The Miami Hurricanes made a statement in their first game of the new year, defeating the No. 16 Clemson Tigers 95-82 at home. The win was the Hurricanes’ fifth straight victory against a ranked ACC opponent.
Nijel Pack, Norchad Omier and Matthew Cleveland led the way for the Hurricanes, as each scored over 20 points in the victory. All five of Miami’s starters reached double-digit points for the fourth time this season.
The ‘Canes started the game seemingly trying to shake off the cobwebs of the holiday weekend, going down 41-35 at the end of the first half.
Omier sat for a significant portion of the half due to early foul trouble, and his absence effectively neutralized Miami’s interior offense. The Hurricanes made a paltry 31.8% of their attempts from inside the arc, scored only 10 points in the paint and failed to attempt any free throws during the first half.
The lone first-half bright spot for the ‘Canes was freshman Kyshawn George, who started in place of the injured Wooga Poplar. George’s 12 first-half points helped keep the team afloat during an otherwise underwhelming offensive performance.
But Miami’s halftime adjustments worked to perfection, as it erupted for 60 points in the second half.
Omier’s return to the game — he was on the floor for almost the entire second half — jumpstarted Miami’s interior offense. The Hurricanes’ newfound aggressiveness at the rim led to 26 points in the paint and 15 free throw attempts.
Pack did not miss in the second half, shooting 6-for-6 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line, amassing 20 points in the process.
Hustle plays were also crucial for the Hurricanes. Clemson’s four fast break points paled in comparison to Miami’s 15. Bensley Joseph recorded four steals, one shy of Clemson’s total for the game. Joseph’s 2.2 steals per game average is third-best in the ACC.
Clemson’s biggest threat in this game was senior center PJ Hall, who came into the matchup averaging the most blocks (2.2) and second-most points (20.5) per game in the ACC. But Miami’s defense held strong, holding the talented big man to 17 points. Hall failed to record a block, turned the ball over four times, and fouled out of the game with just over two minutes remaining.
The win moves the Hurricanes to a 2-0 conference record and an 11-2 record overall. Both marks are tied for the best in the ACC.
Miami heads to Winston-Salem for its next matchup, an ACC bout against Wake Forest, on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.