Led by a season-high 16 points from forward Malik Reneau and eight assists from guard Acaden Lewis, Miami drubbed North Florida, 89-51, on Monday evening. With the win, the Hurricanes improved to 2-1 on the season. They’ll play their next game on Friday at home against North Alabama.
Here are three takeaways from the commanding win.
Caleb Gaskins finding his groove within Miami’s offense
The Hurricanes’ five-star freshman is an x-factor this season. With Gaskins’ ability to glide to the basket and knock down threes at his 6-foot-8 frame, Miami doesn’t have another player on the team with a similar skillset.
For Miami to reach its full potential, Gaskins has to be an impactful player, and he’s starting to find an offensive rhythm after a lackluster debut against Florida.
In recent wins over Wagner and North Florida, Gaskins averaged 11.5 points per game. Against North Florida, he scored 12 points, making two of his five attempts from beyond the arc. He even had a pair of assists, most notably a precise lob pass to Reneau, who flushed down the alley-oop dunk.
In these next three games before the vaunted Players Era tournament, it’s vital for Gaskins to continue increasing his production so that he’s confident when the competition level ramps up.
Robert Miller III was such a massive offseason addition
While Miller did not receive as much attention as some of the other UM transfers this offseason, he will be one of Miami’s most important players this season.
One of the Hurricanes’ biggest weaknesses last year was their frontcourt depth. Once starting center Ernest Udeh Jr. went to the bench, Miami struggled to replace his production on both ends of the court.
With Miller serving as a backup big in 2026–27, UM’s frontcourt depth is now a legit strength, as Miller has played exceptionally well in his first three games with the Hurricanes.
In 17 minutes against the Ospreys, Miller recorded 10 points, eight rebounds (six of which were on the offensive glass) and two blocks. There was also little to no drop-off in play when Miller subbed into the game for starting center Somto Cyril. It’s early, but Miller seems like one of the biggest transfer portal wins of the offseason for head coach Jai Lucas.
Offensive execution still needs to improve
Miami may have scored 89 points, but this was far from a flawless performance from the offense.
UM struggled mightily from deep, making just five of its 27 three-point attempts. For the season, Miami ranks last in the ACC in three-point percentage (22.2%).
The Canes also rank 16th in the conference in total field-goal percentage (44.8%). Now granted, this number is slightly skewed because Miami played an incredible Florida defense in its season-opener. Still, with how paint-centric their offense is, the Hurricanes must shoot more efficiently from the field if they want to compete for an ACC title.
