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Here are five things you need to know about Miami men’s basketball:
Nike stayed
After sniffing around at the NBA, 6-foot-4 junior guard Nike Sibande decided in May to withdraw from consideration for the draft and return to Miami for a third season. The third-team, all-Mid-American Conference pick led the RedHawks with an average of 16.1 points per game and became the first Miami player to need just two seasons to reach 1,000 career points.
Also back are 6-7 junior forward Delonte Brown, the only other player to average in double figures in points at 11.5 per game, and 5-7 sophomore guard Mekhi Lairy, who made the MAC All-Freshman team last season.
Miami returns 70.7 percent of its scoring and 65.3 percent of its rebounding from last season, according to the program’s Media Relations Department, yet the roster includes just one senior, 6-8 forward Bam Bowman.
“This is the deepest we’ve been” Owens said on October 29 during a media session.
Owens believes a team effort will be needed to help make up for the loss to graduation of guard Darrian Ringo, who was an impact player on the defensive end. It’s not going to be easy.
“There’s not one guy who can replace his defensive pressure,” the coach said. “The things Darrian did, we don’t have that. Guys just have to do their jobs.
Remember Isaiah?
Miami’s roster includes four newcomers, though 6-8 junior forward James Beck will redshirt after transferring from Oakland, but while you can’t call 6-foot Isaiah Coleman-Lands an addition, being limited to just five games last season by a foot injury that led to a medical redshirt season, makes him an intriguing element.
Coleman-Lands believes he might benefit from spending most of last season watching from the sidelines.
“I can break down schemes defensively,” he said. “I can see where I can attack without having to be too aggressive.”
Coleman-Lands can’t wait for the season to start.
“I’m doing great,” he said. “This is the healthiest I’ve been in a while. I don’t want to say it feels like I’ve been let out of a cage, but it feels great to be playing the game I love.”
Acing chemistry
Miami’s improved chemistry and communication have stood out for Bowman during practice, he said. It’s a product of he and Brown and Sibande having a couple of years together under their belts.
Owens has noticed.
“Before our scrimmage, Bam and Delonte were talking sbout how to cover ball screens,” he recalled. “They were both right. Before, it was the coaches who were having to do all the talking. It’s pretty refreshing.”
Prep work
The RedHawks could potentially play two games against Wright State, since both teams also are scheduled to participate in the Fort Myers, Fla., Gulf Coast Showcase Nov. 25-27. The Raiders tied Northern Kentucky for last season’s Horizon League regular-season championship before losing to the Norse in the tournament final.
Miami also is scheduled to play at Louisville before facing Missouri Valley Conference-champion Bradley on Dec. 21 in Oxford.
Owens considers the grind necessary to get ready for MAC competition, which is due to start for the RedHawks at Central Michigan on Jan. 4. Miami’s MAC home opener is scheduled to be against Buffalo on Jan. 11.
“Each (non-conference) game should help us prepare for the MAC,” Owens said.
Been a while II.
Miami was picked in a preseason MAC coaches’ poll to finish fourth in the East behind Bowling Green, defending division- and conference-champion Buffalo and Kent State. The RedHawks haven’t won a division championship since the 2004-2005 season and haven’t won a tournament championship since 2006-2007 season.
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