Strong 2nd half for the Hurricanes help them get past losing slump.
Coach Jai Lucas’s squad needed a response to their two-game losing streak, and they delivered on Saturday afternoon.
After a rough past week, the Miami Hurricanes looked like their early season form today, taking down Syracuse in the JMA Wireless Dome, 85-76. With the win, Miami improved to 16-4 on the season, and now 5-2 in conference play.
Miami led 41–36 at halftime and kept extending their lead in the second half behind both balanced offense and defense. The Canes got back on track on the offensive side of the court today, led by Malik Reneau, who finished his day with a 20-point (8-12 FG) 11-rebound double-double. The Hurricanes offense also got a spark from Tre Donaldson, who came off the bench for Miami today, as he put up 16 points on 5-8 shooting from the field.
The Hurricanes also shot 61% from the field and an impressive 54% from 3-point range, numbers that told the story of Miami’s offense from beginning to end, while on the other end, Syracuse shot just 29% from 3PT (6-21). The Hurricanes also dominated the boards, out-rebounding Syracuse 37 to 21.
Syracuse put their best efforts into keeping this game close, with 4 of 5 starters scoring in double figures. Despite this, Miami maintained control for most of this game, forcing the Orange’ into late game situations that they’ve been missing for the last two games.
“The one thing that worried me going into the game that really worried me and it got us, we just got lucky towards the end, was their size and athleticism,” Coach Lucas said. “We were able to battle and compete throughout the game and stay connected, and this was a big win for us just because we’re coming off two losses and needed something to get back on the right side.”
This win for Miami comes at a pivotal point in the season, as Jai Lucas and his team continue to fight for a spot in the madness just a few months out from now. With just 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Hurricanes look to keep their foot on the gas as they get through conference play.
The Canes will be back in action next Wednesday, as they host Stanford (14-5) from the Watsco Center at 9:00 EST on the ACC Network.
(Photo Credit: University of Miami Athletics)
