Canes Crash ACC Party

The University of Miami men’s basketball team edged Pittsburgh, 79-73, Tuesday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum to begin ACC Tournament action.

The No. 13-seeded Hurricanes, despite playing with only six available scholarship student-athletes, used a balanced scoring attack to defeat the No. 12-seeded Panthers. All five starters scored 12-plus points, led by 20 from sophomore guard Isaiah Wong.

“I’m just really proud of our guys for the energy and effort they brought to the game,” Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga said. “They played with a great deal of confidence. They executed the game plan extremely well. Probably the most impressive thing is they shared the ball so well; we scored 79 points and had 17 assists, which really hasn’t been there all year.”

The Hurricanes used a 19-7 run during which they made 7-of-10 field goals to take a seven-point lead, 31-24, with 4:04 remaining in the first half. Pittsburgh (10-12, 6-10 ACC) pulled back within two, but a jump-shot by Wong in the closing seconds gave Miami (9-16, 4-15 ACC) a 40-36 edge at the break.

Both sides shot well from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes, with the Panthers posting a 6-of-14 (42.9 percent) mark, including a 3-of-4 clip from senior guard Nike Sibande, and the Hurricanes notching 5-of-13 (38.5 percent).

Early in the second half, Pittsburgh went on a 16-8 run during which it made three 3-pointers in under three minutes, to take the lead, 55-52 with 11:42 to play. Miami answered right back with a 10-3 burst to go in front, 62-58, with 5:33 remaining, but the Panthers surged back 66-64, with 3:36 on the clock.

Once again, though, the Hurricanes countered. Miami scored nine straight points—three each from Wong, redshirt senior center Nysier Brooks and redshirt senior guard Kameron McGusty—and took a game-high seven-point advantage, 73-66, with just 55 seconds to play.

The Panthers did not get any closer than four down the stretch, as Miami held on for the victory. The Hurricanes made five of their seven field-goal attempts and Wong connected on four straight free throws in the last 30 seconds.

Wong, who now co-leads the ACC with 10 20-point games, shot 9-of-10 from the stripe setting a new season high and finishing one shy of his top mark in attempts. Sophomore forward Anthony Walker posted 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds in a career-best 39 minutes, while McGusty also notched 14 points. All of them dished out four assists, tying a career high for Walker.

Senior guard Elijah Olaniyi also recorded 14 points, adding six rebounds and a season-high-tying three assists, while Brooks finished with 12 points and a career-high-tying three steals.

“All five starters really executed their role extremely well,” Larra؜ñaga said. “We got some good interior baskets from Nysier Brooks and Anthony Walker. We had some nice threes from Kam, Isaiah and Elijah.”

Freshman guard Femi Odukale paced the Panthers with a career-high 28 points. He shot 11-of-16 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from deep. Sibande finished with a season-best 24 points, logging a 9-of-15 clip from the field and a 5-of-8 mark beyond the arc. Redshirt sophomore guard Ithiel Horton added 10 points.

Sophomore forward Justin Champagnie, a First Team All-ACC performer who is second in the ACC in scoring and first in rebounding, totaled 10 points and 11 rebounds. However, Miami held him to just 5-of-20 shooting, including 1-of-8 on 3-pointers. He made just three of his first 17 attempts through 37 minutes.

“You’ve got to give Anthony Walker a lot of credit because he was really the only one that guarded him,” Larrañaga said. “Justin Chanmpagnie is a dynamic player offensively. He can do a lot of different things. He’s a terrific offensive rebounder, but today was not his today. Today was our day.”

Free-throw shooting proved to be the difference in the game, as Miami finished 22-of-28 (78.6 percent) to tie a season best in makes. The Hurricanes made 11 of their first 12 attempts from the line. Meanwhile, the Panthers registered a 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) mark at the stripe after opening just 1-of-6.

In addition, Miami had 17 assists, its second-most ever in an ACC Tournament outing, and just six turnovers, while Pittsburgh notched nine assists and 14 turnovers. The Hurricanes logged a 22-6 edge in points off giveaways, as well as 19-4 cushion in fast-break points.

Miami now takes on fifth-seeded Clemson Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., live on ACC Network from the Greensboro Coliseum, in the second round of the ACC Tournament.

