Canespace

High Expectations

The University of Miami football team is favored to claim the 2022 ACC Coastal Division title, as announced Tuesday by the league office.

The preseason poll is based off votes from 164 media members, including those credentialed for last week’s ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C.

Of the 164 voters, 98 put the Hurricanes atop their ACC Coastal ballot. Miami finished with 1,036 points in the voting. Pittsburgh, the reigning ACC champion, placed second in the Coastal with 38 first-place nods and 911 total points.

North Carolina (18), Virginia (six), Virginia Tech (three) and Georgia Tech (one) all garnered Coastal first-place votes, as well.

Miami, picked to win the Coastal for the first time since 2018 and sixth time since joining the league, also received eight votes to win the league, third-most of any school. Only Clemson (103) and NC State (38) earned more such votes.

In the final year of a divisional format in the ACC, the Coastal and Atlantic champions will meet Dec. 3 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte in the ACC Championship Game.

ACC PRESEASON POLL (164 votes)

Overall Champion
Clemson – 103
NC State – 38
Miami – 8
Wake Forest – 4
Pittsburgh – 3
Virginia – 3
Florida State – 2
North Carolina –1
Boston College – 1

Atlantic Division
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
Clemson (111) – 1,080
NC State (44) – 959
Wake Forest (6) – 783
Louisville – 591
Florida State (2) – 509
Boston College (1) – 469
Syracuse – 201

Coastal Division
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
Miami (98) – 1,036
Pittsburgh (38) – 911
North Carolina (18) – 823
Virginia (6) – 667
Virginia Tech (3) – 592
Georgia Tech (1) – 343
Duke – 221

When A Hall Of Famer Talks, People Listen

During his first few days on campus, all he could do was chuckle.

As he’d make his way through the hallways of Miami’s football offices, the Hurricanes’ weight room or the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility, Jason Taylor noticed how more than a few of the Hurricanes would try to duck out of his way or stay silent as he walked past them.

That shyness, that sense of awe didn’t exactly last long. At all.

“Now, they cut me off. They don’t hold the door open for me. And that’s how it should be,” said Taylor, the former Miami Dolphin and Pro Football Hall of Famer who joined head coach Mario Cristobal’s staff as a defensive analyst in March. “They’re in awe a little bit, but once you get around a little, they start seeing that you’re just a normal guy. You’re a person that’s been somewhere they aspire to be and they start to become sponges and ask questions.”

And Taylor is more than happy to answer any and all questions the Hurricanes lob his way.

The opportunity to help the next generation of Miami players is part of the reason Taylor – a former defensive coordinator at Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School – opted to join Cristobal’s staff, even with all his responsibilities as a broadcaster for the Dolphins and as a father with two sons that will be playing Power 5 football this fall.

The other major reason he decided to join the Hurricanes? Cristobal himself.

“The first thing about Mario, and people always talk about it, he’s intense now. And he’s relentless. I’ll be honest – I’ve been talking to Coach Cristobal since he got hired here,” Taylor said. “It was a two-and-a-half month process of back and forth. He was busy trying to get a staff and recruit, but he’s relentless. When he wants to get something done, he’s going to get it done. He was determined to bring together a staff of professionals, of guys that know the game, where iron can sharpen iron and guys that are familiar with the process and the identity he wants to establish here. He gets after it and that’s contagious…”

There’s no doubt Taylor brings plenty of know-how to a defensive staff that includes veterans like Kevin Steele, Charlie Strong, Joe Salave’a, Jahmile Addae and Rod Wright, who between them, have decades of college coaching experience and multiple championships.

Taylor added the experience of a 15-year NFL career that included six Pro Bowl appearances, a nod as the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a selection to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s and 139.5 career sacks, a number that ranked sixth in the league at the time of his enshrinement in Canton in 2017.

Still, Taylor admits that in his first staff meetings, he was as in awe of the coaches around him as the Hurricanes players were during their first encounters with him.

