BYU is in Orlando to play two games in the four-team Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational. The first game versus will be on Thanksgiving at 5pm ET on ESPN. Friday will be versus Dayton or Georgetown on ESPN/ESPN2.

BYU is clearly the best of the four team, and Miami is the next highest rated in KenPom. Georgetown and Dayton have pulled off upsets this season and would provide another chance at a quality win for BYU Friday. All three challengers are fringe tournament teams, but regardless they’ll give BYU two chances at quality wins that BYU can add to the resume.

I am not sure on Kennard Davis’ status, but he travelled with the team to Orlando and practiced with the team earlier today.

BYU and Miami by the Numbers

Wins: Jacksonville, Bethune Cookman, Stetson, Elon, Delaware State

Loss: Florida — 82-68 on neutral court

KenPom Prediction: BYU 85, Miami 78 — BYU 76% win probability

After an awful 2024-25 season that saw the Hurricanes finish 7-24 and dead last in the ACC, Miami rehauled its entire coaching staff and roster. Miami hired Duke assistant Jai Lucas, who kicked off his first offseason by bringing in six transfers and seven freshmen in the offseason and finished with the #16th ranked recruiting class in 247’s Composite rankings, which combines both freshmen and transfers.

Miami definitely looks more improved to start the year, although all five of their wins have come against mid- or low-major competition. Head Coach Jai Lucas has brought in a style that likes to push the ball, and the Hurricanes have scored at least 97 points on four games. The Hurricanes have some good frontcourt players, and although they don’t have a big man as physical as UConn’s Tarris Reed, they will likely try to out-physical BYU in the paint. Miami Head Coach Jai Lucas touched on that a bit in his media availability earlier today.

“We’re built to be physical. We’re built to be big and we just have to enforce our will of where we are. If I try to get into a competition with them (BYU), going against who we are and trying to kind of be more suited today, it’s not our game. It’s not going to go good for us. So we have to be who we are. We got to be able to control the paint. We got to be able to rebound. We got to take care of the ball and then a big part of taking care of the ball is what our shot quality is too. So the shots we get on offense is just as important as anything.”

Only 31% of Miami’s three-point field goal attempts this season have been from three, highlighting their desire to attack teams in the paint.

Another important factor to watch will be Miami player availability. Starting Center Ernest Udeh has missed the last two games with an injury he suffered in practice, and starting guard Tru Washington missed their last game on Sunday. Lucas didn’t give a definitive response on their availability.

“Those guys are working their way back into practice,” Lucas said. “I’ll have a better feel after today’s practice just to see where they are and see who will be available and who can go from there.”

Malik Reneau, Forward — The top player in Miami’s transfer portal haul, the 6-foot-9, 240 lbs forward transferred from Indiana after three seasons, Reneau averaged 13.3 points and 5.5 boards for the Hoosiers last season and has upped that to 21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds through six games this year. Reneau isn’t much of a three-point threat, but he finishes through contact and is a willing passer out of double teams. Dybantsa may be matched on Reneau to start, which would challenge AJ’s physicality.

Tre Donaldson, Point Guard — Donaldson transferred in from Michigan after starting all 37 games for the Wolverines last season and averaging 11.3 points and 4 assists on 37.5% shooting from distance. He’s averaged 16.8 points this season and is a senior with lots of college experience. Tre is 7-21 from three on the season, but is coming off a 4-4 performance versus Delaware State.

Shelton Henderson, Forward — Henderson was the jewel of Miami’s freshman class, a 5-star wing who was committed to Duke until Lucas came to Miami. Henderson isn’t a natural shooter, but is a big and strong wing at 6-foot-6 who can use his physicality to attack the paint and defend on the perimeter. He’s averaging 11.8 points on the season, but struggled versus Florida and scored only 7 points versus the Gators.

Tru Washington, Guard — Washington is one of the players questionable for this game due missing last game with injury. A transfer from New Mexico, he is third on the team in scoring at 14.8 ppg. He’s hit a three in all five games he’s played and is 8-17 from three on the young season.

Ernest Udeh, Center — Udeh is also questionable after missing the past two games with an inury. BYU is familiar with Udeh after seeing him the last two seasons at TCU. Udeh is a large man, listed at 6-foot-11 and 266 pounds. He’s not a huge scoring threat but is effective on the boards. Last season at TCU Udeh was 77th nationally in offensive rebound percentage. In 4 games this year he is averaging 9.5 rebounds. He had 3 points and 10 rebounds against the Gators big front line.

Miami is a different team that Wisconsin. Both teams have size, but Wisconsin likes to spread the floor while Miami prefers to try to do their damage in the paint and be physical. They aren’t going to pound you like UConn, but if healthy they could give BYU trouble in the paint with Udeh and Reneau.

I like BYU in this game because of the pace the game should be at. Miami has shown they want to push the tempo, and that goes right into BYU’s hands. BYU will likely pack the paint defensively and use their length to narrow passing lanes. Miami likes to get into the paint with Reneau and dribble penetration from their guards, so they may have to adjust and shoot more threes. I expect BYU to show they are willing to let it rain from deep before potentially adjusting.

Miami has some good players from the transfer portal they brought it and I think they can make this a close game, but BYU still has more talent and continuity at this point in the season. A healthy Keba will help neutralize some of the things Miami likes to do in the paint and three-headed monster of Wright, Saunders, and Dybantsa will challenge Miami on the perimeter unlike anything close they have seen this season.

Prediction: BYU 90, Miami 81