Malik Reneau's 23 Points Lead the Hurricanes as Miami Survives Boston College
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The Miami Hurricanes (18-5, 7-2 ACC) win their first game against Boston College (9-14, 2-8 ACC) for the first time since Jan. 11, 2023, as they survive an Earl Grant special, winning 74-68.
The Hurricanes played their typical game, and if it were against anyone else, they would have dropped another game into this critical part of the season.
Moreover, head coach Jai Lucas wasn't thrilled with how they played but was still happy with the win.
The Canes found themselves back in turnover trouble to start the game. They finished the first eight turnovers and struggled to force turnovers of their own. Miami leads the ACC in transition points, and this is how they play their best brand of basketball.
defense into offense ➡️🤩
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) February 7, 2026
📺 ACCN pic.twitter.com/HFZ2Y2bRGX
Against the Golden Eagles, they were able to get on runs thanks to great defense in the second half. However in the first half, the Canes struggled to get off to a fast start. They enter halftime with a one -point lead, struggling to knock down free throws and struggling with their depth.
A typical Miami Hurricanes basketball first half.
Miami is a couple of made free throws away from being 20-2, undefeated in conference play, and a top-25 team in the country, but the little things continue to kill them. Games are won in the margins, and they lose in critical areas.
— Justice Sandle (@Justice_News5) February 7, 2026
And in typical fashion, the Canes turned it around in the second, blitzing the Eagles and forcing them turn the ball over 11 times. It is what allowed them to take over and push to a ten-point lead with 11:55 remaining in the game.
DANTE ALLEN 👌👌👌
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) February 7, 2026
📺 ACCN pic.twitter.com/srKpSAGa8W
The Hurricanes leaned on their leading scorer, Malik Reneau, who wasn't blitzed for the first time with double-teams during conference play. He was allowed to play one-on-one basketball, an area is tends to dominate grandly.
Outside of a few missed dunks and touch layups at the rim, he finished with 23 points, shooting 9-20 from the field, grabbing eight rebounds, recording two steals, and a block.
Still, the Eagles continued to fight back and take the lead after roaring back while the Canes played sloppy basketball.
Tre Donaldson showed up in the second half after scoring one point in the first. He continues to be the man in clutch time scoring when the Hurricanes were faltering in the middle during the lead changes. In the closing six minutes, Donaldson scored 13 points to keep the Canes afloat.
Freshman Shelton Henderson also aided him in the second half, scoring nine of his 19 points in the half show fire and aggression that hasn't been seen all season.
It was a win for the Canes, no matter how frustrating it was for the team losing by the margins. They missed 12 free throws, are struggling with their depth and from beyond the arc, but still find a way to get another ACC road victory.
The Hurricanes now focus their attention on No. 14 North Carolina. They battle the Tar Heels on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.