An encouraging late-night text from Steele made the Hall of Famer feel a bit more comfortable speaking up in staff meetings and now Taylor is happy to share his thoughts with the veteran coaches around him.

“It’s been interesting and enlightening and empowering. It’s been great,” Taylor said. “Actually, the first couple days, I was just like the kids in the staff room. Kevin Steele has been coaching this game for 42 years. Jahmile just won a championship last year at the University of Georgia. Charlie Strong is a three-time head coach. Joe Salave’a has been with Mario out in Oregon and coached one of the top guys coming out in [Kayvon Thibodeaux] in the draft this year…There’s a lot of camaraderie, a lot of banter back and forth…I understand I’m the lowest guy on the totem pole in that staff room and I’m okay with that. I’m here to help and learn in any way I can.”

In terms of what Taylor will do with the Hurricanes, the aspiring coach will be helping coaches break down film and study opponents. He won’t be on the field, but he’ll help the Hurricanes self-scout and yes, his primary focus will be helping Miami’s edge players be the best they can be.

He’ll again be working with Wright, a former teammate of his both with the Dolphins and briefly, the New York Jets. And Wright is, understandably, excited to once again have Taylor on his side.

“Why do I listen to Jason Taylor? He’s a freaking Hall of Famer, right? You want to listen to guys who’ve been there, who’ve done it. That brings credibility,” Wright said. “And it’s not just about ability – it’s about being a pro, understanding I have to show up early. I have to take notes. I have to look at the notes. I have to apply that. I have to get better every single day. Those are things that kids aspire to be, so they listen to that. They’re like ‘Hey, this guy’s been there. This guy’s done that.’…To be able to bring that credibility, those kids are just champing at the bit to hear the knowledge that we have and the things that we’ve learned because that’s what they want to do one day.”

Legends Of The Fall Return To Campus

With dozens of former Hurricanes greats behind him and hundreds of young football players in front of him, Michael Irvin delivered a simple, passionate message.

If any of those young football players aspired to be Miami Hurricanes themselves, to eventually play in the NFL and leave their mark on the game, there was no easy path for them to follow.

No filmed Instagram workout would get them there. No quick practice would do the trick.

Hard work – and lots of it – would make the difference and on this particular Saturday morning, they’d have the chance to do some of that work in front of some of Miami’s biggest names.

But Irvin didn’t merely speak to the hundreds of young campers that filled the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility. The Hall of Fame receiver joined them on the Greentree Practice Field, showed them how to run routes and offered advice to more than a few attendees of Miami’s Legends Camp.

The event, the first under new head coach Mario Cristobal, brought together Miami’s past, present and potentially its future, with current and former Hurricanes players guiding the campers through drills.

And, Cristobal said, it served as a reminder of what Miami has the potential to be again.

“I feel that we’re working to address the things that need to be addressed, right? This is month seven and there’s work to be done. That’s what excited us about coming to Miami, amongst other things and we feel that’s being done,” Cristobal said. “We feel like the gap is closing. That people, once they set foot in Coral Gables, they realize how special Coral Gables is, how special the University of Miami is.

“And when they’re around guys like this…I mean, let’s call it what it is on that field right there and…in that indoor right now. These are the best players in college football, the best players in pro football. Guys they still see on TV. Michael Irvin addressed the entire audience. It’s great to see a guy like Reggie Wayne, who is now the wide receivers coach for the [Indianapolis Colts] be here…able to mentor and encourage guys as they go through workouts. It’s just very real. It’s organic. Let’s look back at the days when Miami was doing what Miami does, look at the sideline. You had an extra 40 assistant coaches in the form of Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers. Those are some of the things we’re encouraging and working on, to make sure that alumni bond, that brotherhood is there for the world to see and that it’s real. It’s no BS.”

Among the Hurricanes greats that were in attendance Saturday along with Irvin and Wayne were Antrel Rolle, Brett Romberg, Jon Beason, Rohan Marley, Bennie Blades, Greg Mark, Jeremy Shockey, Hurlie Brown, Martin Bibla, Lamar Thomas, Tolbert Bain, Duane Starks, Roscoe Parrish, Randal Hill and Bryant McKinnie, to name a few.

