Miami basketball comeback attempt falls short vs NC State
Playing without Chris Lykes for the fourth straight game and Kameron McGusty for the third time in that same stretch the Miami basketball team lost for the sixth time in their seven games in an 82-73 loss to North Carolina State at the Watsco Center Wednesday night.
The Miami basketball team has been unable to overcome the loss of guards Chris Lykes and Kameron McGusty over the past four games with losses in three of those. Lykes has missed the last four for the Hurricanes while McGusty was out in all three losses. It was more of the same Tuesday in an 82-73 loss to NC State.
The lack of depth without Lykes and McGusty has made it necessary for freshmen Harlond Beverly and Isaiah Wong to log heavy minutes in their absence. Beverly scored a career-high 20 points on 7-12 from the floor while playing 40 minutes in the loss to the Wolfpack on Wednesday night.
Wong scored 12 points and had six rebounds in 38 minutes. Senior D.J. Vasiljevic played 40 minutes, scored 18 points and had six rebounds but was just 7-22 from the floor and 3-14 on three-point attempts. Vasiljevic has struggled as the primary focus from opponents with Lykes and McGusty out.
Miami led 15-7 early in the first half before a 12-0 run by North Carolina State late led to the Wolfpack taking a 44-32 lead at halftime. Technical fouls on Sam Waardenburg and Jim Larranaga late in the first half contributed to the Wolfpack’s 12 point halftime lead. After trailing by as many as 18 Miami cut the lead to three.
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Vasiljevic missed a three-point shot that could have tied with game with 6:28 remaining and North Carolina State pulled away. NC State was led by guard C.J. Bryce with 22 points and 11 rebounds and guard Markell Johnson with 19 points and 12 assists. Miami travels to Florida State on Saturday to face the Seminoles at Noon.