ATLANTA (AP) a Jim Larranaga made his mark as a baseball coach years ago at places like Bowling Green and George Mason. This season, together with his Miami Hurricanes experiencing unprecedented success, Larranaga revealed he's extraordinary footwork. Minutes after he was introduced Thursday as The Associated Press' coach of the year, the 63-year-old, two-time hip replacement patient was asked about his postgame Ali mix after the Hurricanes' 63-59 victory over Illinois in the next round of the NCAA tournament. "When we left Coral Gables for the NCAA tournament I told the people I would definitely have more fun than any other instructor and I wished them to have more fun than any other team," Larranaga said. "It does not mean goof off and be ridiculous. It indicates appreciate each other's company, once we practice be excited about being there, possess some passion, be very, very positive." Larranaga mentioned that he plans lots of the things he does together with his staff but after the Illinois game was off the cuff what happened. "During the hard fought game at virtually every timeout in the next half I said we're in a fight and fighters are needed by me. They were told by me we needed seriously to fight to get every recovery, every loose ball, every basket, every inch of the floor," he recounted. "I kept repeating that and after we won, I thought I have to congratulate them on what well they fought, as I was walking into the locker room to handle them and the initial title I thought of was Muhammad Ali. "I asked you guys to battle and what I found available was Muhammad Ali and the mix used. A good thing was the result of the players who got up and began darkness boxing." Larranaga and his rapid combination of punches remains in every promotional video for the competition, even though the Hurricanes were eliminated by Marquette in the round of 16. Larranaga light emitting diode Miami to the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and competition brands a' the first in school history a and a school-best No. 2 rank. The Hurricanes finished 29-7 in Larranaga's 2nd period. The AP's person of the year was not able to make the presentation because he and his teammates were at practice, planning for the Last Four. Michigan sophomore guard Trey Burke was the person of the year after leading a new band of Wolverines to Michigan's deepest work since the Fab Five era in 1992 and '93, once the Wolverines performed in back-to-back titles. They take on Syracuse in the national semifinals Saturday. Burke joins Cazzie Russell in 1966 as the only Michigan players to win the honor. The Big Ten player of the entire year, Burke averaged 19.2 items, 3.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists. He shot 40.1 percent from behind the 3-point line. "He has been with three to five freshmen all year long," Michigan instructor John Beilein said Thursday. "Here he is this cagey sophomore, seasoned sophomore. "Come on, the entire year he has been just like calm and cool like he was a redshirt senior guard. Which means you look at that. "Those young people look at Trey, they see poise, they see tolerance. It's worked very well." The voting was by the same 65-member national press panel that decides the regular Top 25. Ballots must be returned by Selection Sunday. Votes were received 31 by burke while Otto Porter Jr. of Georgetown was 2nd with 16 votes and Victor Oladipo of Indiana got 10. Larranaga obtained 29 votes, Jim Crews of Saint Louis got 19 and Mark Handful of Gonzaga had 11. Larranaga may be the first Miami coach to win the prize and may be the first Atlantic Coast Conference coach to get it since Roy Williams of New York in 2006. Larranaga, a New York native who led George Mason to the Last Four in 2006, was told Burke wouldn't have the ability to attend the news conference because Michigan was at exercise. "Boy, I wish I was," he said, meaning every word.
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