The Miami Hurricanes are still holding strong in the top half of the ACC after a gritty 74-68 win over Boston College on Saturday, pushing their record to 18-5 overall and 7-3 in conference play. But now comes the real test - and the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
Next up: a marquee matchup with No. 14 North Carolina on Tuesday night in Coral Gables.
Head coach Jai Lucas didn’t mince words about what this game means.
“It’s time for us to put a stamp on the season,” Lucas said. “We had ‘California Week.’
Now it’s ‘Carolina Week.’ We don’t play Duke, so this is our shot.
It’s North Carolina. We’ve got to take care of business.”
And business is booming for the Tar Heels right now. North Carolina comes in riding a five-game winning streak, fresh off a tight 71-68 victory over No.
4 Duke. They’re 19-4 overall, 7-3 in the ACC - tied with Miami in the standings - and have history on their side.
UNC has won the last three meetings between the two programs, and Miami is just 2-8 in their last 10 matchups with the Heels. The Hurricanes haven’t beaten a ranked North Carolina squad since 2018.
That’s exactly why Tuesday’s game looms so large. Miami is still searching for that signature win to anchor its résumé, especially with March creeping closer.
So far, they’re 0-3 against top-25 opponents, with losses to Florida, BYU, and Clemson. And while the Canes have racked up seven conference wins, five of those have come against teams sitting at the bottom of the ACC standings - squads with just two wins apiece in league play.
Translation: Miami’s record is solid, but the selection committee is going to want to see more substance. The Hurricanes currently sit at No. 38 in the NET rankings, eighth-best in the ACC, and Tuesday’s matchup against the Tar Heels - ranked No. 14 - is officially a Quad 1 opportunity. Miami is 2-3 in Quad 1 games so far, with road wins over Wake Forest and Syracuse (ranked No. 67 and No. 68, respectively).
But the road ahead doesn’t get easier. After UNC, Miami heads to Raleigh to take on N.C.
State - another team that’s quietly putting together a strong season at 18-6 overall and 9-2 in the ACC. Both the Wolfpack and the Hurricanes received votes in the latest AP Top 25, and both will be looking to solidify their NCAA Tournament standing this week.
N.C. State also faces No.
24 Louisville on Monday, adding even more weight to Saturday’s showdown.
And if that wasn’t enough, Miami’s next five games include Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Florida State - the latter of whom already handed the Canes a loss earlier this season. This stretch, starting with UNC, is where we find out what this Miami team is really made of.
Shelton Henderson Emerging as a Star
One of the biggest reasons for Miami’s success this season? Freshman small forward Shelton Henderson, who just keeps getting better.
He dropped 19 points on Boston College, marking his eighth straight game scoring in double figures. On the season, he’s averaging 11.9 points on an eye-popping 61.5% shooting, along with 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
“He’s just continuing to get comfortable,” Lucas said. “They talk about all these other freshmen - he’s right there. He’s one of the best freshmen in the country, and I’ll put him up against anybody.”
Henderson’s scoring average is the highest by any Miami freshman since the program joined the ACC in 2004, just edging out Bruce Brown’s 11.8 mark from the 2016-17 season. But it’s not just the numbers - it’s how he plays.
“He is as high-level of a competitor as you can meet,” Lucas added. “He’s 19 years old going up against 22- and 23-year-olds, and they just bounce off him. For him to have that kind of physicality as a freshman, it’s special.”
Tre Donaldson Battling Through Injury
Point guard Tre Donaldson also deserves his flowers after a gutsy performance against Boston College. Despite playing through an injury, he came alive in the second half, scoring 13 of his 14 points after the break - including nine in the final five minutes to help seal the win. He also pulled down eight rebounds, dished out seven assists, and added a steal in 37 hard-fought minutes.
“He’s battling through a little bit of an injury right now, so he’s not 100 percent,” Lucas said. “We’ve got to try to get him healthy before Tuesday.”
Donaldson’s ability to control the tempo and make plays late in games has been a steadying force for Miami, especially as the stakes have started to rise.
Looking Ahead
Miami knows what’s at stake. Tuesday’s game against North Carolina isn’t just another ACC battle - it’s a chance to prove they belong in the national conversation. A win over the Tar Heels would not only snap a three-game skid in the series, but also give the Hurricanes the kind of statement victory that selection committees - and fans - remember come March.
It’s “Carolina Week” in Coral Gables. Now we’ll see if the Canes are ready to make their mark.