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Miami goes cold in the second half, falls to Purdue 79-69 to end season

Liam Hickey
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Miami goes cold in the second half, falls to Purdue 79-69 to end season

The Miami Hurricanes’ season came to an end on Sunday, falling 79-69 to the No. 2 seed Purdue Boilermakers at the Enterprise Center in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Hurricanes (26-9) had Purdue (29-8) on the verge of an upset, leading 40-38 at the half, but a rough shooting slump down the stretch ultimately sealed Miami’s demise.

A star was born in UM freshman Shelton Henderson, who took the reins of Miami’s offense. Henderson exploded for 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists to pace the team in every major category.

On the season, he shot 56.7% from the field, which is a freshman program record.

Seniors Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson both poured in double-digit performances. Reneau finished with 16 points and five rebounds but struggled with ball security, ending his day with seven turnovers. Donaldson added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.

The Canes set the tone from the jump, opening with Donaldson teeing up Ernest Udeh Jr. for an emphatic alley-oop on the first possession of the game.

Miami trailed by as many as seven points in the first half but remained within striking distance due to offensive miscues from the Boilermakers.

The Hurricanes forced seven takeaways and managed to shut down Purdue guard Braden Smith, the NCAA all-time leader in assists.

Smith, a First Team All-American, had only two points and two assists along with four turnovers through the first 20 minutes of action.

The Canes recaptured the lead after a momentum-shifting sequence from Shelton Henderson, who tied the game on a put-back before flushing in a rim-rattling dunk to go up 31-29. 

Miami entered the break with the 40-38 advantage after Donaldson banked a shot off the glass on a last-second solo drive to the rim.

David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Senior Guard Tre Donaldson shoots a three point shot against Purdue on March 22, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Both sides were sizzling from 3-point range in the first half. Purdue was 5-for-9 (56.7%), and the Hurricanes went 4-for-8 (50%) from the perimeter.

However, Miami’s production tapered off in the final frame, and the Boilermakers took advantage, outscoring the Canes 41-29 over the last 20 minutes.

After Malik Reneau’s opening bucket, turnovers and missed field goals triggered a 9-0 run for Purdue. Miami never led again.

The Hurricanes ended going 1-for-11 from beyond the arc in the second half, unable to draw within one possession over the last nine minutes. Overall, Miami shot 26% from three.

In his first year as Miami head coach, Jai Lucas tied the NCAA Division I all-time record in win improvement, taking the program from 7-24 in the 2024-25 season to 26-9 with an NCAA Tournament win.

After the game, Lucas was effusive with praise for the first group of players he’s ever led with the Hurricanes.

“It was an absolute pleasure and joy to coach this team,” Lucas said. “And I thank them for believing in me, believing in a person who has never coached before, and everything they gave me this year, I’m forever in debt to them.”

The love was reciprocated by Udeh Jr., who said this was the greatest coaching staff he’s ever been a part of. He had previously played at Kansas and TCU before transferring to Coral Gables for his final year of eligibility.

“They did a tremendous job throughout the entire year understanding me, Tre and Malik as a person,” Udeh said. “The cohesiveness between all of them to generate one message that we can all comprehend, they did a great job on that front.”

The overwhelming success in year one of the Jai Lucas era was unprecedented to many.

Now firmly seated at the helm for Miami, this success is now just the standard.

Miami blasts past Creighton with three homer surge, completes series sweep

Brendan Cafferty
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Miami blasts past Creighton with three homer surge, completes series sweep

On Sunday afternoon, the Canes offense loomed large over the Creighton Blue Jays in the finale of their three-game series. 

Three-straight homers off the bats of Alex Sosa, Derek Williams, and Brylan West sent Mark Light Field into a frenzy —- part of a much-needed 15-5 rout and series sweep.

Following a two-strikeout first for Miami starter Lazaro Collera, the Hurricanes bats struck immediately in the first. 

Williams hammered a ball to the right field gap to open the scoring with a one-run single. With men on first and third, first baseman West drove a ball to the warning track for a sac-fly, giving the Canes an early 2-0 lead.

After another shutdown inning from Collera, the Canes would bring shortstop Vance Sheahan around in on a passed ball after his single, adding one additional run to their tally.

Collera, making his first start since February against Lafayette, suffered his first setback of the afternoon in the third.

The right-hander would give up a two-run shot to Creighton shortstop Ben North, shrinking the Canes lead to one.

Answering immediately in the bottom half of the inning, however, was the trio of homers from Sosa, Williams and West.

West’s 410 foot homer served as the nail in the coffin for the Bluejays, as the Canes would hold a lead of at least four the remainder of the game.

Second baseman Jake Ogden joined the homer party with a two run shot to left field in the fourth, followed up by another RBI from Williams.

After getting into some trouble in the fifth, Collera was pulled for reliever TJ Coats. 

