Seniors ignite! Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson powered through early struggles, securing a Round of 32 berth with clutch performances against the Missouri Tigers.
The seventh-seeded Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball squad advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after an 80–66 victory over the 10-seed Missouri Tigers in St. Louis, Missouri. Despite sluggishly ending the first half by going scoreless in the final three minutes, seniors Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson rose to the occasion of “March Madness” and kept the team’s season alive.
Despite what the final results suggest, the discrepancy from the free-throw line played a significant role in the offensive struggles. The Hurricanes shot 58.6 percent for the game, making 17 of 29 attempts. Without capitalizing on open opportunities, the window for the Tigers to make a comeback was left open for longer than preferred, raising the level of difficulty.
Regardless of the early adversity, Donaldson and Reneau entered the game with significant playoff experience, which showed in critical moments. They combined for 41 points on 48.1 percent shooting.
Reneau finished with a game-high 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal in 36 minutes. He made two three-pointers in the second half, both extending the Hurricanes’ lead. The Tigers made it difficult for the All-ACC forward to get work done in the paint, missing six first-half field goal attempts near the rim. However, Reneau was able to adjust the rest of the game and impact the scoreboard as usual.
Regardless of double teams or zone defense, the Miami native delivered for his hometown program.
Donaldson followed with a 17-point performance on 54.5 percent shooting, including eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals in 34 minutes. He made five-of-seven three-pointers, all in the second half, including a couple in the final three minutes of regulation.
The 22-year-old has delivered for the program in clutch moments on several occasions. Despite experiencing similar first-half struggles like Reneau, he ended the game on a strong note.
Alongside the veterans, freshman forward Shelton Henderson didn’t shy away from the bright lights in his first NCAA Tournament game. He finished with 15 points on 46.7 percent shooting, six rebounds, four assists, and a steal in 37 minutes.
The 19-year-old is known to get physical, attacking the paint. He scored 10 points near the rim, including a made three-point attempt, but it was ruled a two due to having a foot on the line.
The Hurricanes dominated the rebounding battle 46-30. However, what really made the difference was 16 offensive rebounds, resulting in 19 second-chance points. Meanwhile, the Tigers only secured seven offensive rebounds, scoring just two second-chance points.
Star senior forward Mark Mitchell had to work extra hard to finish with a complimentary stat line: 19 points on 40 percent shooting, three rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal in 36 minutes. He made three-of-four three-pointers, all in the second half.
The two-time All-SEC forward scored just four points in the first half. Despite the second-half offensive spark, Reneau and senior center Ernest Udeh Jr. managed to make every point difficult for Mitchell to earn.
The 22-year-old finished one-of-six on two-point attempts. He found success with nine points from behind the arc and eight from the free-throw line.
In Mitchell’s virtual absence, redshirt senior guard Jayden Stone delivered a 21-point performance for the Tigers, along with six rebounds and an assist in 34 minutes. He made three three-pointers in the second half. The 25-year-old kept the team’s hopes alive for an extensive period of time, until it was too late.
The Hurricanes’ survival means another big dance approaching, this time with the second-seed Purdue Boilermakers. The matchup will take place on Sunday at 12:10 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS.
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