Some of the newer members of Miami’s NFL fraternity were in attendance, too, including Greg Rousseau, Jaelan Phillips, Duke Johnson, Deon Bush, and Jonathan Feliciano.

Also on hand was Hurricanes great Alonzo Highsmith, who joined the Miami staff last month as the program’s new general manager of football operations.

His return – like Cristobal’s – was one welcomed by many of the former players in attendance. They expressed hope that Highsmith’s years of experience as an NFL executive would only be a boon as Cristobal continues the work of reshaping Miami’s program.

“To see [Cristobal] come back and take the reins, but also interject the right people…Miami’s done a good job this time around, getting Alonzo here also,” Irvin said. “That’s big. I talk to Zo all the time. I called him when he got this job and I said ‘Man, it’s so, so great.’… I said to him, ‘Nobody saw those hours you put in. Nobody saw the work you put in. You’ve earned this spot. Nobody gave it to you.’ We need that throughout the building. That’s what I talked about with Coach [Cristobal], too…

“Winning championships doesn’t just happen on the practice field. It happens within the building. The whole building has to be on championship alert and that’s what we’re getting back to now. That’s what Coach has talked about. You can’t be half and half on this…It has to be from the top down and everybody’s got to work toward the same thing.”

Homecoming For Highsmith

The University of Miami has hired longtime National Football League executive and Hurricanes great Alonzo Highsmith as general manager of football operations, head football coach Mario Cristobal announced Thursday.

“Alonzo is a true Miami Hurricane,” Cristobal said. “He understands the commitment and sacrifice it takes to be a champion on and off the field. His tremendous passion for the University of Miami and this city is unparalleled.

“Alonzo brings experience as a student-athlete, a first-round NFL draft pick and an NFL executive. He shares our vision for the trajectory and the culture of this football program, and his knowledge and experience will allow him to make a positive and powerful impact on our program and community. I am fired up to welcome home another Miami Hurricane!”

As general manager of football operations, Highsmith will work directly with Cristobal to support all administrative functions of the football program, including budget related items, culture building, program imaging, and working directly with staff members both on and off the field. He will also serve as a liaison between the administration and football program, serve as a liaison between former Miami players and staff, assist with scouting and roster assessment and supervise NFL relations.

“We are excited to welcome Alonzo back to Coral Gables.” Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich said. “His extensive experience as an NFL executive will provide tremendous value to our football operations. In addition, we are looking forward to having him as a member of our senior administrative team.”

Highsmith, who played running back for the Hurricanes from 1983-1986, boasts 29 years’ experience and 18 playoff appearances as an NFL player, scout and executive. He has spent the past 23 years in scouting and personnel, most recently serving as senior executive advisor to the general manager for the Seattle Seahawks.

“It is an honor to come back to the University of Miami and I am very humbled,” Highsmith said. “The opportunity to work with Mario Cristobal and Dan Radakovich, as well as my passion and love for the city of Miami is what brought me back. I could not pass up this opportunity and this challenge.”

Prior to his stint in Seattle, Highsmith served as vice president of personnel for the Cleveland Browns from 2018 to 2019. Before joining the Browns, he spent 19 seasons in the Green Bay Packers’ player personnel department.

Highsmith joined the Packers as a college scout in 1999 and spent 13 years on their college scouting staff. He was promoted to senior personnel executive in 2012 and remained in that role through the 2017 season. During his time in Green Bay, the Packers earned 13 trips to the playoffs, captured nine NFC North division titles and won Super Bowl XLV.

Highsmith starred at Miami’s Columbus High School before lettering four years at Miami, playing for legendary coaches Howard Schnellenberger and Jimmy Johnson. As a freshman fullback he led the Hurricanes in rushing in the 1984 Orange Bowl, helping Miami defeat Nebraska to win the first of its five national championships.

