Hurricanes Get Second Crack Against A Ranked Opponent On Thanksgiving Day
CORAL GABLES, FL – NOVEMBER 23: Miami Head Coach Jai Lucas encourages his players in the second half as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Delaware State Hornets on November 23, 2025, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Miami Hurricanes men’s hoops team is off to a fantastic start. The team under first-year head coach Jai Lucas has won five of its first six contests. Their one defeat came at the hands of the defending national champion Florida Gators in Jacksonville, who were ranked 10th.
Now, the Hurricanes will travel over 200 miles to Orlando for the ESPN Events Invitational Tournament. UM will be one of four teams competing in the Magic Bracket, alongside Dayton, Georgetown, and BYU. The No. 9 Cougars, led by freshman sensation A.J. Dybantsa, will be Miami’s first opponent, and the two will face off on Thanksgiving Day, on ESPN at 5:00 PM ET. The winner will play either the Flyers or Hoyas in the title game, while the loser plays in the consolation game the next day.
PROVO, UT – NOVEMBER 11: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars reacts after a dunk against Jayden Taylor #11, and Jameel Brown #55 of the Delaware Blue Hens during the second half of their game at the Marriott Center on November 11, 2025 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) Getty Images
BYU has been no stranger to success over the last few years. The Cougars have won 20 or more games in five of the past six seasons. Last year, Brigham Young made the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season under rookie head coach Kevin Young.
In March, they earned the No. 6 seed in the East Region and proceeded to defeat the 11-seeded VCU Rams and the 3-seeded Wisconsin Badgers. Unfortunately, their run would end in the Sweet 16 against the 2-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in a blowout.
The team is hoping to build off of last year’s run and hopes to make the Elite 8 for the first time since 1981. This year’s team is headlined by A.J. Dybantsa. The 6’8” forward from Brockton, Massachusetts, is one of the top players in a stacked freshman class.
So far, the young swingman has lived up to lofty expectations. In five games, he’s averaged 19.8 points per game on shooting splits of .548/.385/.743. He’s also the team’s leading Windex man, averaging 6.6 rebounds, along with 2.2 assists per game. However, he isn’t the only name that makes up the BYU attack.
BYU’s backcourt stars longtime Cougar Richie Saunders, a senior from nearby Riverton, Utah, five hours away from Provo. He, not Dybantsa, is BYU’s leading scorer, as he’s averaged 20.8 points per game. Sharing the backcourt with Saunders is sophomore Robert Wright III.
Wright is a figure that BYU has been familiar with since last year, as he played at Baylor. Wright has seen a few more minutes in playing time compared to last season. The youngster from Delaware has gotten off to a hot start, scoring the ball at an efficient rate. He can rip nets from downtown when comfortable.
He has also been the team’s main distributor, averaging nearly six assists per night. The duo of Wright and Saunders has combined to score 37 points per game. Both have also contributed to the rebounding game, which is a similarity they share with Miami’s starting backcourt of Tre Donaldson and Tru Washington.
However, despite the three leading men, BYU doesn’t have much else as far as production. There’s not much depth to this roster. No other player on the roster is currently cracking double figures in scoring. 6’6” junior Kennard Davis Jr. and 6’4” senior guard Dawson Baker round out the starting lineup.
A key bench player for this team is African big man Keba Keita. Keita spent his first two collegiate seasons with Utah before transferring over to BYU last season. In 17.2 minutes per game this season, Keita has chipped in by doing a little bit of everything.
His offensive game is limited, as he’s averaging just under five points. However, he is usually on the floor to provide solid defense. He has given Coach Young 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and a blocked shot per game. Up to this point, BYU has played against great competition to open the season.
They began the year by taking down Villanova in a tightly contested game at the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas, 71-66. Then, after easily dispatching Holy Cross and Delaware at home, the Cougars traveled to Boston for the Amica Insurance Hall of Fame Series.
Against No. 3 UConn, BYU trailed by 11 points at halftime but nearly fought back to upset the Huskies before falling short, 86-84. They would quickly rebound, blowing by No. 23 Wisconsin at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City by almost 30 points, 98-70.