To keep up with the University of Miami men’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesHoops on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Comments

[KYcane]

Soup

I will say I find your version of big tech censorship much more palatable than the other platforms.

[86Cane]

I will say I find your version of big tech censorship much more palatable than the other platforms.

Posted by: KYcane | March 16, 2021 at 12:07 PM

U are SO banned!

LOL

[KYcane]

Testing
Testing
Testing

[86Cane]

I am going to ban U like Dr. Suess!

[Terrance Sullivan]

What's Good Canespace Family Finally Got A Night Off From Work. Doing Security Work So Spring Practice has begun apparently What Are Some Of Yall Predictions. I Really Miss Us Doing The Canespace Four Play KY and Soupster. Hope U All Are Well Canespacers Love Yall!

[86Cane]

Hope U All Are Well Canespacers Love Yall!

Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | March 16, 2021 at 06:33 PM

We are surviving which is all that matters right now. God bless U my friend. Be safe be well!

[KYcane]

Best wishes back at you Terrance

Keep motoring on brother

Four play is always a good time

[VA Cane]

Tsully glad you are working staying bz....hope there will be room for you to see some games this fall....just skip the opener!!!

Hope you all are well...read where Hagler died...of course the press said it was the Covid vaccine...his wife rebuked them...said nothing to do with it!

Hope we get this behind us this fall...craziest thing I've seen since I was a kindergartner in 63 when JFK was killed...we could not figure out why all our parents were crowded around the tv and upset...be glad when it is under control...its never gone!

[86Cane]

From Manny at The Athletic:

What was it like to have redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke taking a lot of reps with the first team with D’Eriq King out? Well, nobody had anything bad to say.

“Tyler’s a ballplayer. I think he’s just got a moxie about him, something you want out of a quarterback,” Gaynor said. “He had a great first day of spring ball . . . all the quarterbacks did. Tyler’s just a great football player.

“Toughness, being smart, knowing the plays and just having your teammates back, I think Tyler has all those things. I think Tyler is a very tough dude. We got more spring ball, more spring practices to play. He’s only going to get better.”

Harley described Van Dyke as “cool, calm and collected.”

“He’s really a competitor,” Harley said. “He’s just not really that vocal, but on the field, he’s a solid general. He gets the ball where it needs to be, calls out the plays and he just runs the offense like it should be run.”

[AeroCane]

86- isn’t this the same thing the players said about Tate Martell - LOL

[AeroCane]

Garland (6’5, 230) starting for canes tonight.

[AeroCane]

1-0 canes heading to bottom of 2nd. Up 1-0, We had the bases loaded and 1 out and couldnt score. Sad face

[AeroCane]

Still 1-0 heading to the 5th

[AeroCane]

Top of 5th- morales with a 2 run double; another run 4-0, now bases loaded with 1 out (again) - let’s see what happens this time

[AeroCane]

Alright! Gabe Rivera with a grand slam! 8-0 in the 5th
I’m happy! Back to tax returns now!

[TonyCane]

I'm going to make a bold claim. If King is not going to be ready for Alabama, or if he goes down during the year...Matocha will be our starter.

And he'll shock the heck out of everyone.

Just have a really strong hunch on this.

[AeroCane]

Canes win 15-2!

Tony- I don’t know enough about the 3 back ups to have an opinion but, Peyton is a big guy who they say is the most athletic of the 3. So we will see.

[HerbieIbis]

Tony,
Manny will never give him a real chance, unless everyone is hurt.
It's sort of like in baseball, when u are labeled a utility player. Never really get a good chance to show what u can do, unless someone gets hurt. No matter how good u do, it will be back to the bench once the starter comes back.
Matocha is destined to be a backup.

[86Cane]

Canes win 15-2!

Posted by: AeroCane | March 17, 2021 at 10:17 PM

Awesome win!

[86Cane]

Gray Crow > Peyton Matocha

[CGNC]

Gray Crow > Peyton Matocha

Posted by: 86Cane | March 18, 2021 at 11:48 AM

LOL! Gray Crow went to law school

https://www.maselaw.com/team/gray-crow/

[KYcane]

Never really get a good chance to show what u can do, unless someone gets hurt.
Posted by: HerbieIbis | March 18, 2021 at 01:42 AM

Gray Crow > Peyton Matocha

Posted by: 86Cane | March 18, 2021 at 11:48 AM

My take on this:

For years we have played so poorly against teams that should not have even been close to us score wise, we have not had the opportunity to allow the backups to play any significant snaps to determine whether they could be an asset. Also because of that we’ve had to play the starter so much they don’t get any rest as the season goes on.
How nice would it be to let your starter do his thing for 2-3 quarters and let the others get some decent game experience.

