CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) – The University of Miami men’s basketball team is getting a sweet send off to Chicago.
The team wrapped up practice just before noon, Wednesday, and members are boarding buses to continue in the March Madness party.
Coach Jim Larranaga and his team went through a light-spirited one-hour practice before their departure.
The U will make their fourth-ever Sweet 16 appearance.
It will also be their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016.
The Canes are moving forward after pulling off consecutive upsets against No. 2 seed USC and No. 2 seed Auburn in the NCAA tournament.
Miami, No. 10 seed, will face No. 11 seed Iowa State, Friday night.
If Miami wins, the team will play in their first-ever Elite Eight.
“My message has been the same: Stay loose and smile a lot,” said coach Larranaga. “There’s a reason this is called the big dance because it should be fun. We’re dancing to Chicago, we’re in the Sweet 16, we’re enjoying the heck out of it, but the most fun is playing really well and winning.”
“We kind of have that chip on our shoulder, you know, being picked twelveth to finish conference in the beginning of the season and just beating Duke, not getting ranked, those are just more reasons for us to keep going harder,” said Hurricanes guard Kameron McGusty. “We’ve had all the motivation we’ve needed throughout the season so, I mean, we’ve never lost confidence. I guess you could say we’ve gained some, a little bit, but I feel like we’ve been pretty confident throughout this whole season.”
The team should arrive in Chicago at around 6 p.m., Wednesday.
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