Sheldon McClellan scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half, and short-handed Miami rallied to beat Temple 60-57 on Tuesday to reach the NIT championship game.
Already without point guard Angel Rodriguez, the Hurricanes lost center Tonye Jekiri to a concussion early on and trailed by 11 late in the first half.
The Owls' Quenton DeCosey was off on a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer as they went 0 for 15 from beyond the arc in the second half. The Hurricanes held Temple to 22.5 percent shooting overall after halftime.
After missing six of his first eight shots, McClellan hit two 3s in a row with about 8 minutes left to put Miami in front for good.
Owls freshman Obi Enechionyia set career highs with 17 points and five blocks. But leading scorer Will Cummings, who had averaged 22 points in the NIT, shot just 3 for 15.
Rodriguez missed his third straight game because of a nagging wrist injury. Jekiri, who scored two early baskets, was inadvertently struck in the face just over six minutes in and did not return. The two had combined to average more than 20 points per game.
Miami faces Stanford or Old Dominion on Thursday, seeking its first NIT title. The Owls were the top seed in the NIT as the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament.
DeAndre Burnett missed the front end of a one-and-one with 13.2 seconds left for the Hurricanes, and they decided not to foul, giving DeCosey the chance to send the game to overtime.
TIP-INS
Miami: McClellan had 11 rebounds and was the only Hurricanes player in double figures.
Temple: Forward Jaylen Bond limped off with less than 8 minutes left and didn't return. ... With Jekiri out, the 6-foot-9 Enechionyia had his way inside. He also matched a career high with eight rebounds.
POSTGAME NOTES
* After defeating Temple in the semifinals of the NIT, Miami will play for its first-ever national championship.
* In the Canes’ 12th appearance in the NIT, Miami is now 11-11 overall in the tournament, with a 1-0 mark in the semifinals.
* Miami’s 25 wins are second-most in school history, trailing 29 victories in 2012-13.
* Miami improves to 2-2 all-time against Temple, with a 0-1 mark at home, 0-1 on the road and 2-0 record at a neutral site
* Coach Jim Larrañaga earned his first-career win over Temple.
* Coach Jim Larrañaga has a 561-382 overall record in his 31st season as a head coach. He is 91-48 in his fourth season at the University of Miami, with a 41-29 mark in ACC play.
* Coach Jim Larrañaga, a native of The Bronx, coached his first game at Madison Square Garden as a head coach. He played in the World’s Most Famous Arena multiple times while playing college ball for Providence, and was an assistant coach for Virginia when the Cavaliers won the NIT in 1980. Larrañaga’s final collegiate game as a Friar was played against UNC in 1971, an 86-79 loss for PC in the NIT Elite 8.
Uno
Posted by: laquinton | March 31, 2015 at 11:52 PM
40 MINUTES OF L BABY!...WHAT!
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Canes vs Cardinals for NIT National Title In MSG in NYC this Thursday Daddy! Go Canes!
Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | April 01, 2015 at 12:07 AM
Sucks to hear about Jekiri, but you know what...LET'S WIN ANYWAY!
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 12:08 AM
Just one more boys...
F'the TURDS!
GO CANES!!!
Posted by: Keoki | April 01, 2015 at 12:56 AM
Beyond successful season for Miami basketball. This is all gravy.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 02:09 AM
Congrats to our basketball team. I sure hoe Coach L has come to stay. Taking over a program that had virtually no basketball history and winning the ACC regular season title and the ACC tourney in his second year, then building a totally new team that plays in the NIT championship game two years later - that sure make him attractive for a large number of programs across the nation.
Posted by: VfB_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 07:16 AM
^^^^ hope
Posted by: VfB_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 07:16 AM
Our boys will be decked out in Adidas for pro day.
@TheUEqRoom: Pro Day gear for out guys, got them looking right. #3stripelife #adidas #TheU http://t.co/np2T1ZKA9n
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 07:29 AM
Congrats on the mens BB team. Should be a good season next year as well as they pretty much return almost everyone. NCAA or BUST!!
Posted by: raizecane | April 01, 2015 at 07:58 AM
R.I.P Sean Taylor #26 8 years already
Posted by: Hassan | April 01, 2015 at 08:39 AM
@CanesFootball: All 32 NFL Teams have representatives at #ProDayAtTheU http://t.co/NjUwjV3ArA
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 09:26 AM
Really proud of how the bb CANES are finishing the season.
GO CANES!!!
Posted by: trianglecane | April 01, 2015 at 09:52 AM
KC McDermott put up 27 reps
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 09:54 AM
Denzel put up 30 reps
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 10:03 AM
KC McDermott put up 27 reps
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 09:54 AM
That's Shane, I suppose. KC will hopefully be around three more years before he demonstrates his skills to pro scouts.
Posted by: VfB_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 10:05 AM
Damn it, VfB, you're right. I dunno why I said KC LOL
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 10:06 AM
Pro day media guide, nicely done:
http://www.hurricanesports.com/pdf9/3367906.pdf
Remember Damien Berry? It sure seems like a long time ago since he last played for us.
