Miami returns home looking to bounce back from its first loss when it hosts Elon on Thursday in Coral Gables, Fla.
After winning their first three games, the Hurricanes (3-1) fell on Sunday in Jacksonville against defending national champion Florida.
Miami’s revamped roster held its own at times during the 82-68 defeat, but a poor shooting performance (33.8% from the field), including 29.4% (5 of 17) from 3-point range, ultimately kept the Hurricanes from pulling off the upset.
Leading scorer Malik Reneau (21.5 points per game) continued his strong start with 22 points and 11 rebounds, but he struggled with his shooting, going 8-for-23 from the floor. Reneau and Shelton Henderson (11.0 ppg), who was held to seven points, each got into foul trouble to compound the Hurricanes’ issues.
“We weren’t us to the level we needed,” Miami coach Jai Lucas said. “We didn’t need to do anything special. We just had to be us, and we weren’t there. The motion of the game kind of got us, and that’s part of being in this moment for the first time.”
To get back in the win column, the Hurricanes must slow down the Phoenix (3-1), who secured their own bounce-back win on Saturday by beating visiting Gardner-Webb 95-84. Elon, which is set to face its first power-conference opponent of the season, is led by Chandler Cuthrell, who is averaging 24.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Cuthrell, the Coastal Athletic Association’s Player of the Week, presents a challenge for Miami’s strength, which has been its frontcourt. He ranks among the nation’s top 10 in scoring and has put up 20 or more in each of the Phoenix’s four games.
Kacper Klaczek has complemented Cuthrell in the paint, averaging 13 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Randall Pettus II (14.5 ppg) and Bryson Cokley (11.3 ppg) lead Elon’s backcourt.
“It starts with our point guard play. They make sure I’m always in the right spots,” Cuthrell said. “… They made my job easier.”
