Miami Basketball Underestimated in First KenPom Rankings

Coming off a 7-24 season will give anyone reason to rank the Miami Hurricanes as low as they come in the first KenPom rankings of the year.

The Hurricanes are not returning a single player and have brought in an entirely new staff and look to the program. This is the first time in a while that there has been hope for the program that was in the Elite 8 and Final Four less than five years ago.

Entering the 2025-26 season, the Canes rank as the No. 76 team in the first KenPom Rankings of the year.

With the additions of veterans such as Tre Donaldson, Malik Reneau, Erest Udeh Jr, and alongside some breakout potential freshmen, Shelton Henderson and Donte Allen, the Canes have a chance to upset several teams in the early goings of the year.

The good news is, the Hurricanes will face three teams in the top 25, No. 2 Florida, No. 18 BYU, and No. 24 Mississippi, before kickstarting their ACC schedule. This will allow them to rise in the rankings and have more things play in their favor for this season.

First KenPom Rankings of 2025-26 Season

1. Houston
2. Florida
3. Purdue
4. Kentucky
5. UConn
6. Illinois
7. Duke
8. Gonzaga
9. Tennessee
10. UCLA
11. Michigan
12. Texas Tech
13. Iowa State
14. Louisville
15. Arizona
16. St. John’s
17. Baylor
18. BYU
19. Vanderbilt
20. Wisconsin
21. Kansas
22. USC
23. Alabama
24. Ole Miss
25. Michigan State

If there is an expectation this season, it is to make the ACC Tournament and make it hard for teams to play against them in the big games. This team is built on defense, and with the right pieces in place, the Canes can make it hard for anyone.

The only question is the offensive capabilities of the team. They have a larger roster, allowing them to be versatile in how they play the game. The questions come from beyond the arch. Who will be the marksman who could be the go-to guy when the time calls for it?

The season is less than a month away, and the Hurricanes are looking to make a statement in their first year under head coach Jai Lucas against Jacksonville on Nov. 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET at the Watsco Center.

Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.