People might as well dub Miami the “Cardiac Canes” after Saturday’s thriller in Raleigh. The Hurricanes pulled off one of the season’s biggest upsets, using a late surge to secure a 77-76 victory over NC State Wolfpack.
The matchup carried significant ACC implications. Entering the game, Miami sat just behind NC State in the conference standings, both teams battling for positioning in the race for a top-four seed in the ACC tournament. The tightly contested game featured 19 lead changes and 14 ties.
Neither team built a double-digit lead. NC State’s largest advantage was eight points, while Miami’s was five. The Wolfpack shot 49% from the field, compared with 48% for the Hurricanes. Turnovers were nearly even, with NC State holding a slight 10-9 edge.
Miami trailed by five at halftime but erupted for 40 second-half points. The game’s turning point came inside the final six minutes. With 5:44 remaining, players scrambled for a loose ball, leading to a heated exchange between Tre Donaldson and Darrion Williams. Donaldson, tangled on top of Williams, was kicked during the scrum, resulting in a technical foul on Williams.
NC State responded with an 11-0 run to take a 76-69 lead with 1:07 left, as Miami endured a nearly five-minute scoring drought.
Then the comeback began.
Malik Reneau completed a three-point play with 52 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to four. Dante Allen followed with a steal on the ensuing inbound pass, setting up a Tru Washington layup with 32 seconds left to pull Miami within one possession.
After Donaldson missed an open 3-pointer following another NC State inbound miscue, Miami fouled Quadir Copeland, who missed the front end at the line. Trailing by two with three seconds remaining, Washington attempted a 3-pointer from the left corner and was fouled.
Despite Miami’s struggles at the free-throw line throughout the game, Washington calmly sank all three attempts to seal the victory.
Even in the win, two persistent issues nearly proved costly.
Free-throw shooting remains a concern. Miami shot 10-for-20 from the line, marking its third consecutive game hovering between 50% and 60%. Long-range shooting also faltered, with the Hurricanes finishing 3-for-17 from beyond the arc. Donaldson went 0-for-5, and Shelton Henderson was 0-for-4. Reneau, who led Miami with 26 points, and Washington accounted for all three made 3-pointers.
Still, Miami’s strengths carried the day.
The Hurricanes dominated the glass, outrebounding NC State 40-29, including 20 offensive boards that led to 22 second-chance points. Miami also outscored the Wolfpack 56-32 in the paint. Williams fouled out for NC State.
The victory improved Miami to 20-5 overall and 9-3 in ACC play.
With the win, the Hurricanes significantly boosted their postseason outlook. Just two weeks ago, Miami appeared to be on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Now, the Hurricanes are trending toward a likely at-large bid.
Miami returns home Tuesday night to face the Virginia Tech Hokies.
