Miami Hurricanes vs Charleston Southern Buccaneers Picks and Predictions November 30th 2024

Miami Looks to Halt Slide in Home Clash vs. Charleston Southern

Hurricanes Aim to Regain Momentum After Tough Charleston Classic

The Miami Hurricanes (3-3) return home on Saturday afternoon looking to snap a three-game losing streak when they host Charleston Southern (1-7). After a disheartening showing at the Charleston Classic, the Hurricanes are desperate for a bounce-back performance.

Miami Struggles on Defense and the Boards

The Hurricanes dropped three games in four days in Charleston, exposing weaknesses in defense and rebounding. Drake dominated Miami on the offensive glass (14-5) en route to an 80-69 victory. Oklahoma State buried 10 of 22 3-pointers to secure an 80-74 win, while VCU shot a blistering 50.9 percent from the field in a 77-70 defeat of the Hurricanes.

Miami coach Jim Larranaga knows his team needs more from its rotation, particularly reserve players like Paul Djobet.

“He worked very hard in the weight room in the offseason,” Larranaga said of Djobet. “He’s much stronger.”

Key Players for the Hurricanes

Miami has talent, led by point guard Nijel Pack, who averages 15.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. Center Lynn Kidd has been efficient in the paint, shooting 76.3 percent while contributing 11.3 points per contest. However, the Hurricanes need improved defensive intensity and better rebounding to reverse their fortunes.

Saturday’s matchup will be Miami’s first home game in nearly two weeks, offering an opportunity to reset.

Charleston Southern Searching for First Road Win

Charleston Southern (1-7) has yet to win away from home this season, but the Buccaneers have faced a challenging schedule that includes power-conference opponents Clemson, LSU, and Georgia Tech.

The Buccaneers showed promise in a 77-68 loss to LSU, leading 34-29 at halftime. They also held advantages in second-chance points (21-10) and points off turnovers (22-13). Daylen Berry led the team with 19 points and 12 rebounds in that game.

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Key Players for the Buccaneers

First-year head coach Saah Nimley, a former Charleston Southern player and Big South Conference Player of the Year (2015), is guiding a young team. The Buccaneers’ top contributors include:

• Taje’ Kelly: Leading scorer (14.9 points per game) and top rebounder (7.1 per game).
• Daylen Berry: Averaging 12.1 points and a team-high 2.4 steals.
• R.J. Johnson: Contributing 10.1 points and a team-best 4.8 assists.
• Anthony Gause: A freshman guard averaging 9.3 points.

“He’s a supreme talent,” Nimley said of Gause. “He’s got to work on some things, particularly on defense. But he’s going to be a really good player.”

What’s at Stake

Miami will look to capitalize on its home-court advantage to regain confidence and work on its deficiencies. For Charleston Southern, Saturday represents another chance to compete against a higher-level opponent and develop its young roster.

The Hurricanes hope to avoid further stumbles, while the Buccaneers aim to prove they can hang with a power-conference team.