardi predicted Monday the ACC would receive five bids ? North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Miami, and Maryland. The Terrapins, Lunardi suggests, would be the No. 11 seed in the South region, playing six-seeded Gonzaga (22-6).
While most ACC teams are aiming to prove they belong in the NCAA tournament, teams like North Carolina and Duke are competing for regional placements. Playing closer to home is a big advantage in the early rounds, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said, he prefers his team “to be in the moment,” rather than worrying about tournament seeding.
“If your body of work is really good, there?s a good chance for the first couple of games, you can be in your region before you can go out,” Krzyzewski said. “You hope you can play well, and you?re one ofthose groups of teams that?s considered for that situation.”
North Carolina plays at Duke on March 8 (ESPN) in a game that will likely decide the top seed of next month?s ACC Tournament, as well as go a long way toward determining where the programs end up in the national tournament.
Clemson (19-7, 7-5) has a grasp on third in the conference, but Sunday?s game at Maryland will be critical in determining how the conference seeds will be handed out.
First though, Clemson has the tough task of taking on visiting Miami at 7:30 tonight. The host-Tigers have won four straight, including victories against Duke and Maryland. Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said it doesn?t matter who you play in late February ? everyone is focused.
“We?re playing a hot team, maybe the hottest in the league,” said Purnell on Miami. “At this time of year, all teams are playing hard, gearing up for the stretch run. You won?t find an easy opponent.”
