The Miami basketball team will be without starting guard Nijel Pack and Wooga Poplar on Monday night versus North Carolina. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that Pack is out on Monday morning. The reports of Poplar being out emerged about an hour before game time.
Pack and Poplar have both missed several games this season. North Carolina is the fourth consecutive game Pack is out. Poplar is missing his fourth game this season. It appeared that Poplar had re-injured an ankle that hindered him since December. Miami has to figure out where the offense will come from without Pack and Poplar.
Bensley Joseph will start in place of Pack as he has in the second half of the season with multiple injured players out. Christian Watson will start with Poplar out. Jim Larranaga said on the pregame show that Miami might try things they haven’t used this year. Miami could play zone for the first time this season.
Larranaga told Miami play-by-play announcer Joe Zagacki they might try and utilize a bigger lineup without Pack and Poplar. Miami could play 6’10 freshman center Michael Nwoko with forward Matthew Cleveland and Nochad Omier on the frontline and 6’7 Kyshawn George with Joseph in the backcoury.
