Miami basketball earns first ACC win at North Carolina State

The Miami basketball team earned its first ACC win of the season with a victory at North Carolina State on Saturday.

After losses by five points total in their previous three games the Miami basketball team won its first ACC game of the season 64-59 at North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon. Miami improves to 5-5 overall and 1-4 in the ACC to crawl out of last place in the conference. NC State is 6-3 overall, 2-2 in the ACC.

Sophomore guard Isaiah Wong took the game over for Miami. Wong had 24 points on 8-15 from the floor, 7-9 from the free-throw line and added nine rebounds. Freshmen Earl Timberlake and Matt Cross were big contributors for Miami. Timberlake had 13 points and an immense late putback and Cross had nine points.

Miami earned the victory with a game-closing 14-5 run. After late losses to Virginia Tech, Clemson and North Carolina the Hurricanes secured the much-needed victory with the strong finish over the Wolfpack. The game was back and forth throughout. Miami scored the first four points of the game before a 10-0 NC State run.

After the 4-0 lead to open the game, Miami did not take the lead again until just over two and a half minutes into the second half on a Wong layup. That was in the middle of a 7-0 Hurricanes run. Miami extended the lead to five, but NC State answered with their own 11-0 run. That lead held until 2:48 remaining.

A Harlond Beverly layup tied the game at 54 as part of the Hurricanes game-closing 14-5 run. Miami shot the ball well in the victory. The Hurricanes made 46.8 percent of their field goal attempts, 5-12 three-point field goal attempts and 15-20 from the free-throw line. The Miami defense held NC State.

The Wolfpack shot 37.9 percent from the floor, 7-21 from three and made 8-12 from the free-throw line. Miami was able to overcome a 38-30 deficit in rebounding while committed 13 turnovers to 16 for the Wolfpack. Miami will attempt to start a winning streak on Tuesday at Boston College.