Princeton @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 29, 2015 ) Princeton 64, Miami-Florida 76

Despite its No. 13 ranking, Miami hadn't really been tested entering its battle with No. 12 Minnesota on Wednesday, but the Hurricanes responded with an 86-81 victory over the host Golden Gophers for their fourth straight Big Ten/ACC Challenge win. Now Miami returns to South Florida to face Princeton on Saturday in the Hoophall Miami Invitational in what is considered a neutral site game at AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami.

The Hurricanes have benefited from balanced scoring on their way to a 6-0 start, and the win over Minnesota was no exception as five players scored in double-digits, the fifth time in six games they have done so. Miami shot 50.7 percent from the field, including 10-for-25 from 3-point range, with center Dewan Huell coming up with big shots for a career-high 23 points to remain the team's most consistent threat as he has scored in double figures in every game. In the second half against Minnesota, seventh-year coach Jim Larranaga went with a four-guard lineup along with Huell, which hurt rebounding and Miami had a deficit on the boards (41-34) for the first time this season. The Hurricanes wound up limiting Minnesota to 44.4 percent shooting, which may not bode well for a Princeton team that has shot below that in four of six games, including Wednesday's 85-76 loss to Lehigh in which the Tigers shot 30.3 percent before halftime and 54.8 percent after to finish at 40.9 for the game.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT PRINCETON (2-4): Thanks to their pitiful shooting in the first half against Lehigh, the Tigers were down 47-25 at the break, but they put together some solid runs in the second half before coming up short. Four Tigers finished with double-digit scoring, led by Devin Cannady's season-best 27 points and he hit five 3-pointers to pass Sydney Johnson (162) and move into seventh place on the school's all-time career list with 164. Princeton was outrebounded 40-36 by Lehigh but senior Amir Bell posted a team-high eight rebounds, one off his career best set two seasons ago.

ABOUT MIAMI (6-0): Defense has been the name of the game for the Hurricanes and Minnesota was the first team to score more than 80 points against them as Miami dropped from third in the nation in scoring defense to seventh (58.5 points allowed) through Wednesday. Sophomore Bruce Brown Jr. scored a season-high 16 points and had nine rebounds and five assists against the Gophers, while Chris Lykes came off the bench for his second straight game in double figures (10 points) and he also led the team with three steals. Guard Ja'Quan Newton matched a career high with nine assists and he had only one turnover as Miami turned the ball over a season-low eight times and had a 17-2 advantage in points off turnovers.

TIP-INS

1. Miami is 6-0 for the second time under Larranaga as his 2014-15 team opened 8-0.

2. The Hurricanes have yet to trail in the second half this season.

3. Miami is 36-1 when scoring at least 80 points under Larranaga.

PREDICTION: Miami 92, Princeton 65