Miami Basketball Extends Win Streak to Eight in Gritty Road Victory Over Wake Forest

The Miami Hurricanes continue to prove they are a legitimate NCAA Tournament team in another gritty victory over Wake Forest.

Jan 7, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes guard Tre Donaldson (3) brings the ball up court defended by Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6) during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Miami Hurricanes (13-2, 2-0 ACC) battled in a tight, close battle against Wake Forest (10-6, 1-2 ACC) on the road, edging them out in the final seconds 81-77 thanks to a great free-throw performance and defensive manpower.

The Hurricanes started the game as they typically do, with sloppy play and turnover basketball that gets them behind the eight ball. However, thanks to some coaching adjustments from Jai Lucas, the Canes were able to battle back regardless of the lack of three-point shooting on their side.

UM only made four from beyond the arc; however, with the way they pound the ball inside the paint, shooting was not a real priority. The Canes finished with 42 points inside, along with 23 extra from the charity trip.

Jan 7, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes forward Malik Reneau (5) and guard Tru Washington (10) start to celebrate in the final seconds against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Hurricanes as a team shot great from the free throw line, 23-30, compared to other games. It is exactly where Lucas wants to shoot at the line, as well as the way they attacked the paint.

The Canes also saw another star performance from the most underrated player in the country, Malik Reneau. He finished the game with 18 points, six rebounds, and iced the game with free-throw shooting.

Alongside Reneau, Tre Donaldson led the team in scoring, bouncing back from his ice games over the last two performances. He finished with 21 points, 7-10 FG, six assists, and three rebounds.

Jan 7, 2026; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Miami (FL) Hurricanes guard Tre Donaldson (3) goes to the basket defended by Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Myles Colvin (6) and forward Tre'von Spillers (25) during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Demon Deacons, however, knocked down over 10 three-pointers in the game, allowing the game to remain as close as possible going down to the final stretch.

Moreover, it wasn't enough to keep the Canes away from picking up another victory.

The Hurricanes also saw center Ernest Udeh Jr. pick up a double-double, and what was most impressive was his free-throw shooting. He made them when they counted the most, going 4-4 from the stripe, not only earning him player of the game for the Canes but the Jason mask.

WE IN THAT MODE 🔥🎭🗣️ #Relentless x #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/aGnP97AkES

— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) January 8, 2026

"Hard-fought game," Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes said after the game. "I think Miami's got a good basketball team. Reneau is a really good player, all-league level. Donaldson, we've seen him at and Auburn — good players. Udeh can really rebound the ball offensively. He had five of those."

The Hurricanes will return home against Georgia Tech (10-6, 1-2), looking to extend their win streak to nine. They have a ten-game home winning streak.

---

Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes-related: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.