And page 41 on 2016 draft eligible players reminded me how badly we need DBs (we'll have to replace Bush, Howard and Crawford) and DLs (Heurtelou, Kamalu, Wyche and King).
Posted by: VfB_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 10:20 AM
Wow:
@CanesWarningFS: This is what being fast looks like RT @joshdarrow: #Phil40 #ProDayAtTheU http://t.co/SSHZPR3WFh
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 10:37 AM
Ugh, Denzel pulled a hamstring on his 40 run...
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 10:38 AM
Not official, but Dorsett ran 4.25
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 10:47 AM
Rumors all over today, Al Golden stormed off campus, was fired.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 11:05 AM
Very nice year for basketball team....they have done well.
Jameis Winston cannot seem to shut his mouth; while he is a good qb, he is an idiot as a person, enormous ego. Want to se him take some serious licks in the NFL.....I do not like or tolerate a loudmouth. JMO!
Posted by: VA Cane | April 01, 2015 at 11:13 AM
If that happened, it occurred after he talked to Sean Payton a few minutes ago.
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 11:22 AM
@mattyports: Al Golden and Sean Payton have been talking for the last 10 minutes. Payton gives off the "coolest dude here" vibe.
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 11:22 AM
Correct Go Canes.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Don't fall victim to April Fools Day
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 11:35 AM
Haha.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 11:37 AM
;)
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 11:37 AM
Totally busted my friend with one this morning.
Told him we had 32 NFL teams at our pro day, are going to have 6-8 players drafted and somehow managed to finish 6-7.
Oh wait....
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 11:41 AM
Congrats on making it to the NIT ship! Now bring home that trophy!!
Also nice to see the NFL back on campus.
Posted by: 30CINCO | April 01, 2015 at 11:50 AM
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 11:41 AM
That joke was on us. Evil joke.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 11:56 AM
In honor of Coach L & his men, I think I'll grab lunch at the Hurricane Grill and Wings here in Palm City before I head down Hwy 714..
Posted by: KYcane | April 01, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Nice KYCANE. Enjoy Brotha.
Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | April 01, 2015 at 12:11 PM
Christy Chirinos @ChristyChirinos 8m8 minutes ago
Denzel Perryman on the hammy: "It's just a little strain. I'll be all right." Was just chatting with Jon Vilma and Sean Payton.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 12:18 PM
Christy Chirinos @ChristyChirinos 2m2 minutes ago
Ryan Williams, Jake Heaps throwing. Duke Johnson among those catching passes. Clive Walford in there catching as well, as one would expect.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 12:18 PM
Dude, I forgot it was April Fools Day until i read that one. Well done, just the right amount of possibility to make it work.
Good job for the bball team. I assume Jekiri is out tomorrow?
Posted by: j.w. | April 01, 2015 at 12:19 PM
Unfortunately, Jekiri is out. Creates a matchup problem for Coach L to solve going against Stanford.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 12:21 PM
RT @flasportsbuzz: Draft analyst Tony Pauline said Phillip Dorsett's 4.27 in 40 is fastest hand timed 40 at a pro day this yr
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 12:30 PM
Yeah, Jekiri is out. Need someone to step up in a big way. It wouldn't hurt to shoot the lights out either.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 12:35 PM
Although there's only one franchise QB in this draft, this is gonna be a damn good draft everywhere else.
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 12:36 PM
@mattyports: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is here.
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 12:40 PM
Todd McShay @McShay13 1m1 minute ago
Miami WR Phillip Dorsett ran two 40 times of 4.27 and 4.24 at miami's Pro Day this am. Sudden, explosive, under ctrl and caught everything
Big time. 1st rounder.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 12:41 PM
With Jekiri out, the Temple freshman Obi E (whatever his name was) had career highs in points and blocks, and Stanford is a good rebounding team to boot. Some young guys will have to really step up inside, or we'll have to either be hitting our outside shots better or spreading the floor more with speed. Hope we can find a way to make it work. Stanford is a pretty solid team. Mid majors that can go undefeated during their regular conference schedule aren't necessarily than teams in the west or the ACC that lose a bunch of in conference games to higher level opponents (ie Ariz, Utah, UCLA, Duke, UVa, UNC, Louisville etc.)...guess the NIT finals have confirmed this.
Posted by: JCane | April 01, 2015 at 12:47 PM
Congrats to the Men's B-ball team. Way to go Coach L. OGV would be proud
Posted by: CGNC | April 01, 2015 at 12:54 PM
Joe Thomas looks like He can make the transition to football. I'm 2 for 2 on these so far (Graham & Swoope).
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 01:16 PM
^^^ Could Coach L make the transition? lol
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 01:33 PM
Roy Jones Jr on First Take...."'The Only Way for Mayweather to beat Pacquiao is to get him out of there."
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 02:10 PM
proCanes.com @proCanes 4m4 minutes ago
Future #NFL #proCane WR Phillip Dorsett named one of Mel Kiper's 10 safest #NFLDraft picks http://bit.ly/1Fi5b2r
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 02:28 PM
Hs teammates rashad Greene vs pd4 who do think gets drafted higher and will be better pro
Posted by: Jsy | April 01, 2015 at 03:24 PM