CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- In University of Miami men's head basketball coach Jim Larrañaga's 30 years in the collegiate ranks of the sport, never has he led a team returning zero starters from the previous season.
That is, until now.
Seven months ago, the Hurricanes reached the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history and became the first school outside of the state of North Carolina to win both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships.
Unranked Miami opens its season amidst homecoming celebrations at 10 p.m. Friday against St. Francis at BankUnited Center.
There are nine newcomers on the team and just nine scholarship players after a season-ending left wrist injury to freshman guard Deandre Burnett.
"This is going to be a year where there's going to be a lot of growing pains, really similar to my first year," Larrañaga said. "The difference is we had experienced players who were experiencing those growing pains. Now it's inexperienced players."
Experts have picked Miami to finish near the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which now fields 15 teams.
It hasn't affected the mindset of the Hurricanes, who will raise their championship banner during Friday's pregame ceremony.
"I think we can be great," said senior guard Rion Brown, who is the only player of seven returners to have started a game last season. "I never come into a season thinking we were going to be bad or we weren't going to live up to certain expectations because I know if Coach L recruited them obviously they're here for a reason.
"He knows they can help us, and he's got a plan for all of us. It is a very different team from last year, but that's not to say it's worse or better. It's just different."
F Julian Gamble (France), C Reggie Johnson (D-League), F Kenny Kadji (deciding between D-League or Europe), G Shane Larkin (Dallas Mavericks), G Trey McKinney Jones (D-League), G Durand Scott (Spain).
The 6-9, 225-pounder, who played for DePaul the past two seasons, began his career at Miami. The graduate student started 35 games for the Blue Demons, blocking 82 shots (12th in program history). During his junior year, Kirk made 30 starts and averaged 25.5 minutes per game with 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. He blocked 50 shots and corralled 40 offensive rebounds.
As a Hurricane, Kirk played in just 17 games from 2009-11 because of a back injury that provided him a redshirt year.
"I feel kind of like both," Kirk said. "The reason I feel new is because the offense is new -- new plays, system. Older because I know some of these guys and I've played college basketball for a while. I have a good grasp for what the game is like, and fortunately for us some of these teams coming in the league I've played already."
Brown called Kirk "pure energy," bringing an excitement factor to the team.
"He's all over the place -- offensive glass, definitely," Brown said. "He's one of those types of guys who can get offensive rebounds and go right back up, and he's smart enough and skilled enough to get open shooters."
PG Manu Lecomte, Fr. -- A member of Belgium's U16, U18 and U20 teams, Lecomte most recently played for second division Mons-Hainant Belfius. He led his country in scoring with 12 points per game and 2.9 assists in the U18 European Championship.
The 5-9, 159-pounder gets the task of replacing Larkin, who was drafted 18th overall by the Dallas Mavericks, the highest pick for a UM men's basketball player in 48 years.
In the Oct. 30 exhibition game against Florida Tech, Lecomte scored two points, grabbed two rebounds, committed two turnovers and collected three assists in 19 minutes. He went 1 of 4 from the floor.
"What we've explained to Manu is that we need him to be more aggressive," Larrañaga said. "He's another one who can really shoot. Terrific 3-point shooter, layups, but you have to be looking for them."
G Davon Reed, Fr. -- The 6-6, 208-pound true freshman from Ewing, N.J. was a four-star swingman listed as a top-100 player by Rivals.com and ESPN.com. Reed averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds as a senior, earning him honors as a McDonald's All-American candidate.
Larrañaga said that Reed's natural position would be at the 3, but with Larkin gone and a season-ending injury to Burnett, the Hurricanes will take advantage of his range.
Reed tallied six points, two rebounds, one block and one steal in 17 minutes off the bench in the 84-55 exhibition victory over Florida Tech.
"Davon is our best-prepared to play our defense," Larrañaga said. "He's had a lot of good days defensively. He's a little more aggressive defensively than the other guys, which is good, but it does have its shortcomings because he can get in foul trouble.