ACC Baseball Tourney Starts Now

Following their best regular season in six years, the Miami Hurricanes will be the No. 3 seed in the 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship, the league office announced Sunday.

Miami (39-16, 20-10 ACC) is the top team in Pool C, joined by sixth-seeded Wake Forest (39-16-1, 15-14-1 ACC) and 10th-seeded NC State (33-20, 14-15 ACC). The Hurricanes are set to open postseason play at 7 p.m. Wednesday against the Wolfpack. Miami will square off against the Demon Deacons at 3 p.m. Friday to conclude pool play.

Coastal Division champion Virginia Tech and Atlantic Division winner Louisville are the top two seeds for the ACC Baseball Championship, which begins underway Tuesday at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C.

The Hokies (40-11, 19-9 ACC) earned the No. 1 overall seed and will head up Pool A. Virginia Tech is joined by eighth-seeded North Carolina (34-19, 15-15 ACC) and 12th-seeded Clemson (35-21, 13-16 ACC)

Pool B features No. 2 Louisville (38-16-1, 18-11-1 ACC), along with No. 7 Georgia Tech (33-21, 15-15 ACC) and No. 11 Pitt (27-26, 13-16 ACC).

Fourth-seeded Notre Dame (33-13, 16-11 ACC) is joined in Pool D by fifth-seeded Virginia (38-15, 17-13 ACC) and No. 9 seed Florida State (32-22, 15-15 ACC).

New Roster Update May 2022

Here is an update as of May 1, 2022:

WIDE RECEIVER POSITION SIGNING
Keyshawn Smith WR 2020
Michael Redding WR 2020
Xavier Restrepo WR 2020
Brashard Smith WR 2021
Jacolby George WR 2021
Romello Brinson WR 2021
Isaiah Horton WR 2022
Frank Ladson WR 2022-T

TIGHT END SIGNING
Will Mallory TE 2018
Dominic Mammarelli TE 2020
Elijah Arroyo TE 2021
Kahlil Brantley TE 2021
Jaleel Skinner TE 2022

RUNNING BACK SIGNING
Don Chaney RB 2020
Jaylan Knighton RB 2020
Thaddius FrankliRB 2021
TreVonte' CitizeRB 2022
Henry Parish RB 2022-T

OFFENSIVE LINE SIGNING
Cleveland Reed OL 2018
Delone Scaife OL 2018
John Campbell OL 2018
Jakai Clark OL 2019
Ousman Traore OL 2019
Zion Nelson OL 2019
Chris Washington OL 2020
Jalen Rivers OL 2020
Isaiah Walker OL 2020-T
Laurence Seymore OL 2021
Michael McLaughlin OL 2021
Ryan Rodriguez OL 2021
Justice Oluwaseun OL 2021-T
Matthew McCoy OL 2022
Anez Cooper OL 2022
Logan Sagapolu OL 2022-T
Jonathan Denis OL 2022-T

QUARTERBACK SIGNING
Peyton Matocha QB 2019
Tyler Van Dyke QB 2020
Jake Garcia QB 2021
Jacurri Brown QB 2022

DEFENSIVE END/TACKLE SIGNING
Jahfari Harvey DE 2019
Chantz Williams DE 2020
Elijah Roberts DE 2020
Jabari Ishmael DE 2021
Nyjalik Kelly DE 2022
Cyrus Moss DE 2022
Antonio MoultrieDE 2022-T
Mitchell Agude DE 2022-T
Jordan Miller DT 2018
Jared Harrison-HDT 2019
Allan Haye DT 2021
Leonard Taylor DT 2021
Ahmad Moten DT 2022
Jacob LichtensteDT 2022-T
Akheem Mesidor DT 2022-T
Darrell Jackson DT 2022-T

LINEBACKER SIGNING
Waynmon Steed LB 2017
Avery Huff LB 2019
Samuel Brooks LB 2019
Corey Flagg Jr LB 2020
Ryan Ragone LB 2020
Chase Smith LB 2021
Thomas Davis LB 2021
Tyler Johnson LB 2021
Wesley BissainthLB 2022
Caleb Johnson LB 2022-T

