Drake scored the first seven points of the game and never trailed in an 80-69 thorough win over Miami. Drake outrebounded Miami 34-23, had a 32-18 advantage in points in the paint and held Miami to two fast break points. Miami settled for too many jump shots and it seemed like Drake got to every loose ball.
Drake plays a similar style to Virginia using the pack line defense. Four Drake starters won the NCAA Division II Championship last season at Northwest Missouri State. Bennett Stirtz led Drake with 21 points and contributed three rebounds and four assists. Three Bulldogs finished in double figures.
Nijel Pack led Miami with 17 points on 4-13 from the floor and 2-6 threes. Jalen Blackmon and Matthew Cleveland who each scored 12 were the only other Miami players in double figures. Miami shot 40.9 percent from the floor but did shoot a respectable 8-21 on three-point attempts.
Miami was in the bonus with 10:59 left in the first half but took only eight free throws from that point on in the remainder of the opening 20 minutes. The Hurricanes finished 25-29 on free throws and Drake was 24-28. Miami didn't penetrate enough and was unable to take advantage of its edge in size.
Final: Drake 80, Miami 69
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) November 21, 2024
Drake won by shooting 46.4 percent from the floor but made only three of its 16 three-point attempts. Miami pulled within 44-40 in the second half, but a 10-2 Drake run extended the lead back to 12 and it remained at least nine through the remainder of the game.
The Miami starting frontcourt of Cleveland, Brandon Johnson and Lynn Kidd combined for 20 points despite all three entering the game averaging double figures. Johnson led Miami with seven rebounds. The 6-10 Kidd who had a big size advantage finished with three points, three rebounds and three fouls.
Miami plays the loser of Florida Atlantic and Oklahoma State tomorrow in the Consolation Bracket at 2 PM Eastern Time on ESPNU. The Tournament runs through Sunday. Miami will play either Seton Hall, Virginia Commonwealth, Nevada, or Vanderbilt on Sunday at 12:30 PM or 4:30 PM ET.