Miami basketball loses after big FSU first half run carries them to victory

A 15-0 Florida State run late in the first half blew open a three-point game and the Seminoles led by double digits the remainder of the way in a 78-66 victory over the Miami basketball team.

The Miami basketball team was taken out of the game by Florida State by not making a field goal in the last 5:27 of the first half. Chris Lykes ‘free throw with 12 seconds remaining in the half was the Hurricanes only points in that time frame. Miami missed their last seven shots of the first half.

Speaking after the game on the Miami basketball broadcast Hurricanes assistant coach Chris Caputo said that UM’s poor defense is repeatedly contributing to their 1-6 ACC record. The Hurricanes are tied with NotreDame and Wake Forest for 13th and last in the conference.

Florida State scorched Miami by making 56 percent of their shots from the floor and an en Fuego 12-20 threes to dominate the Hurricanes on their offensive end as Caputo said. Florida State never trailed in the victory. They began the game with a 7-0 run and held the lead for all but 13 seconds in the game.

Florida State’s M.J. Walker was two points off of a career-high with 22 points. Seminoles forward Mfiondu Kabengele finished 17 points and six rebounds. Forward Terance Mann was the only other Florida State player in double figures with 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Leonard Hamilton played 11 players for Florida State. Ten Seminoles scored and nine played double-digit minutes. Miami was once again worn down by a deeper and bigger team. The Hurricanes basically continued with their seven-man rotation. Willie Herenton who was recently put on scholarship played two minutes late.

Graduate Transfer Zach Johnson had one of his better games for Miami. He finished with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Johnson was 8-12 from the floor and 4-7 on three-point attempts.

Sam Waardenburg finished with 13 points. That was one off his career high set earlier this season at Penn. Waardenburg made all four of his shots from the floor and both of his three-point attempts. Other than Johnson and Waardenburg, Miami shot 1-20 on three-point attempts. D.J. Vasiljevic and Lykes combined to go 1-15.

Lykes continued to slump. He finished 0-12 from the floor and 0-8 on three-point attempts. Lykes one point output was his lowest since he also scored one in a loss to New Mexico State in December 2017. Lykes only played 13 minutes in that game. Over the last two games, Lykes is 4-27 from the field.

If the Hurricanes are going to have a chance to win they need Lykes to break out of his slump quickly. The brutal ACC schedule continues for Miami. They conclude January by hosting number 10/8 Virginia Tech on Wednesday night.

The Hokies bounced back in a big way on Saturday after losses in two of their previous three games. The Hokies blew out Syracuse 103-82 on Saturday. Miami lost to the Orange 73-53 at the Carrier Dome on Thursday night.