[86Cane]

How nice would it be to let your starter do his thing for 2-3 quarters and let the others get some decent game experience.

Posted by: KYcane | March 18, 2021 at 02:58 PM

That and about 10 other things would be really "nice" to see from our football team but then there is reality. Let's hope our reality changes this year.

[Terrance Sullivan]

5 Things We Need To Witness This Year As Miami Hurricanes Supporters:
1. Win ACC Coastal(Play In ACC Championship Game In Charlotte On Saturday December 4,2021)
2. Win 10 Regular Season Games
3. Win FSU, VT, and UNC Games
4. Win New Year's Six Game
5. Finish In Top 12.

[HerbieIbis]

Yeah TSully, with basically the whole team back, there is no reason those goals are not met and then sum.

[86Cane]

Terrance I think all of the goals you stated above are doable except UNC and #4. Unless Diaz figures out Mack Brown I can't see us turning that game around. Sure teams change from year to year but that was a world class azz whooping they put on us last year. I think we go to a bowl game and win but not sure it will be a New Years 6 bowl game.

[KYcane]

I think we go to a bowl game and win but not sure it will be a New Years 6 bowl game.

Posted by: 86Cane | March 19, 2021 at 12:37 PM

Winning a bowl game is a milestone in itself

[86Cane]

Two former NFL receivers explain why Keyshawn Smith will be ‘the steal’ of Miami’s 2020 signing class

Jason Carter has a few videos saved on his phone of Keyshawn Smith leaping over things most humans can’t do.

There’s one where Smith, a 6-1, 183-pound receiver entering his second season at the University of Miami, runs toward an outfield wall roughly his own height and skies over it like he’s clearing a hurdle.

There’s another clip where Smith soars over former San Diego Lincoln High teammate Tyler Jensen — a 6-6, 225-pound walk-on quarterback at Louisville — much like Vince Carter did to 7-foot Frenchman Frederic Weis.

“He’s probably got like a 39-inch vertical,” said Jason Carter, a former All-Big 12 honorable mention receiver for Texas A&M in 2005 and undrafted rookie who spent four years in the NFL mostly on practice squads with the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers.

“Super athletic. He can throw the ball 55 yards in the air, too. I lined him up at quarterback. The best thing about him is he has crazy, crazy ball skills, ball awareness. That segment on ESPN, You Got Mossed, he was on there. Miami getting Keyshawn was a steal.”

FROM MANNY AT THE ATHLETIC

[AeroCane]

Let’s hope he plays. I’m very concerned that Wiggins and pope are still on the team - taking reps from these younger guys. We know who pope is - a non physical bad hands wide receiver; Wiggins simply has had key drops in the past 2 years.

[Old Skool]

In other news ...

Four more massage therapists filed lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct by Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, the lawyer handling the cases said Friday, revealing that the NFL star faced claims from as many as 22 women.

[AeroCane]

Bad baseball day! 8-0 Noles in the 3rd

[TJL]

Deshaun Watson Is a naughty man and radioactive- imagine if someone traded for him

[Sarasota 'cane]

Just a few weeks ago there were quite a few fans and talking heads saying the Dolphins should trade for Watson. I guess now we know why he wanted out of Houston. If the allegations are true he should rot in jail and never play the game again.

[AeroCane]

Sota - I was NOT one of them
The dolphins had the WRONG OC for Tua (nobody in their right mind thought Gailey was the right person for the job) and I’m not sure the smartest man in the room (at least in Flores mind) improved the situation but we will see and hope for the best!

[KYcane]

Flipped on the hardballers for a while last night

Man what a drumming the Semiholes gave them

[86Cane]

https://www.miamidolphins.com/team/coaches-roster/

So I just looked up the Dolphins coaching staff and I have no idea who these guys are. They have the strangest position titles, all look so young and I have never heard of any of them. SMH

[86Cane]

NEW BLOG IS UP!