Men's Basketball: Miami Outlasts WVU
December 04, 2010 07:21 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Malcolm Grant scored 26 points to lead Miami to a 79-76 win over West Virginia Saturday afternoon at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Fla.
Miami (6-2) overcame a 13-point second half deficit after Dalton Pepper's 3 from the corner gave the Mountaineers a 54-41 lead with 12:17 remaining in the game. Miami then answered with an 11-2 run over the next five minutes to reduce West Virginia's lead to four, 56-52, and eventually took the lead on a Grant 3 with 4:02 to go.
"They started penetrating at will and I was thinking we could do what we did a year ago and go to the 1-3-1 to stop the penetration," said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. "But the reality is they made shots and we didn't make shots. They took care of the ball and we didn't take care of the ball."
Two Truck Bryant free throws tied the game at 66 before Miami scored five straight to push the lead out to 71-66.
Casey Mitchell's 3 reduced West Virginia's deficit to two, 71-69, with 1:32 remaining and another Mitchell 3 with 21 seconds left made it 75-74, Miami.
Then Reggie Johnson's two free throws with nine seconds left gave the Hurricanes a 77-74 lead. Bryant answered with a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 77-76, but Grant hit both of his free throws after being fouled by Bryant while Miami was tying to inbound the ball.
Durand Scott's steal with two seconds left kept West Virginia from attempting a game-tying 3.
Grant hit 5 of 9 from the floor and was 13 of 14 from the line. Center Reggie Johnson contributed 14 points and seven rebounds while Adrian Thomas came off the bench to score 13, including making a pair of 3s during Miami's big second half run to get back into the game.
"You can't let them stand there and keep shooting 3s," said Huggins.
Bryant led West Virginia, now 5-2, with 20 points. Mitchell added 18, Kevin Jones scored 14 and John Flowers added 13.
Mitchell and Jones, WVU's top two scorers, finished a combined 10 of 32 from the floor. Overall, West Virginia shot 43.6 percent, including 31.8 percent (7 of 22) from behind the arc.
"I think Casey forced some things but we're going to have to live with Casey forcing some things. K.J. just can't go 5 for 17 for us to win," said Huggins. "We've got to get him better shots."
Miami made 8 of 16 from 3 and finished the game 26 of 55 overall for 47.3 percent.
West Virginia led 35-33 at halftime.
"We just didn't do the right things - that's the bottom line and it's my responsibility to make sure they do," said Huggins.
The Mountaineers return to the Coliseum on Tuesday to face Robert Morris in a non-conference game that will tip at 7 p.m.
Miami (6-2) overcame a 13-point second half deficit after Dalton Pepper's 3 from the corner gave the Mountaineers a 54-41 lead with 12:17 remaining in the game. Miami then answered with an 11-2 run over the next five minutes to reduce West Virginia's lead to four, 56-52, and eventually took the lead on a Grant 3 with 4:02 to go.
"They started penetrating at will and I was thinking we could do what we did a year ago and go to the 1-3-1 to stop the penetration," said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. "But the reality is they made shots and we didn't make shots. They took care of the ball and we didn't take care of the ball."
Two Truck Bryant free throws tied the game at 66 before Miami scored five straight to push the lead out to 71-66.
Casey Mitchell's 3 reduced West Virginia's deficit to two, 71-69, with 1:32 remaining and another Mitchell 3 with 21 seconds left made it 75-74, Miami.
Then Reggie Johnson's two free throws with nine seconds left gave the Hurricanes a 77-74 lead. Bryant answered with a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 77-76, but Grant hit both of his free throws after being fouled by Bryant while Miami was tying to inbound the ball.
Durand Scott's steal with two seconds left kept West Virginia from attempting a game-tying 3.
Grant hit 5 of 9 from the floor and was 13 of 14 from the line. Center Reggie Johnson contributed 14 points and seven rebounds while Adrian Thomas came off the bench to score 13, including making a pair of 3s during Miami's big second half run to get back into the game.
"You can't let them stand there and keep shooting 3s," said Huggins.
Bryant led West Virginia, now 5-2, with 20 points. Mitchell added 18, Kevin Jones scored 14 and John Flowers added 13.
Mitchell and Jones, WVU's top two scorers, finished a combined 10 of 32 from the floor. Overall, West Virginia shot 43.6 percent, including 31.8 percent (7 of 22) from behind the arc.
"I think Casey forced some things but we're going to have to live with Casey forcing some things. K.J. just can't go 5 for 17 for us to win," said Huggins. "We've got to get him better shots."
Miami made 8 of 16 from 3 and finished the game 26 of 55 overall for 47.3 percent.
West Virginia led 35-33 at halftime.
"We just didn't do the right things - that's the bottom line and it's my responsibility to make sure they do," said Huggins.
The Mountaineers return to the Coliseum on Tuesday to face Robert Morris in a non-conference game that will tip at 7 p.m.
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