Tru Washington's clutch free throws and Malik Reneau's dominance secured a nail-biting win, showcasing the Miami Hurricanes' resilience amid shooting struggles.
The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball squad survived with a 77-76 victory over the North Carolina State Wolfpack in a hostile environment. In a battle of runs, they executed down the stretch to come out on top.
Biggest takeaways of the game:
Hurricanes; Tru Washington's return: The Hurricanes were without junior guard Tru Washington over the last three games. He was away from the team against the California Golden Bears and Boston College Eagles due to personal reasons. The Arizona native returned against the North Carolina Tar Heels, but Jai Lucas wasn't comfortable with the idea of throwing him out there without proper preparation.
Washington was ready to go against the Wolfpack and finished with 13 points on 40 percent shooting and six rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. He came through with big plays down the stretch, especially making three free throws to secure the victory.
Hurricanes; Overcoming shooting woes: The Hurricanes dominated inside the arc with 56 paint points, but finished with an atrocious 18-percent three-point shooting, making three of 17 attempts. It's been a struggle for the team all season, but against the Wolfpack, it's what made the game close. Winning in that fashion shows great resilience from the players.
Wolfpack; Paul McNeil Jr.'s second-half surge: After going scoreless in the first half, sophomore guard Paul McNeil Jr. went on a scoring tear afterwards. He finished the game with 14 points, including four three-pointers made, four rebounds, and two blocks in 31 minutes. The 19-year-old provided the Wolfpack momentum until the collapse at the very end.
Wolfpack; Driven by chaos: In the middle of the second half, tensions flared between senior forward Darrion Williams, who appeared to have kicked senior guard Tre Donaldson after diving for a loose ball. After being assessed a technical foul, the Wolfpack ignited an 11-0 run.
Hurricanes; Malik Reneau dominance: Coach Lucas continues to rely heavily on senior forward Malik Reneau, who delivered with another strong performance. He finished with 26 points, six rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block in 36 minutes. Despite facing all kinds of defenses, the 22-year-old managed to thrive when getting to the basket.
The Hurricanes improve to a 20-5 overall record, 9-3 in ACC play. The ability to secure back-to-back victories against Quad 1 opponents, especially in a hostile environment, speaks to the leadership that coach Lucas is bringing to the program. They will host the Virginia Tech Hokies on Tuesday night.
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