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ACC team-by-team previews: Notre Dame, Duke battle for the top

By Arielle Chambers

TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Asia Durr (25) guard Louisville Cardinals stumbles with the basketball against Brittany Brown (12) guard Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match-up on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida. FSU wins 65-72. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Asia Durr (25) guard Louisville Cardinals stumbles with the basketball against Brittany Brown (12) guard Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match-up on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida. FSU wins 65-72. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Miami

Projected finish: 5th

Last year’s record: 24-9, 10-6 ACC

Key Returners (last season’s stats)

F/C- Erykah Davenport, 6’2, (Decatur, GA), SR– 6.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 18.5 MPG; ranked second on team in blocked shots (23).

F- Keyanna Harris, 6’2, (Riviera Beach, FL), SR- 4.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG. 20.1 MPG.

G/F- Shaneese Bailey, 5’9, (Callahan, FL), R-SR- 3.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 10.1 MPG.

F/C- Emese Hof, 6’3, (Utrecht, NETHERLANDS), JR- 6.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 16.5 MPG; led team in blocked shots (31).

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)

G- Laura Cornelius, 5’8, (Groningen, NETHERLANDS), JR-  8.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 25.8 MPG; redshirting season due to torn ACL.

G- Adrienne Motley, 5’9, (Newport News, VA)- 13.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 30.1 MPG.

G- Jessica Thomas, 5’6, (Gainesville, FL)- 13.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 32.2 MPG.

F- Keyona Hayes, 6’1, (Marietta, GA)- 10.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 24.5 MPG..

CORAL GABLES, FL – MARCH 20: Miami forward/center Erykah Davenport (30)
CORAL GABLES, FL – MARCH 20: Miami forward/center Erykah Davenport (30) /

Newcomers

G- Kelsey Marshall, 5’9, (Davie, FL), FR- espnW HoopGurlz five-star prospect, nation’s 44th ranked recruit

G-Taylor Mason, 5’9, (Decatur, GA), FR– espnW HoopGurlz four-star prospect, nation’s 66th ranked recruit.

G- Mykea Gray, 5’4, (Upper Marlboro, MD), FR- espnW HoopGurlz nation’s 69th ranked recruit.

G- Endia Banks, 5’9, (Duluth, GA), FR- Prospects Nation four-star prospect, 53rd ranked recruit, Region 6-7A Player of the Year.

G/F- Rebecca Ripley, 6’0, (Stratham, NH), FR- Prospects Nation four-star recruit, nation’s 125th ranked recruit.

Head Coach

Katie Meier, 13th season

“We did everything we needed to do last year and one game we didn’t win,” Katie Meier said of her 2016-2017 team’s NCAA Sweet 16 season-ending loss.

Meier also mentioned how the “upperclassmen have established how hard [they] work…[they have] given 100% effort for Miami.”

She added that this year “there’s a pressure of being important” as well.

Miami head coach Katie Meier
Miami head coach Katie Meier /

Key non-conference games

Nov. 30- Michigan State

Dec. 10– Kentucky

Outlook

Six new players will become Miami’s next generation. They are led by a strong senior class, but suffer the loss of Adrienne Motley and Jessica Thomas.  Erykah Davenport, leading the team in steals last season (45)  will be a strong defensive presence for the Canes; Meier stressed the need for her to double her stats in order to hold her ground on the season.

Best case scenario:

Miami musters up the confidence and plays solid games against top teams, giving them momentum as they perform ideally in conference. 

Worst case scenario:

The loss of Laura Cornelius due to injury and graduated seniors was much too much for this young team to compensate, especially offensively, making this a rebuilding year for the Canes.  

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