Through 4.1 innings, Collera tallied six strikeouts with only one walk. The sophomore Miami native has made a great leap from his freshman season, doubling his strikeouts relative to the year prior and halving his ERA.

Collera looks to be a formidable weapon in the Hurricanes’ rotation for the remainder of the season, and beyond.

Creighton jumped on Coats, with two RBI doubles bringing in both of Collera’s runners and one of his own for good measure. But the Nebraska transfer worked his way out of the inning with two strikeouts.

The Blue Jays issued their third pitching change of the day, but he met the same fate as the prior two.

Left fielder Dylan Dubovik was driven in by a flyout from Vance Sheahan after a wild throw-in, before Sheahan was at the center of the action again in the sixth, tallying an RBI single.

Miami’s offense had a rare blip in the seventh, recording their first scoreless inning of the afternoon.

The Canes quickly made up for it in the eighth, racking up five consecutive walks leading to two scored runs and, ultimately, a 10-run mercy rule giving the Hurricanes their first sweep since February.

With 13 RBIs on twelve hits, the Canes’ ability at the plate showcased immensely in this game and as a whole with 35 runs over the three-game series.

Miami plays next against FAU at home on Tuesday, Mar. 24, at 6:00 p.m.

Canes’ comeback falls just short in 72-65 loss to Wisconsin

Lazaro Chavez
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Canes’ comeback falls just short in 72-65 loss to Wisconsin

Miami’s women’s basketball season came to a close Sunday afternoon with a 72-65 loss against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.

The Canes battled back from a double-digit deficit early in the third quarter to challenge the Badgers in the fourth quarter.

As usual this season, guard Gal Raviv and center Ra Shaya Kyle led the way for Miami. Raviv racked up 20 points, playing 38 minutes while Kyle closed out her collegiate career with a hard fought performance in the paint, putting up nine points and 12 rebounds. 

Wisconsin’s execution down the stretch proved to be the difference. Gift Uchenna and Destiny Howell delivered timely three-pointers to keep Miami at bay in the fourth quarter — clutch shots that proved to be the dagger in Miami’s postseason hopes.

Despite the loss, UM head coach Tricia Cullop noted the progress the team has made in her second year as head coach. 

“You know last year we were sitting home at this time. We didn’t get to play the post season”, Collup said. “I’m glad we got a taste of it … It’s what we want to be, that’s where this program should be.”

Wisconsin dominated the opening quarter with points from Howell, Lily Krahn and Uchenna, capitalizing on the Canes sluggish start to end the quarter with a commanding eleven point lead. 

In the second, the story was much of the same.

Wisconsin dominated defensively, slowing Miami down while racking up eight defensive rebounds. 

While still trailing, scores from Amarachi Kimpson, Raviv, and Danielle Osho helped make up ground to close Miami’s deficit 23-15 at half-time.  

The game seemingly broke open in the third, where Wisconsin extended their lead to 52-37. Howell led the badgers in this frame, connecting repeatedly from beyond the arc as part of a career high six 3-pointers. Wisconsin’s floor spacing and transition play — spearheaded by Laci Steele and Krahn — consistently overwhelmed Miami’s defense. 

But Miami caught fire in the fourth quarter. 

The Canes leaned heavily on Raviv who led the team in scoring alongside eight assists —  repeatedly attacking the paint and finding shooters on the perimeter. 

Kimpson was the only other Cane to reach double digits, with 11 points. Adams provided some much needed perimeter spark, contributing nine points on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.


Miami brought the game within two with 45 seconds remaining, but Wisconsin held on to advance to the quarterfinal round of the WBIT.

The Canes will look to improve in Cullop’s third season at the helm in 2026-27.

‘The U’ is in good hands: Takeaways from Miami’s 79-69 season-ending loss to Purdue

Jayden Gonzalez
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‘The U’ is in good hands: Takeaways from Miami’s 79-69 season-ending loss to Purdue

The Miami Hurricanes threw everything they could at the Purdue Boilermakers, but it wasn’t enough.

On Sunday afternoon at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, No. 2 seed Purdue pulled away in the second half behind Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn to defeat No. 7 seed Miami 79-69, ending the Hurricanes’ season.

Miami led 40-38 at halftime and appeared poised to pull off the upset. But Purdue (29-8) surged after the break, outscoring the Hurricanes 41-29 behind 45 combined points from Kaufman-Renn and Loyer. The Boilermakers shot 8-for-14 from 3-point range and 21-of-22 from the free-throw line.

With less than a minute remaining, Miami (26-8) still had a chance.

Trailing by six, Tre Donaldson and Tru Washington missed back-to-back 3-point attempts that would have cut the deficit to one possession. Kaufman-Renn secured his ninth rebound on Washington’s miss, effectively sealing the game.

Despite the loss, first-year head coach Jai Lucas has Miami trending upward, with this season signaling the program’s return to national relevance.

