All right Miami is up next.
Tricia Cullop's first season at the P4 level and in the ACC conference did not go so well. They began the pre-season ranked approximately #35 and finished the season unranked. Season one for Cullop left Miami with a record of 14-15 overall(.483) and a dismal 4-14 in the conference(.222). In her defense the unexpected retirement of Meier and the lateness of her hire left many of the better players in the portal already taken. Worse was the ensuing departure of so many very good players (Latson, Spearman, Oldacre, Day-Wilson,Williams,Dwyer) who all went on to be key contributors on other(mostly highly ranked) teams. It was definitely a disappointing season but the fact that they were even considered to be around #35 pre-season ranking tells you what the "experts" thought of both Cullop as a coach and the team she ultimately assembled. Their final two games of the season were lopsided losses on the west coast to Stanford and Cal. Miami absolutely underachieved and both the coaching staff and the players are partially responsible. If not for the return of the Cavinder twins a bad season would have been a total disaster. Can Cullop turn things around in year two ? Although nothing is certain I would say emphatically yes!
What was lost: All starting 5 plus 2 key contributors along with 3 other bench players : total of 10 players. That didn't leave very much. Gone to graduation are starting post players C.Williams (6'3" 11.7ppg) and N.Marshall (6'5" 7.7ppg). Haley Cavinder (their leading scorer18.2ppg and assist leader) along with sister Hanna (6.9ppg) and 2nd in assists, J.Roberts one of the few who stayed on after the coaching change (10.0ppg) and 6th "man" D.Rogers (7.0ppg). L.Hylton (2.6ppg) was a key contributor off the bench but has moved on to join TX A&M. Also hitting the portal were L.Harmon(2.8ppg) to UCF, A.Almon (1.3ppg) to Syracuse, and D.Abies(2.3ppg) to St. John's. In total they lost 6 experienced guards and 4 post players.
What remains: Returning are only 2 players : backup pg A.Adams (So. 5'6" G 3.7ppg) and S.Pelish(rs Fr. 6'0" G) who did not play last year due to an injury - more on that later.
Incoming transfers: 7 total players of which I expect 5 will be starters and another the 6th player/1st player off the bench. First up is Ra Shaya Kyle from Florida (Gr. 6'6" C 14.1ppg) and Jessica Peterson from SMU (Gr. 6'2" P 10.3ppg). Also coming in are Mya Kone (rs Jr. 6'2" F/W 11.4ppg) from FIU, V.Blasigh (Jr. 5'9" G 10.4ppg) from USF, A.Kimpson (Jr. 5'8" G 14.5ppg) from UNLV, G.Raviv (So. 5'9" G 17.9ppg) from Quinnipiac/Israel, and finally C.Kpetikou (rs So. 6'3" C 3.4ppg) via Wash.St./Niger.
Incoming freshmen: 5 players : #36 C.Williams (they lost a C.Williams to grduation and got one back lol) (5'11" G), #54 D.Osho (6'1" F), #80 N.Wetzel (6'3" F), #91 M.Tippner (5'10" G), and UR S.Okolo (6'1" F).
So what went wrong last year and why do I think they can turn it around ? As for last year Miami's ACC record stood at 1-2 after 3 games (including a decent showing against NC) but that's where the problems began. Miami hosted VT and was up double digits halfway through the 4th quarter - and blew the game, losing by 4. That was a game they should have won especially when you consider the starting 5 was made up of veterans: 4 grad-students and a senior (along with 6th player also being a grad student). VT and Miami's seasons diverged after this game - VT becoming competetive and nearly making the tournament and Miami going the opposite direction. What followed were 6 games of which 5 were winnable. They lost by 5 at Syracuse, by 4 at home to BC, by 22 at FSU(expected loss), by 3 at Clemson, won by 7 over SMU, and won by 3 over VA. Miami SHOULD have been 7-3 at this point but instead was 3-7. They only won 1 more game the rest of the season - a measly 2 point win at home over hapless WF. For whatever reasons Miami just didn't seem to "jell" as a team all that well. Is that the coaches fault or the players? I think it was some of both but mostly it was just circumstances. And a learning curve that both had trouble overcoming.
