The Jai Lucas Era Starts With a 17-Point Statement

New Coach, New Roster, Same Miami Swagger

The Jai Lucas Era didn’t just start — it burst through the doors with a mic drop and a manifesto.

This was a debut that screamed “Yeah, this is different now.”

Final score: Miami 86, Jacksonville 69 and please don’t let that polite little box score fool you — this wasn’t a game, it was a coronation. The Watsco Center gave witness to the start of a movement, something new, something fresh, something great for Miami basketball.

Lucas, in his first ever game as a coach, rolled out five new starters and got everyone realizing that this team is better than even people predicted. Five new faces. Zero fear. “We’re resilient,” said big man Ernest Udeh Jr., who introduced himself to Hurricanes fans with 14 points, 14 boards, and enough charisma to power Biscayne Bay.

“We’re bought in. We love each other, and when you have that, everything else takes care of itself.”

Udeh grabbed the mic before tip and after the game — thanked the crowd, hyped up the building, and then went out and dominated the paint.

“Defense was the emphasis,” he told reporters. “We wanted to play good defense and get easy buckets in transition.” They did both.

Freshman phenom Shelton Henderson? Bullet train. The Houston kid — once a Duke commit — scored 12 in his first nine college minutes and finished with 15. Tru Washington threw in 12. Tre Donaldson added 11. Malik Reneau? Smoothest 20 you’ll see this side of Biscayne, and 10-of-12 from the line like he was born to get fouled.

Larranaga Watched, Lucas Delivered

Jim Larranaga sat courtside, the winningest coach in program history watching his successor bring new life into a new-look Miami squad.

“For Coach L and his wife to be there is huge,” Lucas said. “This is the program that he built… all the success… the banners. He welcomed me with open arms.”

That legacy clearly wasn’t too heavy for Lucas or his players.

Miami opened the night with some early jitters, letting Jacksonville hit four straight threes and fall into a 12–8 hole. Then? Snap. A 10–0 Miami run. A three-point play by Henderson. Lockdown defense. All gas, no Dolphins.

They shot 55.1% from the floor, went 29-of-37 from the line, and held a 35–20 rebounding edge. “Our emphasis on free throws is a huge part of what we do,” Lucas said.

“With our size and physicality… we’ve got to get to the free throw line and capitalize. We made them tonight. Shot almost 80 percent. If we do that every night, we’ll be right in the mix.”

Still Hungry! 

“Ernest played really, really well for us,” Lucas said. “I was yelling for him the whole game to get a rebound and I look up and he’s got 14.”

Reneau was calm, cool, and unbothered: “It was super special for everybody, not just me… Coach got his first win. Ernest got a double-double. There’s a lot of good play from us.”

Even Jacksonville’s coach Jordan Mincy — one of Lucas’ best friends — showed love after the game.

“He’s going to do a really good job with this team this year,” Mincy said. “The future is extremely bright.”

Miami fans don’t need to be told twice. The Jai Lucas era isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reintroduction. And it just started with a damn good night at the office.