“It was an absolute pleasure and a joy to coach this team,” Lucas said. “I thank them for believing in me, believing in a person who had never coached before, and everything they gave me this year. I’m forever in debt to them.”

Veteran transfers laid the foundation for Miami’s resurgence

Miami finished its 2024-25 campaign at 7-24 — one of the worst seasons in program history. Lucas, who took over on March 6, 2025 prioritized veteran leadership to reshape the culture.

Senior transfers Malik Reneau, Tre Donaldson and Ernest Udeh Jr. delivered exactly that, establishing a new standard in Lucas’ first season.

Reneau, an Indiana transfer, arrived in Coral Gables seeking a fresh start after an injury-plagued junior year. The Miami native made the most of it.

“I’m blessed that Coach gave me this opportunity to come back home and come to The U and finish my last year here,” Reneau said.

The senior forward earned First-Team All-ACC honors, averaging 19 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His 662 points tied Don Curnutt for fifth-most in a single season in program history.

“This season has meant the world to me,” Reneau said. “Coach giving me the opportunity to not only be a pivotal player on my team and play 30-plus minutes, but also become a leader and be someone these guys look up to.”

Donaldson provided stability and a clutch factor at point guard, a presence Miami hasn’t seen since Isaiah Wong’s 2022-23 campaign.

After stops at Auburn and Michigan, the senior guard returned to his home state and earned second-team All-ACC honors while averaging 16.5 points and 5.8 assists.

“Coming to Miami, I had to build myself back up coming back off a tough year,” Donaldson said. “Coming into a coaching staff that was going to help me build myself back up and continue to help me get better. I enjoyed every moment of it.”

David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Senior Guard Tre Donaldson gets back on defense against Purdue on March 22, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Udeh anchored the defense, impacting the game in ways that didn’t show up in the box score. The Kansas and TCU transfer earned a spot on the All-ACC defensive second team and played a key role in Miami’s interior presence.

The Hurricanes dominated the offensive glass in the NCAA Tournament, outrebounding Missouri and Purdue 30-11 combined on offensive boards. Udeh contributed 12 of those rebounds.

Together, the trio helped revive the program and establish a foundation for sustained success.

“We really have built a great foundation,” Lucas said.

Shelton Henderson has emerged as a centerpiece of Miami’s future.

While the veterans set the tone, freshman Shelton Henderson showed he could be the program’s next star.

The Bellaire, Texas, native stepped up in the NCAA Tournament, producing strong performances against Missouri and Purdue while consistently attacking the paint.

“He’s a stud,” Purdue head coach Matt Painter said after the game. “He could play for the football and the basketball team. He just runs through people.”

In his two tournament games, Henderson averaged 16.5 points and seven rebounds while shooting 61.5%. His postseason showing capped a strong freshman campaign in which he averaged 13.7 points and nearly five rebounds per game on 56% shooting.

“I learned a lot about myself,” Henderson said. “I had to grow up a little bit faster playing with these guys and I think it helped me in the end.”

Henderson is expected to take on a leading role next season as Miami builds on its momentum.

The Hurricanes are also expecting a return of key contributors such as Washington and Dante Allen, while adding five-star recruit Caleb Gaskins, who could make an immediate impact.

Lucas made it clear that this season is only the beginning.

“It’s my job to keep it going and keep it rolling,” Lucas said. “This time next year we’re talking about going to the Sweet 16, not just the season ending. That’s the goal, that’s the plan until you win the National Championship.”

David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Freshman Forward Shelton Henderson dunks the ball against Purdue on March 22, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

The cost of a chance: UM’s $100 housing application fee

Niki Kawa
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The cost of a chance: UM’s $100 housing application fee

Hidden costs are one of the biggest obstacles students face today, and sometimes they don’t even come with a guarantee. Prior to the Spring 2026 semester, students were charged a $500 deposit which was fully refundable. With a new policy change, students are required to pay a $100 non-refundable application fee. 

For a school that costs upwards of $100,000 annually, $100 may seem like nothing. However, for the many students who are already stretching their budget to cover housing costs, it becomes something else entirely: the cost of applying for housing without any guarantee of receiving it. 

This charge supports housing operations as a whole, but the University has not specified whether it will be credited to a student’s personal housing balance. Returning students are not guaranteed housing at UM, so if they want to live on campus, they have to find a spot through the lottery system. 

According to the 2025 State of the Student Housing Industry Report by StarRez, 78% of undergraduates live off campus, and 53% of these students chose to live off campus due to a lack of on-campus availability. As a result, many seek off-campus leases at the same time, “just in case” they don’t receive housing.

“I think it’s ridiculous to pay a $100 non-refundable housing fee when they can’t clearly provide housing for every student,” said freshman Gizely Soares. 

