Miami basketball epic 13 point comeback reaching 1st Final Four
The Miami basketball team outscored Texas 37-17 in the last 12:35 of the second half to earn an 88-81 win over Texas on Sunday and advance to its first Final Four in program history. Miami will play in the second game on Saturday with an 8:49 PM ET tipoff time. Jordan Miller had one of the best games in NCAA Tournament history.
Miller scored 27 points, making all seven of hit shots from the floor, going 13 of 13 from the free throw line with 3 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. After trailing 45-37 at halftime Miami outscored Texas 51-36 in the second half. Miami began the comeback after Norchad Omier picked up his fourth foul.
Omier was key down the stretch barely missing another double-double. The Nicaraguan native finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. All five Miami starters finished in double figures led by Miller. Wooga Poplar had 16, Nijel Pack 15 and Isaiah Wong 14. Miami rallied without making a second-half three-point shot.
The Hurricanes made 13 of 24 shots from the floor in the second half and held the Longhorns to 13 of 29. Miami got into the bonus early in the second half and made 25 free throws in 27 attempts in the final 20 minutes. Miami picked up its defense considerably in the second half. Texas was 7-13 on threes in the first half.
Miami held Texas to 3-12 in the second half. Three Texas starters finished in double figures. Marcus Carr led Texas with 17 but shot only 6-15 from the field. Carr made three of his eight three-point attempts as Texas finished the game 10-25. Texas finished 30-60 from the floor and Miami shot 29-49.
Miami gradually got back in the game after falling behind by 13. The Hurricanes took their first lead of the second half when Omier converted a layup and added a free throw after being fouled with 5:26 remaining to go in front 73-72. Two Omier free throws with one minute left put Miami in front permanently.
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The Omier free throws gave Miami an 81-79 lead. Miami made nine of its 10 free throws in the final minute to secure the win. Pack earned the Midwest Region Most Outstanding Player and Miller and Wong were also named to the all-region team. Miami will play Connecticut in the National Semifinal on Saturday.