View live updates and discuss the game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Drake Bulldogs in the first round of the Charleston Classic at TD Arena on Thursday (12:00 p.m., ESPN2).
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Miami (3-0, No. 46 Kenpom) is taking a step up in competition at the Charleston Classic where they will play three games in four days against opponents that are each tougher than what they have faced to begin the season as they have an average margin of victory of 31.7 points. … Drake (3-0, No. 124 Kenpom) is coming off a 63-61 win over Florida Gulf Coast. … The winner will play the winner of the FAU and Oklahoma State game on Friday (11:30 a.m., ESPN2) in the semifinals while the loser will play on Friday (2:00 p.m., ESPNU) in the losers’ bracket. … Miami ranks 25th nationally out of 364 teams in offensive efficiency (115.7) and 86th in defensive efficiency (100.4) while Drake ranks 168th in offensive efficiency (104.6) and 103rd in defensive efficiency (101.4). … The teams have a contrasting style as Miami’s average length of possession is 16.0 seconds, ranking 92nd, while Drake is at 20.5 seconds, ranking 357th. … Miami has been one of the best teams in the country in turnover rate, ranking third at 11.4 percent, while Drake has been one of the worst at 26.6 percent, ranking 360th. … However, Drake has been turning teams over at a 27.5 percent rate, ranking third nationally, and Miami ranks 223rd in defensive turnover rate at 16.7.
MIAMI’S PROJECTED STARTING FIVE: PG Nijel Pack, SG Jalen Blackmon, SF Matthew Cleveland, PF Brandon Johnson, C Lynn Kidd
SERIES RECORD: Miami leads 1-0; Miami won 63-56 in last meeting at NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023
LINE: Miami -10 according to William Hill Caesars Sportsbook
KENPOM SCORE PREDICTION: Miami 77-69, Miami has a 77% chance of winning
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Drake: SG Bennett Stirtz leads the team in scoring (18.7), assists (5.0) and steals (3.0) while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from 4. He is coming off a 25-point game against FGCU as he also grabbed seven rebounds, dished out four assists and had three steals as he is making a smooth transition to the Division I level after playing his first two years at Division II Northwest Missouri State with coach Ben McCollum.
Miami: PG Nijel Pack leads the team in scoring (14.7) and assists (6.7) and looking to turn in another high-level performance at a tournament as he was named the 2023 Bahamas Championship MVP for a tournament-record 44 points in two games and was named the 2023 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Most Outstanding Player to help lead Miami to its first ever Final Four appearance. Pack is off to a good start shooting the ball with an effective field goal percentage of 68.3 coming off a career-low 48.2.
Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by e-mail at stock@insidetheu.com and on Twitter @InsideTheU
