The brilliant lights of Madison Sq. Backyard set the stage for a showdown between the No. 1 ranked Tennessee Volunteers and the Miami Hurricanes within the Jimmy V Traditional. For Tennessee, it was a possibility to stay undefeated, whereas Miami sought a monumental upset and an opportunity to finish a six-game dropping skid. Each groups had the prospect to shine on basketball’s largest stage, however underneath the strain, just one staff rose to the event—Tennessee. The Volunteers got here out on prime 75-62.
Because the official threw the ball up within the air for the opening tip, Tennessee claimed the primary possession and executed shortly. 6-foot-5 senior guard Chaz Lanier hit a fast three-pointer to open up the scoring. Lanier, who was just lately named USBWA Oscar Robertson Nationwide Participant of the Week, torched the Hurricanes all evening. He completed his evening with 22 factors, going 4-of-7 from long-range.
The primary 12:03 minutes of the sport featured every staff buying and selling buckets, rallying the rating as much as 25-24 with 7:57 left to go within the half. Nonetheless, Miami collapsed and didn’t rating a single level the remainder of the half.
“We had been terrible. It was like we by no means practiced earlier than … as a result of it didn’t appear to be our staff, everyone was taking pictures off the bounce. There’s no passing, no assists, unhealthy shot choice, and if you do this it’s actually demoralizing as a result of it’s onerous to play good protection when everyone’s mad that we took such a nasty shot,” Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga stated about UM’s late first-half woes.
Going into the break, the rating was 38-25 in favor of Tennessee.
The second half began with a Lynn Kidd hook shot to maneuver the sport to 38-27. Kidd would finish the evening being Miami’s main scorer, scoring 14 factors, 12 of them coming within the second half.
Scoring the primary factors of the half didn’t present a lot momentum for the Hurricanes, as on the 10:20 mark, they had been down 55-39 with 10:57 left to play as freshman guard Austin Swartz knocked down a three-pointer.
Swartz’s three-pointer was Miami’s first in over 18 minutes, with its final one coming on the 9:01 mark of the primary half.
Swartz’s shot lit a bit flame throughout the staff as on one of many subsequent offensive possessions, freshman Divine Ugochukwu drove onerous to the basket for a made and-one layup Ugochukwu repeated that very same play on the next possession.
Miami performed hard-nosed basketball on each side of the ground for the subsequent jiffy, hitting and blocking photographs. They reduce the Volunteers’ result in 56-63 as Ugochukwu was despatched to the foul line, hitting considered one of his two makes an attempt with 5:39 left within the recreation. Throughout this stretch, the Miami bench began dancing—prematurely, it seems.
It was all Tennessee from right here on out. Lanier continued his nice displaying with fellow guard Zakai Zeigler serving to him out. Zeigler ended his hometown efficiency with 13 factors.
Tennessee went on to soundly defeat Miami. Miami’s disastrous season continues, because it has now misplaced seven straight video games.
Larrañaga talked about after the sport that he believes his staff’s protection and rebounding are getting higher.
“Finally the successful will observe.” Larrañaga stated. “It’s important to observe the method. You’re not good at one thing, get higher.”
The Hurricanes look to regroup as they return dwelling to play the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Sunday at 2 p.m.