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Wednesday, March 20, 2013
 Why Larkin is Miami's most pivotal player
By Luke Lapinski

 UPDATE: Last week, we looked at just how vital Shane Larkin has been to Miami's success this season. And our own Fran Fraschilla detailed why he has been one of the most important players in the nation so far. Now, with the field set and the Hurricanes about to begin play in two days, his importance is about to be amplified even more. In fact, Fraschilla ranks him No. 1 on his list of players with the potential to make the biggest impact in the NCAA Tournament. He has more below on the talented guard's upside.

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Miami hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2008. In fact, the basketball program in Coral Gables has only been invited to the Big Dance six times ever. In that respect, the performance turned in by this year's squad is already a rousing success.

Not only are the Hurricanes heading to the tourney, they figure to open the festivities as one of the higher-rated teams in the event. And they certainly have some characteristics that could make them dangerous as the postseason unfolds. Jim Larranaga has had success in March Madness before and, while the players don't have NCAA Tournament experience to speak of just yet, they have plenty of upperclassmen on the roster with valuable college basketball experience to build from.

On top of that, the 'Canes have a number of players who can do some damage. But the one who may have to be the difference-maker for the club to make a deep run is Shane Larkin. The gifted guard has turned in a sensational sophomore year, leading the way with 13.7 points, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game. In a recent episode of College Basketball Live, Jay Williams suggested the young point guard has to be at his absolute best for Miami to truly reach its potential. And our own Fran Fraschilla ranks Larkin at No. 14 overall on his list of the most impactful players in college basketball today. With all that in mind, it's easy to see why he has the potential to make his mark on the national stage this month.

Fran Fraschilla
Running the show for Miami
"It's likely that Miami will see good defensive teams that are screen-and-roll-oriented early in the tournament such as Illinois, Marquette or Butler. Those teams will be familiar with defending Jim Larranaga's offensive schemes. Having Larkin make ball-screen reads on offense will be like Peyton Manning picking up a safety blitz. He is the Canes' security blanket."