Field Level Media
Dec 19, 2018
Guard Anthony Lawrence scored 17 points and center Ebuka Izundu added 15 as Miami survived a cold start to the second half to post an 80-73 victory over Houston Baptist on Wednesday night in Coral Gables, Fla.
Guards Chris Lykes (14) and Dejan Vasiljevic (13) also were in double figures for the Hurricanes (6-4), who snapped their losing streak at four games in playing their for the first time after a 15-day break for finals.
Guard Oliver Lynch-Daniels scored 19 points to lead the Huskies (3-7), who lost for the fifth time in their last six games.
The Hurricanes scored the first nine points of the game and hit their first four attempts from 3-point range on their way to an early 14-5 lead. They held their first double-digit lead at 24-14 and were up comfortably at 32-20 with 5:17 left in the first period.
But the Huskies were effective from behind the arc as well (11-of-23 for the game) and went on a 9-0 run to get the gap down to 32-29 on forward Philip McKenzie's 3-pointer at 3:10.
The Hurricanes got their lead back to 40-33 at intermission and finished the period going 8-of-16 from 3-point range.
But as hot as the Hurricanes were in the first half, they started the second cold, going only 3-of-10 overall in the first seven minutes, and the Huskies took advantage for their only lead when guard Jalon Gates canned back-to-back treys to put the Huskies up 48-47.
It lasted just 28 seconds because Lawrence answered with a corner 3 with 12:58 left.
After a bit of back-and-forth, the Hurricanes upped the pressure defensive and took a 65-54 lead on Vasiljevic's 3-pointer that was set up by guard Zach Johnson's steal.
After that, the Huskies managed to cut a trio of 13-point deficits down to six points going into the final minute, but could get no closer.
--Field Level Media