Miami defeated Wake Forest at the LVJM Coliseum to extend their win streak to eight consecutive games, improving their overall record to 13-2 and remaining undefeated in conference play.
With both squads tied at 77 a piece late in the fourth quarter, Miami freshman forward Shelton Henderson tipped in a missed Malik Reneau missed three pointer to give the ’Canes a two-point advantage.
A pair of missed Juke Harris free throws on Wake Forest’s following possession forced the Demon Deacons to foul, sending Hurricane senior guard Tre Donaldson to the charity stripe with just nine seconds left on the clock.
Donaldson went two for two from the line, sealing a Miami road victory and sinking Wake Forest to 10-6 on the year.
Both Donaldson and Reneau put up strong offensive performances for UM, scoring 21 and 18 points respectively to account for nearly half of Miami’s points.
The game opened up tightly contested and stayed that way throughout the first half, with the largest lead of the first being just a 17-10 Wake Forest advantage about halfway into the period.
A 20-9 Miami run late in the first put the ’Canes up 30-26 thanks to a Reneau three pointer.
However, Wake Forest continued to fight back and the half finished with Miami holding a narrow 39-38 advantage over the Demon Deacons.
The second half was just as heated as the first, with neither team marking a clear advantage until Miami extended their lead to five with just over two minutes left in the game.
A pair of Harris buckets tied the game at 75 with the half winding down, but UM maintained their composure to scratch out the 81-77 victory.
The Hurricanes shot a highly efficient 50 percent from the field while also outrebounding the Demon Deacons 37-20.
Senior center Ernest Udeh Jr. was particularly outstanding on the glass, racking up five offensive and eight defensive rebounds for Miami.
A sophomore guard and North Carolina native, Harris led the Demon Deacons with 28 points on just fifteen shots, while senior guard Nate Calmese chipped in a valuable 19 points in the loss.
Despite the victory, Miami will look to improve their defensive prowess as the season progresses, as Wake Forest shot over 50 percent from the field while shooting 52 percent from behind the arc.
The Hurricanes themselves had a rough day from the three point line, knocking in just four of their 18 three point attempts.