ESPN’s latest way-too-early men’s college basketball rankings have Miami climbing again, with the Hurricanes landing at No. 18 after being placed No. 20 in the previous version. ESPN also singled out Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis as the program’s impact newcomer.
The move comes as Miami tries to sort out the biggest question facing its offense entering 2026-27: who fills the role Tre Donaldson handled last season. The Hurricanes were productive a year ago, averaging 81.5 points per game and shooting 49.7% from the field, but Donaldson was the engine at the top of the attack. He led Miami in assists in 2025-26 while scoring 16.4 points per game.
Lewis is expected to step into that spot after a freshman season at Villanova in which he averaged 12.2 points and 5.3 assists. ESPN projected him as Miami’s starting point guard in a lineup that also includes Dante Allen, Shelton Henderson, Caleb Gaskins and Georgia transfer Somto Cyril.
There should be no shortage of options around him. Cyril brings a strong defensive résumé after posting 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game last season.
He earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team and set Georgia’s single-season field-goal percentage record at 75.9%. Miami also added Robert Morris transfer DeSean Goode, last season’s Horizon League Player of the Year, after he put up 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 62.9% from the field.
The returners give Jai Lucas even more to work with. Henderson is back after averaging 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, while Allen started 18 games as a freshman and finished at 6.6 points per game. Gaskins arrives as a five-star South Florida prospect, ranked No. 9 nationally by Rivals, No. 16 by ESPN and No. 23 by 247Sports.
Miami also added perimeter help in Nick Dorn and Brent Bland. Dorn knocked down 60 threes and shot 38% from deep at Indiana last season, while Bland led Saint Peter’s with 13.9 points per game, hit 79 three-pointers and earned first-team All-MAAC honors.
The Hurricanes will get an early read on where they stand when they open against Florida in Tampa. From there, Miami faces Alabama in the SEC/ACC Challenge and TCU in the Players Era 16 Championship in Las Vegas, giving the Hurricanes immediate chances to show ESPN’s ranking wasn’t too generous.
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Bucs Coaches Already See Something Special In Former Cane Rueben Bain
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