However, this problem may not be as prominent as students perceive since last year, the University offered housing to every student on the waitlist by June.

“For the 2026/2027 school year, approximately 3,100 students completed the housing application process,” The University said in a statement to The Hurricane. “Out of those, about 2,000 received a housing assignment, leaving around 1,100 people without immediate placement. If you look at the last school year, everyone was cleared by the end of June with housing assignments.”  

Regardless, the updated requirement holds potential to impact students from low-income families. Research on rental application fees have shown how they can pose a barrier and limit access for lower-income renters.

“The fact that it was non-refundable without a fee waiver available was somewhat concerning,” said freshman Helene Ung.“Personally I’m low income, and have had plenty of fee waivers for school.”

Her experience parallels those of other students who already depend on financial aid to cover basic educational costs. 

This reality suggests that seemingly trivial charges compound into a broader issue. The lack of a fee waiver can exacerbate already limited resources, which shows how crucial it is to consider the various financial situations among students. 

Similar concerns were echoed by freshman Stephanie Embil, who said that the policy change was “especially unfair to students who pay for school without family’s help and low-income families.” 

While some students rely on family support, others must carefully budget every expense. However, some students like sophomore Daniel Joven understood the need for the new fee system.

“I do think that they should somewhat profit from the process, so I can see how the $100 can go toward that,” he said. Even though a number of UM students have found the fee to be controversial, the practice is common. 

In a statement to The Hurricane, the University of Miami said, “This is in alignment with common practice at other institutions to require a modest application fee vs. large pre-payment.” 

Other institutions such as Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University and the University of Florida require similar fees. A majority of the time, these fees are implemented to make sure that applicants are serious before they have access to room selection portals. The money generally helps the process work more efficiently rather than addressing individual room charges. For instance, it might be responsible for the costs of hiring staff, keeping the system running and reviewing applications. 

Freshman Selena Staples pointed out how the policy could affect students from low-income families who rely on on-campus housing. Her concern reflects the same anxious anticipation that many other students sense, the possibility of paying a fee only to receive no housing placement. 

“They would have to be in debt. It’s so unfair for them,” Staples said. 

This uncertainty can make students feel pressured to over-commit financially. Students are asked to pay without guarantee of housing, so many of them are bracing for rejection. With both a non-refundable fee and a push to secure a backup off-campus lease, the burden is doubled. 

Students are required to pay for the chance of receiving housing. While more transparency about the policy would help students understand the process, the larger issue is the uncertainty that comes with the fee. When housing is not guaranteed, even a modest charge becomes something significant: the cost of a chance.

Winter Music Conference looks to reclaim Miami Music Week

Gabriel Mena
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Winter Music Conference looks to reclaim Miami Music Week

In its earliest years, the Miami Music Week wasn’t about massive crowds or viral moments—it was about business. But long before the citywide marathon of parties defined the week, there was a single event that brought the global dance music industry together in one place: Winter Music Conference.

DJs, label executives, radio programmers and journalists traveled to Miami not just to celebrate the culture, but to shape it. 

“WMC in the beginning was all business, and the parties were really label showcases attended mostly by industry, press, artists, radio, etc.,” said conference director David Ireland.

Over time, however, the culture around electronic music exploded beyond the conference walls. As festivals grew and global fan culture took over, Miami Music Week expanded into a decentralized network of events stretching across the city. 

Promoters began throwing larger fan-driven parties, and the industry slowly dispersed across dozens of showcases and activations. In that transformation, the conference that once anchored the entire week gradually faded from the center of the conversation.

Ireland has watched that evolution unfold firsthand. With more than three decades in music media and marketing — including helping relaunch WMC under Ultra Music Festival — he has seen electronic music shift from underground subculture to global industry. 

His return to lead Winter Music Conference’s current chapter reflects an effort to reconnect the event with its original purpose.

But rebuilding the conference isn’t a solo effort. Much of the operational backbone behind WMC 2026 comes from Nick Morgan, CEO of the international event production collective We Group. 

This year’s edition introduces pool parties at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, adding a new experiential element for attendees—but also a logistical puzzle. 

“We’ve added pool parties on premise which brings its own unique challenges such as permitting and rigging 16 floors up from the lobby,” Morgan said. The reward, he added, is worth it: attendees will experience events overlooking the Miami River and downtown skyline.

Despite logistical pressures, the conference’s leadership sees 2026 as an opportunity to redefine what Winter Music Conference can offer the electronic music ecosystem.

One of the key ideas shaping this year’s programming is accessibility across different levels of the industry. Ireland describes the conference as operating on a “two-track program”—one aimed at creators looking to build careers in electronic music, and another focused on professionals already working within the business. 

For example, the conference is introducing a new A&R Pop-Up Lounge designed to give emerging artists and producers direct access to representatives from labels like Experts Only and Ultra Records. 

For established professionals, panels and discussions tackle some of the most pressing topics shaping the industry today, including artificial intelligence, audience fragmentation, marketing strategies and data management.

“We always try to take the industry’s temperature and see what’s starting to bubble up,” Ireland said. 

The goal is to ensure that attendees leave the conference not just with ideas, but with practical insights they can apply immediately.

The physical environment of the conference also plays an important role in shaping these conversations. Rather than spreading programming across disconnected venues or taking a digital approach, organizers have emphasized creating a central hub where networking, panels and social experiences intersect.

“For me it’s really important that the hub truly feels like the hub,” Morgan said. “People are staying at the hotel, interacting in common areas, attending sessions, and this year we’ve added pool parties as well—meaning there is something happening throughout the venue during the entire event.”

The setting itself is also part of the point. Instead of scattering programming across different venues or relying too heavily on digital access, organizers have focused on building one central hub where panels, networking and social events all happen in the same orbit.

Looking ahead, Ireland said the conference’s future depends on growing carefully without losing what makes it work in the first place. 

Organizers are already thinking through a longer-term plan with the city of Miami, with the goal of expanding in a way that still keeps the event centered, manageable and true to its atmosphere.

“If you grow too much and spread everything out, you lose the magic,” Ireland said.

For him, the benchmark of success remains simple.

“If you don’t leave WMC inspired and more up to speed on things in our industry,” Ireland said, “then we are not doing our job.”

As Miami Music Week gets bigger, louder and more spread out across the city, Winter Music Conference is trying to hold onto something a little more grounded. 

It still wants to be the place where artists, executives and newcomers can actually sit down, talk, exchange ideas and think about where electronic music is heading before all of it plays out onstage later that week.

This year’s conference runs March 24–26 at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami. More information on badges, programming and events is available on the official WMC website. 

With its move downtown and a broader mix of sessions and networking opportunities, the conference is positioning itself once again as a meeting point in the middle of Miami Music Week’s usual chaos.

Miami kicks off outdoor season strong with Hurricane Invitational

Shea Mcdonald
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Miami kicks off outdoor season strong with Hurricane Invitational

Miami track and field has officially fired out the starting blocks for the outdoor season with the Hurricane Invitational at Cobb Stadium. 

Coming off a strong end to the indoor season with many making a push for deep postseason accomplishments, many of UM’s biggest names on the team sat out the event, but still throughout the weekend many Hurricanes shined with standout performances. 

Friday was a day solely led by the field events and Miami topped the leaderboards all throughout, beginning with the hammer throw. 

Following her impressive indoor season, ECU transfer Jocelyn Pringle made her outdoor debut with Miami in record fashion. With a throw of 62.35m Pringle entered school record books with the second best mark in school history and second place in the event. In the men’s, Desmond Coleman finished top three in two of his events just shy of a career best in the hammer throw at 59.34, good for third place, and a second place spot in the discus at 54.14m. 

As for the jumpers, Miami has a new pole vaulter in junior Payton Serraglio and she made a big time debut for the Canes. 

Clearing 3.65m, she took first place on the day and entered into fourth all time in the event for Miami. In the women’s long jump, Miami took the top two spots. Sophomore Jovana Micic had a 5.89m mark to take first place and Dominique Johnson followed her up at 5.76m. And with the men, grad transfer from Boston University Steven Franco took second place, but first among college competitors at 6.99m 

Moving over to Saturday, the Hurricanes continued to make strides and take some victories. 

Early in the day the men’s 4x100m team with Ashton Torns, Caine Stanley, Carter Cukerstein and Dylan Woodruffe took first place with a time of 39.82 seconds. That entered the group into fourth all-time in the event. 

It wasn’t Cukerstein and Torns’ only placement in the top five, the two were a part of the Hurricanes first and third best times in the event both set during last year’s outdoor season. 

Torns also went stride for stride with Olympic Gold Medalist Steven Gardiner in the 100m narrowly finishing in second with a time of 10.50 to Gardiner’s 10.36. Right behind the two of them was freshman Tristen Washington making his debut for the Canes at 10.64.

Over for the women’s hurdles, Miami claimed the top spots in both 100m and the 400m. 

In the 100m hurdles, sophomore Brittney Jennings took first place with a time of 13.52 as part of a Hurricane podium sweep.

Jennings was joined on the podium by freshman spring enrollee Zuzanna Zajac and sophomore Morgan Roundtree took second and third right behind her in the finals. Roundtree made her way back to the track for the 400m hurdles and dominated, her time of 1:02.07 was two seconds faster than the rest of her competition.

Rounding out the highlight performances of the weekend on the track, Robert Rimmel took the men’s 1500m with a time of 3:57.41, Robert Joseph held second place in the 400m at 48.72s, and Dylan Woodruffe returned to the track with a second place finish in the 200m at 21.12s.

Miami had a few more standouts over in the field on Saturday as well. 