CORNERBACK/SAFETY SIGNING
Al Blades CB 2018
D.J. Ivey CB 2018
Te'Cory Couch CB 2019
Isaiah Dunson CB 2020
Marcus Clarke CB 2020
Malik Curtis CB 2021
Tyrique StevensonCB 2021-T
Chris Graves CB 2022
Jadem Harris CB 2022
Khamauri Rogers CB 2022
Daryl Porter Jr.CB 2022-T
Gilbert FriersonS 2018
Keontra Smith S 2019
Avantae WilliamsS 2020
Brian Balom S 2020
Jalen Harrell S 2020
Keshawn WashingtS 2020
James Williams S 2021
Kamren Kinchens S 2021
Markeith WilliamS 2022

SPECIAL TEAMS SIGNING
Clay James LS 2019
Louis Hedley P 2019
Andres BorregaleK 2021

Miami Roster: Tony Breaks It Down

HERE IS THE CURRENT 2022 MIAMI HURRICANES FOOTBALL ROSTER:

WIDE RECEIVER POS SIGNING
Dazalin Worsham WR 2020
Keyshawn Smith WR 2020
Michael Redding WR 2020
Xavier Restrepo WR 2020
Brashard Smith WR 2021
Jacolby George WR 2021
Malik Curtis WR 2021
Romello Brinson WR 2021
Isaiah Horton WR 2022
Frank Ladson WR 2022-T

TIGHT END SIGNING
Will Mallory TE 2018
Dominic Mammarelli TE 2020
Elijah Arroyo TE 2021
Kahlil Brantley TE 2021
Jaleel Skinner TE 2022

RUNNING BACK SIGNING
Don Chaney RB 2020
Jaylan Knighton RB 2020
Michael Parrott RB 2020
Thaddius FrankliRB 2021
TreVonte' CitizeRB 2022
Henry Parish RB 2022-T

OFFENSIVE LINE SIGNING
Zalon'tae HillerOL 2017
Cleveland Reed OL 2018
Delone Scaife OL 2018
John Campbell OL 2018
Adam Elgammal OL 2019
Jakai Clark OL 2019
Ousman Traore OL 2019
Zion Nelson OL 2019
Chris WashingtonOL 2020
Jalen Rivers OL 2020
Isaiah Walker OL 2020-T
Laurence SeymoreOL 2021
Michael McLaughlinOL 2021
Ryan Rodriguez OL 2021
Justice Oluwaseun OL 2021-T
Matthew McCoy OL 2022
Anez Cooper OL 2022
Logan Sagapolu OL 2022-T
Jonathan Denis OL 2022-T

QUARTERBACK SIGNING
Peyton Matocha QB 2019
Tyler Van Dyke QB 2020
Jake Garcia QB 2021
Jacurri Brown QB 2022

DEFENSIVE END/TACKLE SIGNING
Jahfari Harvey DE 2019
Chantz Williams DE 2020
Elijah Roberts DE 2020
Jabari Ishmael DE 2021
Nyjalik Kelly DE 2022
Cyrus Moss DE 2022
Antonio MoultrieDE 2022-T
Mitchell Agude DE 2022-T
Jordan Miller DT 2018
Jared Harrison-HDT 2019
Allan Haye DT 2021
Leonard Taylor DT 2021
Ahmad Moten DT 2022
Jacob LichtensteDT 2022-T

LINEBACKER SIGNING
Waynmon Steed LB 2017
Avery Huff LB 2019
Samuel Brooks LB 2019
Corey Flagg Jr LB 2020
Ryan Ragone LB 2020
Chase Smith LB 2021
Deshawn TroutmanLB 2021
Thomas Davis LB 2021
Tyler Johnson LB 2021
Wesley BissainthLB 2022

