Miami basketball outraces Wake Forest 96-87
The Miami basketball team outlasted Wake Forest 96-87 to improve to 22-5 overall and 15-0 at home this season. Isaiah Wong led Miami with 27 points, Nijel Pack scored 24, Norchad Omier 17 with eight rebounds and Jordan Miller had 14 and six. Miami scored 34 points off 19 Wake Forest turnovers.
Six Wake Forest players finished in double figures with a seventh scoring eight. Miami did an outstanding job on Wake Forest point guard Tyree Appleby forcing him into 12 turnovers. Appleby finished with 15 points and nine assists. Miami held the lead for 34:59 to 3:02 for Wake Forest, but the Demon Deacons stayed competitive.
Wake Forest trailed 90-84 with 2:22 left but Miami was able to close the game out scoring six of the final nine points. The Demon Deacons had two turnovers in the final 2:22 to help the Hurricanes close the game out. Wake Forest turnovers also allowed Miami to have a 20-5 edge in fast break points.
Miami took control out of the locker room in both halves. Omier scored the first seven points of the game before Wake Forest scored. Miami extended that lead to 11-3, but that was the largest advantage the Hurricanes had in the first half. Miami led 47-44 at halftime. Wong scored 15 and Omier 13 in the first half.
Miami scored the first 11 points of the second half to take its biggest lead at 58-44. That included four free throws by Wong in that span that partially came after Damari Monsanto of Wake Forest was called for a technical foul. Wake Forest pulled with three at 74-71 after a Matthew Marsh three-point play with 8:06 left.
Miami scored the next five points and it was a two-possession game after that. Both teams were blistering offensively. Wake Forest shot 55.2 percent, make 15-35 three-point attempts and all eight of their free throws. Miami shot 58.7 percent, made eight of their 16 three-point attempts and 14-18 free throws.
Wong had a 13-point run by himself in the first half as the Miami basketball team seemingly took control. Miami led 42-32 after the Wong run. Wake Forest outscored Miami 12-5 in the remainder of the first half to get back into the game. Appleby helped Wake Forest stay in the game with 11 points in the second half.
dark. Next. Miami continues rising in national polls
The Miami basketball team plays its last true road game of the season at Virginia Tech on Tuesday night. The Hurricanes return home next Saturday to host Florida State. Miami finishes the regular season on March 4 versus Pittsburgh. The Hurricanes and Panthers should be battling for seeding in the ACC Tournament.