Just like the long jump, Miami went 1-2 in the triple jump. Latvian freshman Adrianna Kruzmane placed first with a mark at 13.16m and Dominique Johnson took second at 12.72m. In the high jump junior Magadine Campo took first place at 1.76m. Finally, freshman Lauren Kriby placed second in the women’s shot put at 15.85m.

As the season goes on Miami’s standouts that made it to ACC and the Indoor National Championships should return next week. 

Miami will stay home and welcome runners to the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational the March 27-28.

Miami secures series win against Creighton with 11-1 victory

Harrison Steinberg
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Miami secures series win against Creighton with 11-1 victory

Celebrating the 2001 national championship team on a beautiful Saturday night, Miami faced the Creighton Blue Jays in game two of the mid-March series. 

Carrying the momentum of last night’s victory, the Canes mercy ruled Creighton 11-1 in eight innings to clinch the series win.

On the bump for the Canes was senior lefty Rob Evans, making his fifth start of the year. Evans was coming off back-to-back wins after impressive starts against Boston College and Duke across the past two weekends.

His opposition: senior right-hander Ian Koosman. The righty came into this matchup allowing a run in all six of his appearances this season, with an ERA north of seven.

Evans racked up his 100th career strikeout to start the game, closing out the inning with another strikeout and a flyout. Koosman responded strongly, putting down Jake Ogden, Daniel Cuvet, and Alex Sosa in order.

But, the Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the second from Connor Capece who ripped a solo home run into left field. This was his first home run of the year, and his fourth in his career. 

Miami immediately responded after Fabio Peralta gave Miami the lead in the bottom of the inning. 

The South Florida native launched a two-run double into center field, bringing home Dylan Dubovik and Vance Sheahan who blew through a third base stop sign, narrowly avoiding the tag at home to give the Canes a 2-1 lead. 

UM kept tacking on runs as in the third Cuvet blasted a solo shot 430 feet into deep left field for his tenth home run this season and 52nd in his career, tying for third most all time in Canes history with Yonder Alonso.

Freshman infielder Daniel Cuvet sprints to second base for a double in Miami’s game versus Clemson University at Mark Light Field on March 30, 2024. Photo credit: Emily Rice

After an uneventful fourth, Michael Torres unleashed a triple off the right field wall to lead off the inning. Ogden drove him in, from a blooper into right hitting off the right-fielder’s glove, which was scored as an E9. Cuvet was subsequently walked, leading to Creighton calling the bullpen and bringing in reliever Jacob Ruhl. With runners on the corners, he registered a double play to keep the score at 4-1.

Miami made up for squandering that opportunity by adding on two runs in the bottom of the sixth when Peralta drove in Brylan West on an RBI single into left field and Michael Torres scored Peralta. 

All the while Miami’s offense was extending the lead, Evans maintained his dominance over the Creighton lineup.

Before being pulled in the seventh, Evans only allowed one earned and three hits, recording seven punchouts on 102 pitches en route to his fifth win of the season

Senior Lyndon Gildewell was brought in relief and closed the top out of the inning without allowing any extra damage, as lefty Jake Dorn navigated the eighth inning.

After a pair of sac flies in the seventh and eighth innings, Miami led 8-1 while eyeing a mercy rule over Creighton.

Cuvet moved the needle closer with an RBI single before a Sosa double down the left field line scored him to put the Canes one run away from achieving the mercy rule.

West would step up to the plate with the opportunity to call game and did just that, walking off the game with an RBI single.

Four Canes recorded multi hit games: Cuvet, Sosa, Peralta and Torres. Six Canes recorded an RBI. The pitching staff allowed six hits, one earned, while striking out ten in eight innings. 

The win clinches the series against Creighton (9-10) as the Canes (17-6, 2-4 ACC), aim to notch their first sweep since Lafayette in February.

Miami closes out the series tomorrow, Mar. 22 at 1 p.m., and can be watched on ACCNX or heard on WVUM 90.5 FM.

No.30 Miami sweeps Virginia Tech to remain undefeated in ACC play

Olivia Attalla
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No.30 Miami sweeps Virginia Tech to remain undefeated in ACC play

The Miami Hurricanes women’s tennis team remained undefeated in ACC conference play after defeating the Virginia Tech Hokies (3–10, 0–5 ACC) at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Coming off a rainy midweek which saw Wednesday’s matchup against Old Dominion canceled, the Hurricanes came out strong Friday afternoon.

Sofia Rocchetti and Sebastianna Scilipoti set the tone for Miami, opening doubles play with a dominant 6–0 over Mila Mulready and Linda Ziets-Segura.

The Hokies were able to answer back with a win from No.41 Arina Gamrektaia and Ozlem Uslu over Raquel Gonzalez and Dominika Podhajecka, 6–1.