DEFENSIVE BACK SIGNING
Al Blades DB 2018
D.J. Ivey DB 2018
Gilbert FriersonDB 2018
Keontra Smith DB 2019
Te'Cory Couch DB 2019
Avantae WilliamsDB 2020
Brian Balom DB 2020
Isaiah Dunson DB 2020
Jalen Harrell DB 2020
Keshawn WashingtDB 2020
Marcus Clarke DB 2020
James Williams DB 2021
Kamren Kinchens DB 2021
Chris Graves DB 2022
Jadem Harris DB 2022
Khamauri Rogers DB 2022
Markeith WilliamDB 2022
Tyrique StevensoDB 2021-T

SPECIAL TEAMS SIGNING
Clay James LS 2019
Louis Hedley P 2019
Andres BorregaleK 2021

Canes Crush It

The Miami Hurricanes felt disrespected.

But this weekend, the Hurricanes made a statement.

No. 8 Miami completed its third straight ACC sweep, crushing the No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers, 15-5, Sunday afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

“Ever since the start of the season, people didn’t think we’d be doing what we’re doing right now,” third baseman Yohandy Morales, who reached base in three of his four plate appearances. “We have a lot of haters out there but we want to keep proving everybody wrong. I feel like it sends a message to other teams that we’re not here to play games. The U is a great ballclub and we have to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

With the win, the Hurricanes completed their first sweep over a top-three opponent in 10 years when Miami took all three games from North Carolina in 2012.

“The sweep is a great accomplishment,” head coach Gino DiMare said. “We swung the bat really well and made some plays defensively. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort and they picked up our pitchers.”

In the series finale, Virginia (26-6, 9-6 ACC) jumped on the board with three runs in as many innings, but the Hurricanes (26-6, 13-2) responded with 11 unanswered runs.

Miami scored five times in the third and sixth more tallies in the fourth to take a commanding lead heading into the middle innings.

Freshman outfielder Edgardo Villegas sparked the offensive outburst with a three-run blast in the third that traveled an estimated 359 feet.

“I told them I don’t know what we’re going to be ranked,” DiMare said. “We’re going to move up, but make sure to stay humble, stay grounded and make sure we understand that this poll right now has no bearing. It’s the one at the end of the year. The one poll that I care about is the one at the end of the year. We know where we want to be and it’s a process of working it. I’m happy with where the team is at right now, but by no means should we be patting ourselves on the back saying we have this thing figured out.”

This Is How U Exceed All Expectations

When this men's college basketball season started not much was expected of your Miami Hurricanes. They were picked by "experts" to finish 12th in the ACC.

Some said they were short on talent, short in height and short on bench depth.

Some fans said their coach was old and tired and should be moving on. 

Most people agreed that the Hurricanes would go quietly into the good night.

Turns out that these people were very wrong. In fact, they were dead wrong.

Coach Jim Larranaga delivered a coaching performance for the ages in shaping and molding the 2022 Miami team into something nobody expected.

A beautiful group of hard fighting, never say die, collection of misfits who exceeded all expectations and made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA finals for the first time in UM history. We will take that anytime!

So on this short, but sweet note, we would like to thank Coach Larranaga and the 2022 men's basketball team for one hell of a fun and exciting ride. 

You have earned our great respect and our sincere gratitude.

It was certainly not expected, and definitely exceeded all of our expectations.

Canes Advance Because Coaching Matters

The University of Miami men’s basketball team took down second-seed and top-10-ranked Auburn, 79-61, Sunday night to earn the fourth Sweet 16 berth in program history.

No. 10-seeded Miami (25-10, 14-6 ACC) led the Tigers, ranked No. 8/7, from start to finish at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, holding the advantage for 39-plus minutes in a spectacular display at both ends of the floor.

Third-year sophomore guard Isaiah Wong scored a game-high 21 points for the Hurricanes, who are headed to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last decade.

