Syracuse buzzer beater beats Miami basketball

Quadir Copeland made a three-point shot from the left wing at the buzzer to give Syracuse a 72-69 win over the Miami basketball team on Saturday afternoon. Miami was playing without Norchad Omier who was out with an ankle injury. Kyshawn George and Wooga Poplar played only 10 combined minutes in the first half with foul trouble.

Miami led for 28:57 to only 2:35 for Syracuse. Nijel Pack led Miami with 19 points. Matthew Cleveland finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. George was the only other Hurricane in double figures with 10 points in 18 minutes. Syracuse had five players in double figures led by J.J. Starling with 22 points.

Starling made six of his 10 three-point attempts. Syracuse made 12 of its 32 three-point attempts on the afternoon. Judah Mintz had 10 points and 13 assists, including one on the game winning shot by Copeland. Copeland had 11 points off the bench for Syracuse. The inability to get stops late for Miami led to the loss.

Syracuse made four of its last five shots. Miami did get a stop in the final minute with the game tied at 66. Bensley Joseph missed a shot from the right baseline that would have given Miami a 68-66 lead. Joseph came off the bench with George starting in his place. Syracuse finished 39.7 percent from the floor.

Miami led 6-0 before Syracuse tied the game at 10. The Hurricanes regained the late late in the first half 29-21. Syracuse closed the first half on a 9-2 to run and Miami led 31-30 at halftime. George played six minutes and Poplar four after picking up their second fouls early in the first half.

Poplar picked up his third foul 11 seconds into the second half. Poplar finished with five points on 2-7 from the floor and 1-5 on threes with four rebounds. In a less than two minute stretch beginning with 3:05 left, George scored seven points. That included a three-point shot to tie the game at 69 with 1:17 remaining.

Miami will stay on the road when it plays at Notre Dame on Wednesday. Notre Dame lost 63-59 at Boston College on Monday and has been off until they play Miami. Miami drops to 12-6 overall and 3-4 in the ACC. Notre Dame is 7-11 overall and 2-5 in the ACC. Miami already has one less ACC loss than all of last season.