So why do I think they can turn it around in one season? Many reasons. Number one is coaching. Cullop admitted she had adjutments to make after her first season. She recognized the importance of having over-achieving starters from lesser teams over having back up players from top teams when it comes to mining the portal for talent. It also helps to get mostly players for more than one season rather than the one-and-done players because they need to REALLY know your system in order to excell in it. Cullop also recognized Miami needed more Size, Physicality, and Speed. Cullop was able to round up a Top 15 portal class but more importantly landed what could be a really solid starting 5 + 1 as well as what I think may be THE best front court in the ACC this year. The starting tandem of R.S. Kyle and J.Peterson is scary. Of the players having dbl-dbls last year Miami has both #3 and #4 in the ACC - Kyle with 16 and Peterson with 14. Only Ziegler(Louisville transfer from St. Joseph's)with 20 and Pierre(NC St. transfer from Vandy) with 17 have more. Just for comparison Betts/UCLA (19), Prince/TCU(16), Strack/KY(15) and Beers/OK(15). Only UCONN is close with S.Williams(14) and Strong(13) as a duo and KY with Strack(15) and Key(12). In the ACC the only teams that might be able to challenge them would be NC St (with Trygger/Pierre) and FSU (Davis/Kubek).
Cullop also addresssed the backcourt with G.Raviv (MAAC POTY and ROTY), A.Kimpson (Mt.West Conf. former FOTY), V.Blasigh (AAC former FOTY), and M.Kone(former 6th POTY). All six players are double digit scorers.
Cullop's system also needs depth in order for it to be successful. That's where recruiting last year's #10 class comes in. So I envision something along the following: Starting Center Kyle (6'6") backed up by Kpetikou(6'3") and freshman Wetzel (6'3"), Starting Forward (6'2" Peterson) backed up by Kone (6'2") and freshman Osho(6'1"), Starting Guard Raviv(5'9") backed up by freshman Williams (5'11") and freshman Tippner (5'10"), Starting Guard Basleigh (5'9") backed up by rs freshman Pelish (6'0") and freshman Okolo (6'1"), Starting Guard Kimpson (5'8") backed up by so. Adams (5'6"). Adams was ranked #41 in the 2024 class. There is footage out there of Okolo dunking the ball both one-handed and two-handed and nearly dunking on an alley-oop play. She has an insane vertical for 6'1" ! Wetzel is said to be Miami's best pure 3-point shooter and at 6'3" could stretch the floor. And now we come to rs freshman Pelish. For those that read every crazy set of stats I put out there she is the "mystery girl" from New York's all-time scorers list. She attended the same h.s. as Maddy Siegrist and had the same coach years apart. She broke most of Siegrist's records and also took her team to the state title which Siegrist did not do. Like Siegrist she wasn't heavily recruited and like Siegrist she sustained an injury that prevented her from playing her first season in college. Weird,right? Siegrist is 6'2" and Pelish is 6'0" but seems to be a better 3-pt shooter and defender than Siegrist was at the same point in their careers. Will she be the next Siegrist? Probably not but only time will tell. But certainly there's a lot of potential. Recruiting has become a 365 days/yr job and a successful coach will need to recruit great players from the portal, great players coming out of high school, and great international players. Cullop has achieved all 3 levels in only her first full year at the helm - which is why I pick Miami as one of the 2 teams I think will challenge this year. A few more stats for nerds:
In the ACC Miami has #1 rebounder in the conference(Peterson-12), #4(Kyle-8.7)and #5(Kone-8.1). Miami has the #1 player in FG%(Kyle-59.38), #2(Kimpson-50.74),#6(Peterson-45.80) and #7(Raviv-44.79). Miami has the #2 player in most FT's made(Kyle - 137). Miami has the #2 player in assists/game(Raviv - 4.3).Miami has the #5 player in FT%(Kimpson-83.33), #7(Kone-78.80), #8(Kyle-78.29), #11(Blasigh-75.00) and #12(Raviv-74.78). Miami has the #5 player in 3-pt%(Kimpson-37.40) and #7(Blasigh-36.70).
In conclusion I believe this year's Miami team has tremendous potential. I think Cullop went out and secured the right players for her system and has had the time for the players to learn and buy into that system as well as the time for the team to really come together as a true "team" unlike a year ago. Cullop has a strong support staff and has been tireless in her recruiting efforts. I am expecting this team to make a leap forward and finish around a high of 4th and a low of 8th place. It doesn't hurt that most of their tougher games (NC St, Louisville, Duke, Stanford) are at home.
