The Duke Blue Devils went to Miami and blasted the Hurricanes on Tuesday evening, 97-60, an entirely unsurprising result considering the current trajectory of both programs.
Miami – who dropped to 2-15 in ACC play – is entering a new era after longtime head coach Jim Larranaga abruptly announced his retirement in December in the midst of another disappointing season.
Recent reports indicate the ‘Canes are working to hire Duke associate head coach Jai Lucas, which made Tuesday’s game a little more interesting for Miami fans who got a look at the present and potential future of the program.
Duke’s current head coach – Jon Scheyer – addressed the rumors surrounding his right-hand man on Tuesday.
“Jai is a special coach,” Scheyer said. “We’ve been through a lot together for three years. He’s everything you could want…He’s a great coach, bottom line. Our friendship will always be there no matter what.”
Lucas has been at Duke the last three seasons, and prior to that spent two years under John Calipari at Kentucky. He also spent seven years at Texas, working his way from Director of Basketball Operations to assistant coach.
The hiring has not been finalized, with recent reports saying the two sides are still negotiating. Start date is among the issues being discussed, as Miami certainly wants a coach in place prior to March 24 when the transfer portal opens, while Duke could conceivably still be playing into April if they make the Final Four.
Next up for Miami is a road game in Chapel Hill against North Carolina on Saturday, March 1 at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN.