KEY POINTS
- Malik Reneau posted 23 points and 12 rebounds to guide Miami to an 83-73 road victory.
- The Hurricanes nearly squandered an 11-point lead in the final minutes before a late scoring run.
- Miami dominated the glass with a 42-23 rebounding advantage to avenge an earlier season loss.
Miami secured a critical Atlantic Coast Conference victory on Tuesday night by outlasting Florida State in Tallahassee. The Hurricanes relied on a powerful interior performance from forward Malik Reneau to claim the win. Reneau delivered 23 points and 12 rebounds, marking his eighth double-double of the current season. This performance proved essential as Miami fought to maintain its high standing in the conference rankings.
The Hurricanes established control early by utilizing their significant size advantage in the paint. They dominated the rebounding battle throughout the contest, finishing with nearly double the boards of their rivals. This physical presence led to 25 second-chance points for the visiting team. Miami entered the locker room at halftime with a six-point lead and appeared poised for a comfortable win.
Tre Donaldson provided a significant boost for the Hurricanes in the second half of the game. Playing in his hometown, the guard scored 15 of his 21 points after the break. His ability to penetrate the defense and find open teammates kept the Miami offense fluid. The Hurricanes eventually pushed their lead to 11 points with just over three minutes remaining on the clock.
However, Florida State refused to concede and mounted a late comeback attempt in front of their home crowd. The Seminoles utilized a high-pressure defense to force turnovers and cut into the deficit. Led by Lajae Jones, who finished with 21 points, Florida State narrowed the margin to just four points. The atmosphere at the Donald L. Tucker Center became electric as the home side chased an upset.
Miami responded to the pressure with a disciplined 8-2 scoring run to close the game. They successfully converted several key free throws to keep the Seminoles at a distance. Tru Washington and Shelton Henderson also reached double figures to help stabilize the Hurricane attack. This victory improves Miami’s overall record to 22-6 and strengthens their resume for the post-season.
Florida State struggled to find consistent scoring from beyond the three-point arc during the loss. The Seminoles connected on less than 30 percent of their long-distance attempts. While Chauncey Wiggins added 14 points, the team could not overcome the massive rebounding deficit. The defeat drops Florida State back to a .500 record on the season as they prepare for their next match.
The Hurricanes will now return home to host Boston College this Saturday. They remain in the hunt for a top seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. Florida State will travel to Georgia Tech as they look to regain momentum in the final weeks of play. This rivalry win provides Miami with significant confidence heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
