In her postgame interview, Jasmyne Roberts certainly considered Miami to be the team that runs Florida women’s basketball after its intense 79-51 win over Florida International University on Tuesday night.
The ‘Canes kicked off the game with a slow start, trailing the Panthers for more than half of the first quarter. Once Roberts tied the game up with a clutch layup, though, the ‘Canes took off. Cameron Williams scored the final basket of the quarter, which ended in a 19-19 tie.
After a rocky first quarter for the Hurricanes, the team came to life on the defensive end of the court with their strong closeouts and caused turnovers that in turn created more offensive openings.
The Cavinder Twins ignited a fire in the team with their speed and snuck by their defenders to aid the team both in the paint and through their assists. Darrione Rogers also made significant contributions on offense, sinking two three pointers in the last few minutes of the second quarter.
Starting off the second half with a score of 40-27 (UM), the ‘Canes lost some of their offensive power and only added 14 points to the board. Even in their worst quarter, though, they outscored the Panthers and frustrated them on both ends of the court.
The most notable aspect of Miami’s fourth quarter performance was its free throw percentage. The Hurricanes went 8-8 from the free throw line and maintained their steady lead for the rest of the game.
Much of the team’s success over the past four games has been a result of new faces on the roster. Transfers Darrione Rogers, Natalija Marshall, Cameron Williams, and freshman Leah Harmon have all made significant contributions to the team already and look to continue their hard work as the season progresses.
The Hurricanes are now 4-0 and look to continue their streak as they face Campbell on Friday Night at the Watsco Center.