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.
Duke ran 4.47 today
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 03:25 PM
Christy Chirinos @ChristyChirinos 19s20 seconds ago
Miami at FAU moved up a day. 8 pm kick. RT @FAUOwlAthletics: Home Football Game Against Miami Rescheduled for Sept 11 http://www.fausports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/040115aaa.html
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 03:33 PM
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
-----------------------------------------
That's in my neck of the woods!!!! I live in Stuart and about 10 minutes away from Hurricane Wings!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | April 01, 2015 at 03:58 PM
Woulnd't be surprised if PD4 ended up in Indy...making an already sick offense...SICKER!
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 03:59 PM
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
_______________________________________
If only we used him more!!!!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | April 01, 2015 at 04:00 PM
He's only here so He don't get fined?...Matt Porter tweet: "Ereck Flowers refused to speak to reporters today, per UM. This is a common occurrence (we had one convo in the two years I covered him)
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 04:34 PM
@CanesInSight: Zack Moss commits to Miami: 2016 combo RB Zack Moss has committed to the University of Miami… http://t.co/qDYkJEG3pk
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 06:20 PM
@ChristyChirinos: WR Phillip Dorsett, RB Duke Johnson among former #Canes players who likely raised draft stock at UM Pro Day: http://t.co/Advk0jIb9e
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 07:20 PM
Go Canes
@CanesInSight: Zack Moss commits to Miami: 2016 combo RB Zack Moss has committed to the University of Miami… http://t.co/qDYkJEG3pk
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 06:20 PM
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Will be a FB at UM. Maybe short yardage back. Mo Hagens type.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | April 01, 2015 at 07:36 PM
I'm callin' it...
UM-75
Stanford-71
NIT CHAMPS BABY!
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 07:37 PM
For those who are following the NIT, Stanford is a 1.5 point favorite at the moment. I wonder what the line would have been with Jekiri in? No matter. This team doesn't like being favored or ahead in the first 2/3 of the game.
Posted by: JCane | April 01, 2015 at 07:38 PM
Just saw your post, CR. Hope you're right. You might as well bet the over on the over/under line (134.5) while you're at it!
When is Ohio going to start keeping us all up to date on coach L's recruiting? :)
Posted by: JCane | April 01, 2015 at 07:41 PM
BUY NOW!
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/reports/mortgage_rates/2015/4/1/1531
Posted by: 86Cane | April 01, 2015 at 07:50 PM
JCane...while TJ's presence will be missed, I still think UM has a lineup that can give Stanford fits. Defensively, I think UM should put some type of press on em', they're ball-handlers look suspect.
Posted by: CaneRock | April 01, 2015 at 08:10 PM
Since Coach L and his staff from George Mason got here:
- 1 ACC Championship
- 1 ACC regular season championship
- Canes basketball playing in April for the first time in its history;
deepest national tourney run and first championship
game appearance.
- Four 20+ win seasons
- National Coach of the Year
Posted by: Dan Tana | April 01, 2015 at 08:19 PM
Revision:
Since Coach L and his staff from George Mason got here 5 years ago:
- 1 ACC Championship
- 1 ACC regular season championship
- 1 NCAA Sweet Sixteen Appearance
- National Coach of the Year
- Four 20+ win seasons
- Canes basketball playing in April for the first time in its history;
deepest national tourney run and first championship
game appearance.
Posted by: Dan Tana | April 01, 2015 at 08:22 PM
Posted by: 86Cane | April 01, 2015 at 07:50 PM
Need these rates to hold another 60 days. Have a construction loan that converts to a fixed when we get a CO.
Looking a jumbo rate right at or just below 4% which is ridiculous.
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 08:31 PM
Need these rates to hold another 60 days. Have a construction loan that converts to a fixed when we get a CO.
Posted by: Go Canes | April 01, 2015 at 08:31 PM
Yeah so, me so sorry, not likely to happen.
Posted by: 86Cane | April 01, 2015 at 09:04 PM
That's in my neck of the woods!!!! I live in Stuart and about 10 minutes away from Hurricane Wings!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | April 01, 2015 at 03:58 PM
Thirsty,
I am in Indiantown almost every Wednesday for a meeting @ 2. Sometimes I drive up from SoFL, sometimes from Orlando. Either way if you want to grab lunch that would be cool.
Posted by: KYcane | April 01, 2015 at 09:28 PM
TBC,
Is there a local Jacksonville State Grill & Wings? Lol.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 10:25 PM
Interesting news story from 4/1:
NCAA CONSIDERS ENDING BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Syracuse, NY (UT) - The NCAA is reportedly deciding this week whether or not to eliminate its annual sixty five team tournament.
The change was considered after an independent commission released a report
last week that scathed the NCAA playoff system. Numerous reasons were cited, including insufficient study time and overall fairness.