“I can’t be happier for my guys. They did such a fantastic job of executing the game plan,” Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga said after leading his team to the Sweet 16 for the third time in his 11-year tenure. “We just kept plugging away. Our defense is about pressure, keeping pressure on the opponent and trying to force turnovers. These guys did a fantastic job of doing that.”

The Hurricanes made six of their first nine shots, while Auburn (28-6, 15-3 SEC) opened 1-of-4 with four turnovers, helping Miami grab a 13-4 edge after just 4:19 of action.

The Tigers pulled back within five, but Miami regained its nine-point edge, 23-14, with 7:27 on the clock. At that point, the Hurricanes had five steals and zero turnovers, while holding Auburn to 5-of-19 shooting.

Miami eventually took a one-point lead, 33-32, into the locker room after the Tigers scored the final five points of the half. It marked the smallest lead of the entire session for the Hurricanes, who led for the final 19:28 of the frame.

Through 20 minutes, Miami held the Tigers to 38.7 percent shooting (12-of-31), including a 2-of-10 mark on 3-pointers after they missed their first seven attempts.

The Hurricanes scored eight straight points to begin the second half, taking a 41-32 edge with 17:35 to play. Miami went on to take a 14-point advantage, 64-50, with 7:17 left after posting an 11-4 run in just 3:12.

Auburn answered with six straight points in 80 seconds to make it 64-56 with 5:55 remaining, but Miami used an 8-2 run to go back up by 14, 72-58, with just 2:13 to play. That eventually became a game-ending 15-5 burst, as the Hurricanes won by 18 points, their largest margin of the game. Miami scored the final seven points in the last 73 seconds.

“The second half, we were everywhere. These guys were able to make plays, get to the open court,” Larrañaga said. “Auburn is a very high, up-tempo team but we feel very, very comfortable in that environment, as well. These guys ran for layups and made a lot of really good decisions in the open court. I congratulate all of them.”

Wong’s game-best point total came on 8-of-18 shooting from the field and a 5-of-5 clip at the line, and he added six rebounds. Sixth-year redshirt senior guard Kameron McGusty totaled 20 points on a superb 10-of-18 mark, also notching six rebounds, four assists and a game-best four steals. He tied the program record for steals in an NCAA Tournament game and became the third Hurricane with double-digit made field goals in such a contest.

Sixth-year redshirt senior guard Charlie Moore nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, a career-high nine rebounds and a game-best eight assists, adding three steals. Fourth-year junior guard Jordan Miller posted 12 points and three steals.

Sophomore guard KD Johnson and junior forward Jaylin Williams co-led the Tigers with 12 points apiece. Sophomore guard Wendell Green Jr., tallied 11 points and freshman forward Jabari Smith had 10.

Smith, a Second Team All-American and presumptive top-three NBA Draft pick, shot just 3-of-16 from the floor, including 1-of-8 from 3-point range, though he did lead all players with 15 rebounds to log a double-double. Meanwhile, sophomore forward/center Walker Kessler, a Third Team All-American, scored two points and shot 0-of-6 from the floor.

The Hurricanes shot 48.5 percent (32-of-66) from the floor and 80.0 percent (12-of-15) at the line, while limiting Auburn to just a 30.4 percent clip (21-of-69) from the field at the other end, the lowest mark by an opponent this year. En route to posting the second-highest NCAA Tournament point total, Miami set a program record for made field goals in the event.

The Hurricanes opened just 1-of-10 from 3-point range and finished 3-of-15 (20.0 percent), but still outshot the Tigers from deep, as they went 5-of-26 (19.2 percent), the second-lowest ledger by a Miami foe this year.

Miami, which committed only four turnovers and forced 13, registered 10 steals compared to Auburn’s one. That led to a staggering 30-1 edge in fast-break points and 17-2 advantage in points of giveaways for the Hurricanes, who also posted a 48-28 margin in paint points to earn the first NCAA Tournament victory over a top-two seed in program history.

The Hurricanes now head to Chicago, where they play No. 11-seeded Iowa State Friday at 9:45 p.m. ET, live on TBS from the United Center.