While Hurricanes football is winning big across the country, Miami men’s basketball continues to stay perfect back at home in Coral Gables.
Led by a career performance from guard Tre Donaldson, the ’Canes (14-2, 3-0 ACC) started and finished strong to secure their ninth straight win and improve to 11-0 at the Watsco Center, dismantling the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets 91-81.
Miami is now 3-0 in ACC play, a feat the program has only accomplished four times since joining the conference 22 years ago.
The Hurricanes sprinted out of the starting gates, jumping out to a 15-2 lead within the first six minutes.
Georgia Tech (10-7, 1-3 ACC) managed to close the gap to within seven, but Shelton Henderson’s nuclear first-half outing helped UM to fend off the Yellowjackets’ sting.
The five-star freshman forward tallied 14 of his 17 points in the first frame of action, closing the half with an emphatic dunk to send Miami into the break with a 47-33 lead.
Georgia Tech entered the third quarter nearly flawless, going 10 for 14 from the field and shooting 57% from the floor.
Although the Hurricanes had built a solid safety net heading into the final 20 minutes, the Yellowjackets were able to cut the deficit to five with four minutes remaining. Another poor showing from the foul line kept Georgia Tech within striking range, with Miami only scoring on 21 of 32 free throws.
However, despite the errors from UM, the Ramblin’ Wreck could once again not get out of their own way and committed 14 total turnovers. Miami turned its blunders into baskets, converting 18 points off the visitors’ giveaways.
Georgia Tech remains one of only three teams with a negative turnover margin on the season.
Winning 77-72 with 4:13 left to play, Timotej Malovec drilled a silencer from beyond the perimeter to extend the Hurricanes’ advantage to eight points. After Malovec ignited the fuse, Miami never lost its flame, shutting the door on the Yellowjackets by connecting on their last six offensive possessions.
Veteran guard Donaldson was surgical down the stretch. The Big 10 and SEC transfer registered seven points in the final four minutes, burying a game-clinching three pointer to widen the gap to nine with 0:39 left on the clock.
Donaldson finished his afternoon tying his career-high of 27 points and dishing out 10 assists, marking his fifth double-double on the season. The Tallahassee native continued to exhibit his clutch gene, notching 15 of his 27 in the second half alone.
Now shining as a team captain finally with the opportunity to represent his home on the third team of his collegiate career, Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire credits UM head coach Jai Lucas with Donaldson’s senior year explosion.
“This is probably the first time in his life that he’s had a coach that believes in him from start to finish,” Staudamire said.
The other two members of Miami’s core three were also significant contributors, with Malik Reneau adding 18 points and Henderson bagging 17 points and four rebounds in total.
6 -foot-11 center Ernest Udeh Jr. also chipped in mightily for the Hurricanes, netting 13 points from the interior and dominating off the glass with 15 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double.
Lucas could only think of one worthy comparison when describing Udeh’s role on the squad.
“I say it all the time, he’s like having a great wide receiver. He’s our version of Malachi Toney,” Lucas said. “We put him in these different ball screen situations, and you throw a lob, and he can go get it. He’s up there somewhere. It opens everything else when you have somebody that’s such a lob threat and can put pressure on a ram and a defense to have to either adjust what they’re going to do.”
Miami now heads to South Bend in search of their tenth consecutive win as they square off against rival foes Notre Dame on Tuesday. Tip off is at 7 p.m. with coverage on ESPNU.
