Miami Wins 80-72 Over North Carolina
With a 80-72 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Dean Smith Center, the Miami Hurricanes moved to 12-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.
The biggest factor for Miami’s win? Defense.
Miami harassed UNC shooters all evening long, especially from behind the 3-point arc. Nobody could have predicted 1-11 from behind the 3-point arc in the first half, or going just 5-31 for 16.1% for the game. That happened after UNC knocked down 15-33 against Clemson from three, for 45.5%, and won 91-71.
The Hurricanes were tremendous at getting a hand up and running at the Tar Heels shooters without fouling them, and that was a huge factor for Miami getting the win.
It was also a win without a primary player doing much because of foul trouble.
The big man for the Hurricanes, Norchad Omier, got his second foul with 12:41 remaining in the first half. He did not score or grab a rebound for the Canes during the first half, yet Miami was still up 35-34 at the break. He didn’t do much in the second half either. This was a game for Miami’s guards, especially on offense.
It was not that way for the entire game, however.
Omier’s absence allowed UNC’s primary post player, Armando Bacot, to go to work down low during the first half. Miami’s 6-foot-9 forward Anthony Walker came into the lineup in an attempt to slow down Bacot, but the Tar Heels kept feeding him the ball. Bacot finished the first half with 10 points to lead the Tar Heels.
Another aspect that propelled Miami throughout the first stanza was one thing it’s done well during the vast majority of games this season: The Hurricanes shot the ball well after making unselfish passes.
Miami hit 4-9 behind the arc during the first stanza, including guard Nigel Pack going 3-4 and leading all scorers with 11 points in the first half. Pack finished the game with 23 points.
Miami needed Miller and Pack to play well, as Isaiah Wong had an off evening with just 10 points.
Miami came out hot in the second half, going up 39-34 with Jordan Miller hitting a layup off a reverse-pivot move. Miller finished as the leading scorer for the Hurricanes, netting 24 points, while also contributing 11 rebounds and two assists.
Anytime the Tar Heels closed the lead down to one bucket, the Hurricanes answered right back.
When it wasn’t Miller, it was Pack. He drilled a 3-point shot from the left wing with 16:29 remaining, and then after Pete Nance traveled, Pack weaved his way through traffic and hit a layup.
Miami went up 46-38 with 15:56 remaining in the game, and UNC was fortunate a television timeout took place soon after to stem the momentum.
Even with that timeout, Bacot missed two free throws after the break, and UNC’s offense was just not in sync during the early portion of the second half.
Miami extended its lead to 50-40 with two free throws from Pack, and that also placed three fouls on Bacot. He was not nearly as aggressive on defense after that third foul was called.
In fact, Bacot finished with only 12 points despite his quality first half. Miami did a great job of bottling him up in the final 20 minutes. As the midpoint of the second half drew nearer, Pack continued his big-time play.
He hit a driving layup with 13:01 to play that made the score 52-40.
A few moments later, Omier picked up his third foul and went to the bench, and then Bacot was immediately called for an offensive foul with Walker being in excellent position to take it. That was an absolutely phenomenal defensive play by Walker; just how Miami head coach Jim Larranaga would draw it up.
That was with 12:09 remaining and Miami still up 52-40. The score then went to 59-47 when Miller scored his 20th point of the evening off a 3-point-play with 8:44 remaining.
During the final eight minutes of play, UNC could only score inconsistently, while Miami was patient with their offense, driving the basketball when needed and shooting open shots off of good passes.
The key play down the stretch, Miami got a 3-point-play off an inbounds pass and conversion by Wooga Poplar that made the score 69-58 with 2:25 remaining.
For the game, Poplar finished with seven points and three rebounds. His big play was reminiscent of how the Hurricanes played overall, honestly.
Even though UNC never gave up until the final moments. Miami’s savvy ball handling and free throw shooting kept the lead.
That’s true even though UNC’s best scorer from the perimeter – guard Caleb Love – knocked down a bomb from close to 30 feet with 34 seconds to go, closing the gap to 73-69.
Love finished with 20 points, but did so during an off-shooting night by going only 7-19. Fellow UNC guard RJ Davis was the leading scorer with 23 points from 9-18 shooting. Those points were not enough though.
Miami just kept hitting free throws and running down the clock.
It was a clinic on how to stay composed in one of college basketball’s most difficult arenas. Miami deserved this win. Basketball legend Dick Vitale agreed:
Ironically, it happened with Omier scoring just five points and grabbing six rebounds.
Bottom line, Miami defeated North Carolina and there’s a legitimate shot at winning the ACC regular season title. This big road win also gives Miami a better chance of moving up to a #4 or #3 seed when the NCAA Tournament selection committee makes their bracket for March Madness.
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