CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami men’s basketball team will host seven non-conference games at the BankUnited Center this fall, coach Jim Larrañaga announced Wednesday.
“Hurricanes fans will be excited to see our team play eight non-conference games in the Miami area, including one in the HoopHall Miami Invitational at AmericanAirlines Arena in December,” Larrañaga said. “We’ll also be just up the road in Orlando for the AdvoCare Invitational, where we’ll play Stanford in the first round, and we’ll travel to Jacksonville for a game against UNF.”
After starting the campaign with an exhibition game against Barry on Nov. 2, the Hurricanes will open the regular season with the Western Carolina University Catamounts on Nov. 11. The Canes will then hit the road to Jacksonville, Fla., for a Nov. 16 matchup at UNF, the only true road game on the non-conference slate.
After facing Penn at the BankUnited Center on Nov. 19, Miami will travel to Orlando for the AdvoCare Invitational, held at the HP Fieldhouse. The first round will be a rematch of the 2015 NIT Championship game, as the Canes tip off against the Stanford Cardinal (Nov. 24). In the second round, UM will face either Indiana State or Iowa State, who played in the 2016 NCAA Sweet 16, on Nov. 25. In the final round, set for Nov. 27, Miami could face Florida, Gonzaga, Quinnipiac or Seton Hall.
“Our team is very excited to be playing in ESPN’s exempt event in Orlando,” Larrañaga said. “The AdvoCare Invitational will provide our team with challenging non-conference matchups against some of the best collegiate programs in the country. We are also encouraged that our fans from all across the state of Florida will have the opportunity to watch the Hurricanes battle against very strong competition early in the season.”
Following the three-game event in Orlando, UM will play its final six games in South Florida, including five at the BUC and one at AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami.
The Canes have been dealt Rutgers in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge this season, a matchup that will take place at the BankUnited Center on Nov. 30. Three days later, UM will face Wofford in the HoopHall Miami Invitational, held downtown at the AAA.
The schedule concludes with four straight games at home, beginning with South Carolina State (Dec. 6), followed by a Dec. 16 matchup against FAU. Miami faces 2016 NIT Champion George Washington on Dec. 22, then wraps up the non-conference slate with Columbia (Dec. 28).
“With five new players wearing a Miami jersey for the first time, we had to be strategic in our scheduling for the non-conference,” Larrañaga said. “With this lineup, we think we will be prepared for the rigorous ACC schedule, which begins in January.”
Miami’s ACC schedule, which should be released in September, includes home matchups against Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. The Canes will hit the road to play Duke, Florida State, Louisville, NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
2016-17 Non-Conference Slate
Nov. 2 – Barry University (Exhibition)
Nov. 11 – Western Carolina University
Nov. 16 – at UNF
Nov. 19 – Penn
Nov. 24 – Stanford &
Nov. 25 – Indiana State, Iowa State &
Nov. 27 – Florida, Gonzaga, Quinnipiac, Seton Hall &
Nov. 30 – Rutgers !
Dec. 3 – Wofford ^
Dec. 6 – South Carolina State University
Dec. 16 – FAU
Dec. 22 – George Washington
Dec. 28 – Columbia
& — AdvoCare Invitational, HP Field House, Orlando, Fla.
Teams: Florida, Gonzaga, Indiana St., Iowa St., Quinnipiac, Seton Hall, Stanford
! — ACC-Big Ten Challenge, Coral Gables, Fla.
^ — Hoophall Miami Invitational, AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami