Miami Led by Connection Between Star Duo in Victory Over Missouri
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With eight minutes remaining in Friday's round of 64 matchup between the Missouri Tigers and the Miami Hurricanes, the Tigers had all the momentum in their favor. Mark Mitchell's buried three with 7:50 left in the second half not only put the Tigers up 54-52, but it also forced the Hurricanes to call a timeout despite being in control for most of the contest.
The call from head coach Jai Lucas may have sent the Enterprise Center in St. Louis into a Missouri-favored frenzy, but it gave his two senior stars, Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson, a chance to recharge. And that they did.
Miami followed the timeout on a 23-8 run with 17 of those points coming from Reneau and Donaldson. This surge of scoring wasn't just due to the seniors' talents: it stemmed from a connection the two have built over the years.
"Our connection started from a young age; we've been playing together for so long," Reneau said. "He finds me, I'm able to find him, and just having that confidence in each other to go get a basket for the team."
The 'Florida kids,' a nickname Donaldson coined, have been playing together since high school, through AAU and the Nightrydas EYBL Elite team. Although they each spent their first three years of college at different schools, they came together for their senior season to weather the Hurricanes' storm of a season from last year.
Following last year's 7-24 season, Miami made an improbable turnaround despite having no returning players and a brand new head coach. The transfers, Reneau from Indiana and Donaldson from Michigan, proved to be the answer for a No. 7-seeded Miami team that was facing another storm in the form of a relentless Missouri squad on Friday.
And Reneau responded emphatically, with 19 second-half points after scoring five in the first half.
"Being able to come in, getting confidence from my team who put trust in me and then just calming down completely, put me in a great spot to make a good push in the second," Reneau said.
As Reneau strung together twelve points in the final eight minutes, his partner in crime put the final touches on the Missouri Tigers. With 1:37 remaining and the Tigers reeling, Donaldson hit a contested three to put Miami up 12 and put the nail in the coffin for Missouri.
That 3-point shot was one of five to go in for Donaldson, marking a season high. The second team All-ACC guard finished the contest with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists while shooting 5-for-7 from range.
Donaldson didn't just credit his success to his elite shotmaking; he also attributed it to the position Lucas put him in.
"The biggest thing coach says is understanding our role and what's expected of us as those senior leaders," Donaldson said. "Me and Malik understanding that and stepping up to the plate and executing when coach puts us in those situations together."
The confidence Lucas instills in his players played a major factor in the second-half scoring surge that saw Miami turn a 27-point first half into an 80-point game. But the connection that Reneau and Donaldson have developed was just as crucial.
"Us playing together has been a joy and we've built a connection like no other," Donaldson said.
"Playing with him, he makes the game so easy for myself because he's such a threat himself too," Reneau said.
Their game looked flawless in the second half on Friday as they combined for 33 points in the frame, while shooting 10-for-13.
The surge from the seniors has led Miami to a Round of 32 matchup against the No. 2-seeded Purdue Boilermakers on Sunday at 11:10 a.m.
It's difficult to predict what Reneau and Donaldson will have in store on Sunday, but the chemistry between the two is a constant the Hurricanes won't have to worry about.
"Playing with him so long, it's annoying but I can get by," Reneau said jokingly, "Love this guy."
