Feb. 9, 2026, 9:30 p.m. ET
North Carolina must shake off its post-Duke hangover and head to South Beach to face a tough Miami team.
The Hurricanes enter at 18-5 overall and are tied with the Tar Heels for fourth place in the ACC at 7-3 in league play. It’s one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball this season. Miami went 7-24 last year and finished last in the ACC at 3-17.
First-year head coach Jai Lucas deserves much of the credit. He has built a deep roster, leaning on the recruiting chops that helped him land the job. Miami signed a top-25 recruiting class and added key pieces through the transfer portal.
Here are some players to watch.
F Malik Reneau (6-9, 233)
Reneau has been one of the best players in the ACC this season, averaging 20.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. The Indiana transfer is a three-level scorer, shooting 56.5% from the field, 34.6% from 3-point range and 79.4% from the free-throw line. He also excels at drawing contact, averaging 6.2 fouls drawn per 40 minutes, the fifth-best mark in ACC games.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!G Tre Donaldson (6-3, 195)
The Michigan transfer is averaging 16.0 points, 6.2 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. Donaldson is shooting 46.5% from the field and 35.0% from 3-point range. He has an assist rate of 30.4%, which ranks seventh in the ACC and in the top 100 nationally.
F Shelton Henderson (6-6, 240)
The true freshman is averaging 14.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 61.5% from the field and 32.4% from 3-point range. He has an effective field-goal percentage of 64.4%, which ranks 33rd nationally.
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