"Offensively he's also a very versatile player, kind of a jack-of-all-trades."
G Rion Brown Sr. -- The 6-6, 211-pounder scored 21 points thanks to five 3-pointers against Illinois to tie for the fourth-best outing by a Miami player in the NCAA Tournament.
Brown, a senior, started just six games last year. He averaged 6.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game. He connected on 37 percent of his shots from 3-point range.
In the exhibition, Brown scored a game-high 20 points by going 7 of 8 from the field in 24 minutes. Larrañaga will look for more of that out of his starting shooting guard.
C Tonye Jekiri, So. -- In just his fourth year playing basketball, Jekiri finds himself transitioning from the seventh man in the rotation to what Larrañaga hopes is eventually an "all-ACC caliber" player.
Both Kirk and Brown called Jekiri, who moved to South Florida from Nigeria in September 2010, the most-improved player. The 7-0, 235-pounder played in 34 games as a freshman, averaging 1.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.9 minutes.
Larrañaga said the sophomore's biggest concern is experience, which will help him decide when to shoot his jump hook or turnaround jump shot. He must go from hesitation to instincts.
In the exhibition against Florida Tech, Jekiri went 1 of 7 from the floor with three points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in 28 minutes.
"There's certain things you can teach and there are certain things that only experience can teach you," Larrañaga said. "You have to do them over and over again. Practice only creates a certain number of those opportunities.
"I think he's very, very confident in his defense and rebounding. He's not as confident in his scoring although if he figures one or two things out he could be. He hasn't figured out how and when to use them. In my mind he could be a double-figure scorer this year."
SG Garrius Adams, Gr. -- After missing the 2012-13 season with a knee injury, Adams returns to the court with 37 career starts -- tied with Kirk for most on the team.
The 6-6, 200-pounder's best year came as a sophomore when he averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 36 games (24 starts). Adams has made 39.7 percent of his shots from 3-point range.
Adams' and Kirk's presence should balance out Jekiri's and Lecomte's inexperience and youth.
PG Manu Lecomte; SG Garrius Adams; SF Rion Brown; PF Donnavan Kirk; C Tonye Jekiri
G Davon Reed; F Erik Swoope; F James Kelly; F Raphael Akpejiori
ow will the Hurricanes fill the void left by Burnett?
Larrañaga announced on Wednesday that Burnett would miss the season with a left wrist injury he sustained during Sunday's practice.
Burnett, who averaged 37 points, six rebounds and five assists per game his senior year at Miami Carol City High, was a 2012 Parade All-American. He scored 45 points three times in his final prep season.
The 6-2, 191-pounder was expected to provide a scoring threat off the bench. Instead, Larrañaga doesn't know how the team can replace Burnett's production.
Depth will be an issue as there are only nine scholarship players on the roster.
Larrañaga said he and his coaching staff would try to prepare walk-ons Steve Sorensen and Justin Heller.
"Every guy has his strengths and weaknesses. One of Deandre's strengths was really scoring the ball," Larrañaga said. "It's not a matter of shooting -- it's a matter of making. We're trying to figure it out. If we can get Manu to really look for more shots, if we can get Tonye when he should... Those two players will perform at a much higher level."
How competitive can the Hurricanes be?
Miami is the only ACC team to not return a starter from last year's roster.
Though the team is inexperienced, how long it takes the players to adjust to the college game -- and their roles in it -- will determine whether the Hurricanes can surprise folks.
"The young guys are kind of getting used to the speed of the game, but that comes with experience," Brown said. "After these first couple of games we'll be alright."
Lecomte played internationally in Belgium, while Kelly spent two years in junior college. Sprinkled in are guys like Adams, Kirk and Brown who have been around the program before.
"I would say it comes down to -- the best team on the court is the smartest team on the court," Kirk said. "Being around each other, playing hard with each other, getting back on defense. Everybody on this team has something they can bring for us to win. I think we are a good team, but I can think we can be a great team."
