Colleges

DOUBLE DRIBBLES

'Cane mutiny? Hardly

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published February 17, 2007

'Cane mutiny? Hardly

With all the injuries, with all the losses, Miami simply could have played out the string.

Instead, the 'Canes 10-15, 3-8 ACC stunned N.C. State last week and play host to Wake Forest today with a shot, no matter how slim, to reach .500 or, at worst, make Selection Sunday a bit more nerve-racking for opponents. (Florida State closes the regular season at Miami on March 3.)

"You see so many ball clubs this time of the year just kind of pack it in," coach Frank Haith said. "I'm proud of our guys. They haven't done that. We're undermanned. We're young, but we've still got a lot to play for. That's pride and (wanting) to continue to get better as a basketball team."

The 'Canes lost four post players by early January, including senior Anthony King (torn tendon in his right wrist) sophomore Adrian Thomas (hernia) and junior Fabio Nass (torn right ACL). Then earlier this month, Haith suspended junior Raymond Hicks for an undisclosed reason. He returned to practice this week but won't play today.

"I've really tried ... to be positive with our kids," Haith said. "I think our kids rallied around that. The kids have really bought into just continuing to get better. We've stressed those points as opposed to the negative. 'Let's just improve and work hard and take whatever happens after that.' "

Revival in Oxford

First-year Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy wasn't expected to win often this season. He inherited a team that went 14-16 (4-12 SEC) last season and hadn't finished above .500 overall since 2001-02.

But his Rebels (17-8) have defied the pundits and won four straight entering today's game at Arkansas. At 6-5, they sit, remarkably enough, alone atop the SEC West.

"Our team is playing with a great deal of confidence," said Kennedy, Cincinnati's interim coach last season after Bob Huggins' departure. "Our guys are believing, and belief is a powerful thing."

If the Rebels can keep it going, they could make the NCAA Tournament. They'd at least be in the conversation. The turning point? A 79-70 loss at No. 1 Florida on Jan. 20. Down by as many as 25 in the second half, the Rebels didn't give up and made it interesting.

By the numbers

10 Ranking in AP poll for Washington State; its first time in the Top 10 ever.

12 Games today in the fifth annual "BracketBusters," headlined by No. 16 Southern Illinois at No. 13 Butler on ESPN2 at 4; two were played Friday.

29 Game home win streaks, longest in nation, by Mountain West's Air Force and BYU; Colorado State gets a shot to stop both in a four-day period, today at Air Force, Wednesday at BYU.

1,500 Friar Bobbleheads to be handed out for Providence's home game Tuesday against West Virginia.

2,049 Career points for Wisconsin's Alando Tucker entering today against Penn State, 99 shy of Michael Finley's school record.

Quotable

"I thought the fine print when we joined this league said that we never had to go to Chapel Hill, and now in Year 3, they're finally making us go there. We tried to get the game canceled, but we couldn't. So I guess we've got to go down there and play." - Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg joking before playing at North Carolina on Wednesday

This just in: After Tech won in overtime, completing a season sweep, you can bet UNC folks are perusing that fine print to see about keeping the Hokies out of town.

Brian Landman can be reached at landman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3347.

[Last modified February 16, 2007, 22:41:00]