Hometown hero Tre Donaldson ignited the Miami Hurricanes' offense as they battled past the Florida State Seminoles, securing a crucial ACC victory with key defensive stands.
The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball squad fought for a hard-earned 83–73 victory over the Florida State Seminoles at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. It was a strong bounce-back performance after suffering a heartbreaking loss to the current 11th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday.
Key takeaways from the game:
Hurricanes; Hometown kid returns: Senior guard Tre Donaldson, who's from Tallahassee, was a dual-threat athlete coming out of Florida State University High School. The 22-year-old was a quarterback and defensive back on the football field, while simultaneously being active on the basketball court.
In Tuesday night's game, Donaldson finished with a strong performance in familiar territory: 21 points on 50 percent shooting, including four three-pointers made, six rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block in 36 minutes. He's been consistently reliable for the team all season, whether it's scoring, playmaking, or getting a stop on defense.
Seminoles; Causing havoc: The Hurricanes committed 18 turnovers, which resulted in 26 points. The Seminoles were making things difficult on defense, especially throughout the second half, pressuring on inbound passes and double-teaming senior forward Malik Reneau nearly every time he had possession.
Sophomore guard Martin Somerville led the team with three steals off the bench.
Hurricanes; Star dominance: Reneau had anything but an easy night against the Seminoles. He appeared to be the team's main assignment on defense. Regardless, the 22-year-old finished with 23 points on 64.3 percent shooting, a new season-high of 12 rebounds, with seven coming from the offensive glass, and two assists in 35 minutes.
Everything from Reneau was battled for and persevered.
Hurricanes; Denied at the rim: The Seminoles played with effort until the final buzzer, but couldn't get past senior center Ernest Udeh Jr. in the paint in clutch moments. The 22-year-old finished the game with three blocks, all of which came in the final four minutes of the game. One was originally called a goaltend, but coach Jai Lucas challenged the call and overturned it.
Udeh Jr. isn't the flashiest center, but delivered with crucial stops to secure the win.
The Hurricanes improve to a 22-6 overall record, 11-4 in ACC play. They're the current lone owner of the third seed in the conference after the North Carolina State Wolfpack suffered a 90–61 loss against the Cavaliers. Coach Lucas continues to lead the program to new heights and turn its image around.
Freshman forward Shelton Henderson suffered a left knee injury late in the second-half, needed assistance in walking off the court, but returned to close the game. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 34 minutes.
The Hurricanes will have an extended break, not playing until Saturday at home against the Boston College Eagles. As they reach the final stretch of the regular season, securing double-byes in the ACC Tournament is on the line.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our RoundTable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
More Miami Hurricanes News: