Miami Hurricanes Punch NCAA Tournament Ticket

0:00On March 16th, the Miami Hurricanes' men's basketball team punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament as a number seven seed. After a rough seven-win 24 losses in last year, under a new first-time head coach, they turned things around with a school record. 25 wins and 8 losses. Now they're headed to St. Louis to face 10th-seated Missouri in their opener on Friday at 10-10 pm. This marks a big turnaround for the program, especially with many players experiencing March Madness for the first time. Senior Ernest Uday Jr. felt the potential right from their first practices together despite the roster shake-up. Players and coaches erupted in cheers at a campus watch party on Selection Sunday. For veterans like Uday and a couple other seniors, it's a dream come true, while newcomers soaked in the excitement of still playing in March. Missouri brings challenges, playing essentially a home game just 219 miles from campus. The Tigers went 20 and 12 overall with wins over Florida and Kentucky, so Miami's prepping hard over the next few days despite the latins.

1:04Tip off. With staff ties and a former Missouri player still involved, the Hurricanes have some insider edges. They're embracing the fresh start game by game, determined to extend their run deep into April.