Stephen Schramm / Times-News

GREENSBORO – Miami coach Frank Haith has tasted plenty of success in the National Invitation Tournament. While the Western Alamance High School graduate was on the staff at Wake Forest, he helped the Demon Deacons win the event.

So with his Hurricanes (20-13) playing their way into a possible NIT bid
after winning two games in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, Haith was encouraged.

“That’s a great feeling to propel you to the next season,” Haith said.
The Hurricanes will have to wait until tonight to find out if their season
ended with Saturday’s 77-74 semifinal loss to Duke.

But given that the team was awash in questions prior to the season due to losing a nucleus that included two-time All-ACC first-teamer Jack
McClinton, being on the NIT bubble is a positive development.

“For us to have 20 wins, with how we finished, I’m very proud of these
guys,” Haith said. “A program like Miami, our hope is that we don’t have
those huge dips. We want to sustain some success. That was my goal going to this season, but you don’t know because you’ve got a lot of young players.”

After starting the season 16-1, the Hurricanes limped to a 4-12 finish in
ACC play. Entering the tournament as the 12th seed, the Hurricanes’
victories against fifth-seed Wake Forest and fourth-seed Virginia Tech
stunned many.

“As the year progressed on, our play got better and you could see this
team get better as a basketball team,” Haith said.