"I hope they do decide to do away with it," said commission chairperson Robert Spurrier during a recent interview, "March Madness is exactly that. It is madness, and it is patently unfair. Traditional basketball powers like Kentucky, Duke, and Kansas will always be finishing in the Top 16,
resulting in an unequal distribution of additional revenues to those schools. Smaller colleges like Boise State and Gonzaga cannot compete."
The tournament's length was also a point of contention. "It can take up to a month of class time away from the student-athletes," said sports psychologist Dr. E. Benneth Biggelsworth. "Who knows what long term affects this could lead to."
The commission contends that NCAA basketball should instead follow college
football's former example and institute a series of bowl games. "They could be
held in any number of stadiums or arenas around the country," Spurrier said. "The college bowl system is a well-established institution in this country. We believe that it is far more preferable to have each college play only one post-season game rather than six. Plus under a bowl system
the smaller colleges would receive post-season revenue, as long as they
finished with a winning record. And as college football quite clearly has
shown over the course of a decade, with the addition of a Bowl or Arena Championship Series you are guaranteed to have an undisputed national champion."
Posted by: TonyCane | April 01, 2015 at 11:27 PM
Best canes pro day in over a decade. All 32 teams represented including coaches and general managers. Very impressive showing for any top program. This is one of the major reasons top recruits commit to a program - they want a chance to make it to the NFL.
If the Canes can get 2 first rounders and 2 second rounders and several other picks in later rounds in the NFL draft, this will appeal to recruits and help the Canes recruiting tremendously. A winning season and a coastal division championship could help deliver the top recruiting classes for 2016 and 2017.
Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | April 01, 2015 at 11:31 PM
I heard Lebatard and Mel Kiper saying Al should be embarrassed by his W/L record considering the amount of talent Miami had.
Posted by: The Dude | April 02, 2015 at 12:43 AM
Dude
You keep nibbling on thin ice!
Some of us would like to see the blog continue.
Be careful.
Posted by: CaneWarrior | April 02, 2015 at 12:56 AM
Nah CW. I'm just responding to the post prior to mine paraphrasing something that came from a nationally syndicated radio host and probably the foremost draft analyst in America. Those opinions are out there and are being said by what some might call "experts." Also, some bloggers were given free reign to say what needs to be said. I am lucky enough to be one of them, of course that said, I think I'm probably one of the most reasonable people and talk about various things so I don't feel like I abuse my privilege. Of course, SOUP and O_C can pretty much tell me to shutup whenever and usually do when I step over the line, to which I'm a good soldier about. I don't want to see Canespace go anywhere either. I've been posting with these dudes since Omar Kelly's blog on the SS. CS isn't just about Miami sports to me, I share my thoughts with my friends here. Friends I've known for a long time.
Posted by: The Dude | April 02, 2015 at 02:36 AM
I hope that didn't sound snarky CW.
Posted by: The Dude | April 02, 2015 at 02:44 AM
Nice post, The Dude.
Congrats & Good Luck to Coach L and the Hoops Team!! NIT champs would be a great end to an exciting season. Looking at the NCAA tourney runs the ACC had should put the season in perspective. Coach L has done a tremendous job given the talent he has.
Good to see U still operating SOUP.
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | April 02, 2015 at 04:45 AM
Dude
You keep nibbling on thin ice!
Some of us would like to see the blog continue.
Be careful.
Posted by: CaneWarrior | April 02, 2015 at 12:56 AM
IMO there was ZERO issue with his post...and NOT because Im a hater. The post wasnt hateful or directed at any blogger, he simply shared "experts" opinions, and one that was fitting considering the success and amount of talent at our pro day.
I do worry though that IF we have a similar win loss record or only show small improvement this successful pro day and/or draft could be the latest in a long line of excuses.
But if Golden and staff can carry the momentum from this pro day into the draft, and into the season and win some games the next class should be top 3 and help to change some local recruiting efforts.
When teams win the NIT or make it to the finals, are they normally ranked the following year to start?
Posted by: UMike | April 02, 2015 at 06:26 AM
NEW BLOG IS UP!
Posted by: 86Cane | April 02, 2015 at 07:24 AM
Dude
You keep nibbling on thin ice!
Some of us would like to see the blog continue.
Be careful.
Posted by: CaneWarrior | April 02, 2015 at 12:56 AM
There IT is right there.
Posted by: 86Cane | April 02, 2015 at 07:24 AM
TBC,
Is there a local Jacksonville State Grill & Wings? Lol.
Posted by: The Dude | April 01, 2015 at 10:25 PM
--------------------------------------------
Hahaha!!!!! No, only in Alabama!!! I like the idea, I'll have to open one up!!!....LOL
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | April 02, 2015 at 10:13 AM