The Miami Hurricanes shake off losses, dominate the Syracuse Orange in a snowy clash with sharp shooting and relentless defense for a crucial road win.
The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team sought to regain winning habits after suffering back-to-back difficult losses against ACC opponents, a top-25-ranked Clemson Tigers team, and the Florida State Seminoles. They shot 25 percent from three-point range in both games and weren't living up to Jai Lucas's defensive standards.
However, that changed as the Hurricanes traveled to New York to face the Syracuse Orange, who have a promising freshman in Kiyan Anthony on the roster, the son of NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. Despite a heavy snowstorm, the game went on.
The Hurricanes were off to a strong start, scoring the first nine points of the game. They were scoring in the paint, plus a three-pointer by senior forward Malik Reneau. However, the Oranges weren't going away, sparking a 15-7 run, which was capped by a posterized dunk from Anthony over senior guard Tru Washington to tie the game at 27.
The Hurricanes responded with a 10-2 run to close the first half with a 41-36 advantage. They showed great intensity defensively, while making shots from all over the court.
The Oranges sought another resurgence, but for every punch thrown, the Hurricanes had a response, especially after sparking a massive 10-1 run, which included a couple of three-pointers made by senior guard Tre Donaldson and freshman forward Timotej Malovec.
The Hurricanes were in control the rest of the game, claiming victory, with a final score of 85-76. They shot a new season-high, 53.8 percent from three-point range, making seven out of 13 attempts.
Reneau led with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in 34 minutes. Five-star freshman forward Shelton Henderson followed with 16 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 38 minutes.
Donaldson came off the bench for the second time this season, the first coming against the Stetson Hatters on Nov. 10, 2025, finishing with 16 points, two three-pointers made, three rebounds, and five assists in 28 minutes. After experiencing an offensive slump in the last couple of games and losses, Lucas shifted with freshman guard Dante Allen into the starting lineup.
The Hurricanes had four players score in double figures, plus holding the Oranges to below 30-percent three-point shooting.
Anthony finished with 13 points, including a couple of three-pointers made, and two rebounds in 21 minutes coming off the bench.
The Hurricanes overcame struggles against the zone defense, which played a massive role in making mistakes such as turnovers. They had 16 compared to the Oranges' six, which led to 17 points from them.
"We have seen a lot of zone throughout the whole year," Lucas told media postgame. "We're familiar with playing against the zone. We just had to make sure that when we got the ball in the middle, we were making the right reads. I thought in the first half, Malik [Reneau] wasn't, and that's how we ends up with seven turnovers. Once we figured it out, relaxed, took a deep breath, we were able to do it."
However, the team secured its fourth road victory of the season, improving to a 16-4 overall record, 4-2 against ACC opponents.
"We're not this offensive juggernaut," Lucas added. "We have a formula that we got to stick to; offensive rebounding is a big part of it, getting fouled, and points in the paint. If we hit threes, we hit threes. Number one team in the country, Arizona [Wildcats], makes six threes a game, and no one talks about them having a bad offense."
"If we stick to the formula, do what we're supposed to do, we'll be fine."
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