The campers, few of number yet mighty of spirit, called the occupied ground Larranagaland or Larranaga’s Lawn in honor of University of Miami basketball coach Jim Larranaga.
They watched movies Tuesday night — “Space Jam,” “Anchorman” and “The Lion King” — projected onto the outside walls of the BankUnited Center home of the Hurrricanes, and cared not a bit about getting doused by sprinklers before dawn.
Such was the buildup to Wednesday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference showdown between 25th-ranked UM and top-ranked Duke, which came complete with a sold-out arena and an ESPN national television audience tuned in to hear the ubiquitous Dick Vitale rant and rave.
Here’s what he ended up ranting and raving about: Miami 90, Duke 63.
Blink, and read it again.
Ninety. Sixty-three.
And it wasn’t that close. Really, it wasn’t.
“It was Miami’s show, baby!” Vitale summarized in a hallway after the game. “Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this. It was a complete performance by the Hurricanes.”
For once, that stands as a Dickie V. understatement.
The Blue Devils and their coach, Mike Krzyzewski, are icons of the college game. They’re accustomed to such anticipatory madness back in Durham, N.C., where a Krzyzewskiville tent city routinely forms the evening(s) before any big game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
But they might as well have been under tents of their own as Miami swamped them during a rush to a 42-19 halftime lead.
“We have to put it behind us,” Larranaga told a television interviewer on his way to the locker room for the break.
They did.
They were relentless in demonstration of their first place ACC standing at 5-0 … and with every other team already having lost twice in league competition.
Asked if he could find anything positive to say in defeat, Krzyzewski deadpanned, “The weather is good.”
Miami forged its rout — its first against a No. 1-ranked opponent — on the strength of a sticky and aggressive man-to-man defense. It must have reminded the Blue Devils of themselves at their nasty best.
“Our defense is really what keys us,” said UM guard Shane Larkin.
Duke shot 29.7 percent from the field.
The Hurricanes benefited emotionally from center Reggie Johnson’s earlier-than-expected return from a thumb injury, and physically from a glistening performance by Larkin (18 points, 10 rebounds) and fellow guard Durand Scott (25 points).
“We played at a very high level for 40 minutes,” Larranaga said. “Duke is so good at both ends of the court it’s staggering. You have to be that way.”
Miami was much better than Duke in almost every phase in this engagement.
Larranaga spoke of the need to create and maintain “a buzz” regarding his team. He hoped for more “long lines” to enter the building.
Are the ‘Canes for real?
It’s too early to tell, but 14-3 overall is no fluke. The stunning domination of Duke proved that much, at the very least.
And the ‘Canes might have realized a victory off the court that could turn out to be bigger than any singular basketball success.
The NCAA, investigating the University of Miami for a scandal involving former Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro, said Wednesday some members of its enforcement branch had worked with Shapiro’s defense attorney to obtain information improperly.
The alleged misconduct by the NCAA, which now is reviewing itself in the matter, means the organization’s delivery of a notice of allegations against the ‘Canes will be delayed. What it might mean for UM in terms of punishments for its basketball and football teams — unexpected leniency? – remains to be seen.
Miami President Donna Shalala released a statement saying she is “frustrated, disappointed and concerned” that the NCAA might have compromised its own investigation.
The NCAA, according to President Mark Emmert, vowed to move ahead using “appropriately acquired evidence.”
The episode provided a bizarre tangent to a basketball game during which the ‘Canes, for one night, anyway, demonstrated undisputed evidence of superiority to one of the sport’s kingpins.
It was a fitting reward for the campers.