Uslu didn’t feature in the Hokies last matchup against Clemson due to injury, a key return for Virginia Tech.

However, the euphoria from her return win was short lived as Miami clinched the doubles point on court three.

Jaquelyn Ogunwale and Aely Arai clinched the opening point with a 6–3 win over Elizaveta Castillo and Alston Myatt.

Singles play wrapped up quickly with three Hurricane straight set wins.

On Court 5, Ogunwale notched a 6–1, 6–1 win over Myatt in singles, followed by No. 67 Gonzalez with a 6–3, 6–2 two-court win, bringing the Canes up 3–0.

Scilipoti clinched the match with a 6–1, 6–3 triumph against Mulready.

Miami (10-2, 6-0 ACC) notched its seventh win in a row, continuing the Hurricanes historic start to the season.

UM will remain at home at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Sunday to face Virginia.

Powered by Cuvet’s two-homer night, Miami takes down Creighton 9-4

Zach Cohen
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Powered by Cuvet’s two-homer night, Miami takes down Creighton 9-4

The last three series openers have all resulted in losses for the Miami Hurricanes. This Friday, Miami flipped the script against the Creighton Blue Jays.

With an unusual pause in ACC conference play, Miami was able to take control late and defeat Creighton 9-4 in front of a crowd of more than 2,500 fans.

It wasn’t straightforward for the Canes, who struggled all night to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Through six innings, Miami left 11 runners on base while going hitless with runners in scoring position, unable to break away from the Blue Jays as the score remained 4-4.

But in the seventh, the Canes broke through, tacking on five runs to coast to the finish line.

With the bases loaded and one out,  Daniel Cuvet walked on a full count to allow Fabio Peralta to jog home. Blue Jays pitcher Shea Wendt then gave up another walk to score another run.

The real damage came off the bat of Derek Williams who doubled down the left field line to clear the bases — marking Miami’s first hit with runners in scoring position all night.

UM would finish the night 1-16 with runners in scoring position, something that must get cleaned up returning to ACC competition next week against Clemson.

Miami sophomore starting pitcher AJ Ciscar settled in after giving up three hits to start off the ball game including a run. He pitched five innings, struck out four, and gave up three runs and seven hits. 

Creightons starter Jack Pineau had an eerily similar stat line to Ciscar. Pitching five innings, striking out six, walking three, and allowing three runs on seven hits.

Two of those runs came courtesy of Cuvet, who smashed two home runs deep into the Coral Gables night off Pineau. The first came in the bottom of the first inning on a 343 foot solo blast to right field with the second coming in the bottom of the fifth over the left field scoreboard, his eighth and ninth homers of the season.

Another standout Hurricane bat was sophomore outfielder Fabio Peralta, who has been swinging the bat exceptionally well as of late.

 In his last three games he has six hits, including two singles in Friday night’s game. 

The Hurricanes used three relievers out of the bullpen, including Jack Durso, Lyndon Glidewell, and Ryan Bilka.

Bilka was lights out, pitching two innings, striking out two, and allowing no hits,

Miami (16-6, 2-4 ACC)  will look to carry the momentum into Saturday night, aiming to secure its first series win since February. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Mark Light Field.

Complete Miami March Madness Breakdown and an Update on Canes Baseball

Liam Hickey and Zach Cohen
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March Madness has arrived, and the Hurricanes travel to St. Louis to play Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  Breaking down key matchups to watch and where Miami holds an edge over Missouri, followed by a look ahead at the field standing in the Hurricanes’ path to the Final Four. Baseball has dropped its second straight ACC series and is aiming to get back on track ahead of a massive three-game set against Clemson.

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Takeaways from Miami’s 80-66 win over Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Liam Hickey
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Takeaways from Miami’s 80-66 win over Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Extend the reservation. Miami will play again Sunday.

The Hurricanes prolonged their stay in St. Louis with an emphatic win over Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, toppling the Tigers 80-66 in front of an overwhelming mob of black and gold. They now advance to the Round of 32 to play No. 2 seed Purdue on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. EST.

It was the same vintage performance Miami fans had been seeing all season long from the Canes that did the job again Friday night.

UM bludgeoned Mizzou in the interior and off the glass, and a second-half offensive awakening spearheaded by Miami’s top scorers ultimately sealed the Tigers’ defeat.

The Jai Lucas era rolls on for at least another game, as the Hurricanes’ first-year head coach continues to further etch his name into the orange and green history books with each added victory. 

The 19-win improvement from the Canes’ 2024-25 season now ties the D1 all-time record. 


Here are the takeaways from the Hurricanes’ triumphant Round of 64 win.

Miami’s stars came out to shine in crunch time

When Mizzou retook the lead for the first time since the opening two minutes with 9:15 remaining, the momentum had fully swung back towards the Tigers. Miami looked shell-shocked.

Trailing 54-52 with the Missouri crowd at a fever pitch, the Canes needed someone to come to the rescue.

Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson answered the call.

Reneau kicked off the late-game resurgence, drilling a 3-point and pullup jumper back-to-back to reassert control.

The All-ACC First Team selection sank Missouri once and for all with his last bucket from the field, scoring an and-one play to stretch the margin to nine with 2:17 left. 

The senior transfer from Indiana finished with a game-high 24 points and six rebounds. In the second half alone, Reneau posted 19 points on 5-6 shooting from the floor and went 100 percent from the perimeter. 

Donaldson was just as lethal down the stretch, leaving no doubt by burying two silencers from beyond the arc to kill off the Tigers’ hopes. The crafty point guard ended with a nuclear box score, posting 17 points, eight rebounds, and a game-high five assists. 

As the focal points of Miami’s attack, both Reneau and Donaldson had quiet first halves but took over when it mattered most. Their consistent high-volume scoring makes them elite threats that can be counted upon in endgame scenarios to secure the outcome when needed. 

All-ACC Defensive Team center Ernest Udeh Jr. said the team has the utmost confidence in the duo to deliver in high-pressure situations.

“As a team, that’s what we expect of them. Two seconds left on the clock, tie game, we trust Tre and Malik in that position. It’s a testament to the work they put in behind closed doors.”

With this guard-forward tandem at the helm for the Hurricanes, UM’s squad can go as far in the NCAA Tournament as Reneau and Donaldson choose to take them.

David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Senior Guard Tre Donaldson hits a clutch three pointer against Missouri on March 20, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.



Drastic second half turnaround saves Canes from disaster

Despite leading 27-26 at the break, the Hurricanes had their worst first half shooting performance of the entire year, going 10-for-33 (30.3%). With Mizzou heading to the locker room on a 9-0 run, Miami needed to make adjustments immediately, or else its advantage was in serious danger of slipping away.

Fortunately for the Canes, everything began to click coming out of halftime. 

Their efficiency skyrocketed across the board, hitting shots more frequently from everywhere on the floor.

After a dismal first 20 minutes — 30.3% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range and 37.5% at the line — the offense exploded to go 59.3%, 58.3% and 66.7%, respectively, over the remaining portion of the game.

Reneau said his second half bounce-back stemmed from learning to relax after getting too caught up in the moment at the start.

“Starting the game, I was rushing a lot of my shots and missing point-blank layups I usually don’t miss. I think I was just overhyped and too excited. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so it was just being able to calm down on the court and relax and then take my time on my shots.”

The complete turnaround from one half to the next proves that this squad has the ability to win ugly when needed, and that it can overcome any amount of adversity no matter how much they initially struggle.

That being said, Miami cannot afford to have another sluggish start with tougher opponents on deck in the tournament. No. 2 seed Purdue will be much more likely to punish Miami for its deficiencies on Sunday, making it imperative that it brings that second-half offensive firepower from the opening tip.

Free-throw shooting has persistently been a glaring issue with this year’s roster that has been hard to overlook.

Although they compensated with volume, earning 11 more attempts at the stripe than the Tigers, UM still only converted its foul shots at a troubling 59% clip. 

While it did not cost the team the win on Friday night, there’s a possibility it may at some point down the line.

David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Freshman Guard Dante Allen talks with head coach Jai Lucas during a stop in play on March 20, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.



UM can shut down anyone in the interior

Miami once again held firm in their identity, imposing their will inside the paint with the frontcourt presence of Shelton Henderson, Udeh, and Reneau.

The Hurricanes dictated the pace from start to finish by controlling the glass, hauling in 16 more rebounds than Missouri. They pounded Mizzou on the offensive boards, 16-7, extending possessions and turning them into a 19-2 edge in second-chance points.

Even more remarkable, however, was their effectiveness on defense.

The Tigers’ All-SEC Second Team forward Mark Mitchell stood out as the primary offensive weapon for Missouri heading into March Madness. He had been their centerpiece the entire season, leading his squad in points, rebounds and assists.

Mitchell’s dominant play had drawn comparisons to Malik Reneau in the lead-up to Friday’s showdown, hailed for his similar dynamism down low and ability to draw fouls while driving to the rim.

But his shot-making abilities were no match for Miami’s blistering defense in the post. 

Mizzou’s top-scorer was neutralized on the night, making only four field goals. Only one came from inside the arc, while the others were forced out to the perimeter. The rest of Mitchell’s points were from free-throws. 

Miami’s success in shutting down the opposing side’s top threat is an encouraging sign moving forward. 

Purdue’s high-powered trio of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufmann-Renn and Fletcher Loyer presents a more difficult challenge, but the Canes have now shown they can contain star-level production on multiple occasions.

The battle unfolds on Sunday, with a trip to the Sweet 16 in San Jose on the line. 

David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ The Hurricanes huddle up on March 20, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
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