Miami is good. Definitely better than us. But they aren't unbeatable. They aren't even the best team in the MAC (that would be Akron). I'm not saying they dont beat us. They likely do. I'm just saying its not like were playing Duke here.
We could legit beat them in Athens or Cleveland.
They're really living high on the hog right now. Their weak schedule built so much confidence, that we definitely don't have, and in-turn has helped them build an insane amount of self-confidence in close games, teams are on edge playing them, they get weak calls at the end of games, they take chances while teams play stiff. Buffalo nearly knocked them off, twice. We beat the brakes off Buffalo. Theres no reason we can't beat them. They're not invincible. They struggled with teams we beat. The difference is they're cruising. We're playing with our heads down. They can brush off so much, because their living on cloud nine. Every problem we have is magnified and exacerbated. I'm jealous of them, and I don't like it, and it's really gone to show how much that team belives in themselves. And they built that belief crapping on D3 teams while we got hammered by Louisville. We're not a great team, we're an average team. But we're playing with our heads low, we're stuck in quicksand. They're not a great team either, they're a good, solid team. But they're playing with the confidence of the 2016 Cavs. Which elevates them so much. I've shifted from jealousy and dismissal into hey man, this is kinda cool - they play so well as a TEAM. A team that will lose in Athens come March.
I think a key word in your little essay above is "team." That's one thing that I've noticed when I've watched Miami play this season. They play as a team – very unselfish. They distributed the ball very well, and each player seems to know his role and the role of his teammates.
My biggest knock on Boals and the team from the beginning. Zero leadership. Zero role definition. Cause nobody wants to follow a 13-12 leader. Everyone wants to point fingers. Jack is our best player, but I don't think he'd even say hes a leader. He's a good scorer. But he's not holding people accountable. He's not huddling the offense and getting people focused. He's not looking at people in the face and saying THIS SHOT IS MINE. I GOT THIS. Everyone just wants to get their shots up. Zero flow to the offense. Zero leadership. Zero accountability.
Hadaway should be the leader, but he's not a leader. He's a 13 year old in a 6'9" body.
Sheldon should be the leader, but he couldn't throw it into the ocean from the pier.
Simmons can try to lead, but he's been here for six months.
Jack NEEDS to lead, but I haven't seen it.
Boals needs to be the leader, but I think there is just so much finger pointing going on amidst a .500 season they've lost all focus, all drive, all accountability and he's likely at a point where he doesn't know how to lead this team either, because they don't listen, they dont hustle. And his 'lack of set offense' offense can't work with a team that has no leadership or defined roles.
Last Edited: 2/13/2026 11:19:52 AM by M.D.W.S.T