Similar Roster Makeups, Contrasting Styles
CORAL GABLES, FL – NOVEMBER 23: Miami guard Tre Donaldson (3) brings the ball up court in the first half as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Delaware State Hornets on November 23, 2025, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Miami and BYU share some qualities, but have their own distinct styles of how they play. Both teams usually prefer small-ball lineups. However, Miami is a team that has shown a preference to run up and down the court. Through six games, the Hurricanes are tied for 67th in the nation in pace and have generated tons of offense because of that.
UM is one of the highest-scoring teams in the country during the early portion of the season. As of now, they are averaging 92.2 points per game, usually on fast breaks, drives, and inside scoring. On the other hand, BYU plays at a much slower pace, ranking 212th in Division 1 basketball in that category.
Kevin Young’s team runs a more methodical offense that’s predicated on the dominating presence of Dybantsa. They love to space the floor, and when he gets doubled, that’s usually when you see players like Saunders, who’s a high-volume shooter, attempt shots from the outside. While BYU isn’t in the top 50 for 3-point attempts, they still take a decent amount of them, attempting an average of 26.8 shots from beyond the arc.
On the other side, the Canes don’t depend on or consider the 3-ball as a main element of their offense. The team has a few capable shooters, but Jai Lucas likes to run his offense through the wings and bigs in the paint. Miami only attempts 19.7 3-pointers per game, which ranks 298th in the nation. About 60 percent of their shots come from inside the perimeter.
Reneau vs. Dybantsa: Key Matchup
Nov 16, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes forward Malik Reneau (5) drives to the basket at Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu (9) during the second half at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
This game will feature two of the best interior players in the country. A.J. Dybantsa of BYU has been highly discussed by everyone in the college basketball world. What hasn’t been spoken of much has been the play of Malik Reneau for Miami. These two supremely gifted offensive talents will be going head-to-head, trying to outduel one another.
Both could be matched up against each other, as Reneau’s 6’9” frame can guard against the 6’8” Dybantsa. This matchup is also intriguing because it provides the experience vs. youth narrative. Reneau is currently a senior with no eligibility remaining after this season. He’s been in big games as a former Indiana Hoosier.
The Miami native has evolved his role from bench warmer to a complementary scorer to now the top option on a power conference squad. He has already been tested in his new role, as he was guarded heavily by Gator defenders when the Canes took on Florida in Jacksonville back on November 16.
Both are good rebounders and will clash at times under the basket. Reneau has the size advantage, as he weighs well over 200 pounds, so it will be interesting to see who’ll outplay the other. Dybantsa has a chance to win this particular matchup, as his raw and athletic skills could overpower Reneau and catch him by surprise.
Expect these two to go at it throughout the duration of the contest. Both will match each other, bucket for bucket, rebound for rebound. The man who is the most successful after the end of 40 minutes will most likely lead his team to victory.
Will Free Throw Issues Continue for Miami?
CORAL GABLES, FL – NOVEMBER 23: Miami forward Malik Reneau (5) shoots free throws in the first half as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Delaware State Hornets on November 23, 2025, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The biggest problem for Miami so far this season has been its foul shooting. It has been underwhelming, and that’s an understatement. Their lone loss this season was mostly attributed to missed foul shots. In that game, the Canes missed 12 free throws and shot 56 percent from the charity stripe.
It’s been inconsistent, and the team has shot 70 percent or more in only two games. Miami has also missed 10 or more free throws in two of its six games. Everyone has been clanking the ball off the iron, and it can’t happen if Miami wants to pull off an upset.
As a whole, UM has shot 65.5 percent as a team, which ranks 268th in the nation. If the Canes don’t capitalize on their trips to the line, they will lose this game. They will see plenty of time at the line as well, as BYU racks up an average of nearly 16 personal fouls per game.
The Cougars are an excellent free-throw shooting team, as they make nearly 77 percent of their shots, good enough for a top 50 ranking. The Hurricanes cannot afford another poor night in this aspect. This is one of the main points of emphasis that needs to be improved if that were to happen.
