The fifth-seeded Miami Hurricanes produced another March Madness upset to beat Texas 88-81 and book their spot in the Final Four for the first time in school history.
Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong rallied Miami from a 13-point second-half deficit, while Norchad Omier made two big free throws and an even bigger steal down the stretch to clinch the big win over the two seeds.
Miller finished with 27 points, shooting 7-of-7 from the field and 13-of-13 from the free throw line, while Wong scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to beat the Longhorns, who had been the top remaining seed. in a reverse. NCAA turvy tournament.
Now, after coming up short in the Elite Eight a year ago, the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (29-7) head to NRG Stadium in Houston for a date with No. 4 seed UConn on Saturday night. Two other first-time Final Four entrants, fifth seed San Diego State and ninth seed Florida Atlantic, will play in the other national semifinal.
It’s the first time since seeding began in 1979 that any team seeded higher than No. 4 made it to the Final Four, and it’s perhaps fitting that Miami coach Jim Larrañaga is involved. He returns to the Final Four after taking George Mason there as the 11th seed in 2006.
Jordan Miller (C), who made 13/13 from the free throw line, celebrates against Texas on Sunday
Jim Larranaga guided 11-seeded George Mason to the Final Four in 2006, now he’s back
There were raucous scenes in Kansas City, Missouri as the Miami Hurricanes celebrated victory.
“Nobody wanted to go home,” said Miller, who joined Duke’s Christian Laettner as the only players since 1960 to make a combined 20-of-20 from the field and the free throw line in an NCAA Tournament game. We came together. We stay together. We show very good perseverance and will, the will to want to get there.’
Miami and Texas were tied at 79 when Omier, known for his hard-hitting style of play, was fouled by the Longhorns’ Brock Cunningham while searching for a fumble. He made both free throws to give the Hurricanes the lead, then stole the ball from Texas star Marcus Carr on the other end, and Wong made more free throws with 34 seconds remaining.
Miller followed up by shooting free throws down the stretch to freeze the Midwest Region title for the Hurricanes.
Wooga Poplar scored 16 points, and Nijel Pack followed up his virtuoso performance against top-seeded Houston with 15, as the same school that once completely dropped hoops in the 1970s advanced to the game’s biggest stage.
Marcus Carr led the Longhorns (29-9) with 17 points, though he appeared to be bothered by a hamstring injury he suffered late in the game. Timmy Allen added 16 points and Sir’Jabari Rice finished with 15 in a season that began with the firing of Chris Beard on domestic violence charges that were later dropped and ended with interim coach Rodney Terry consoling his team after a heartbreaking loss. .
The Longhorns revealed about 90 minutes before kickoff that Dylan Disu, the Big 12 tournament MVP and one of the early stars of the NCAA Tournament, would miss the game with a foot injury. He was hurt in the second round against Penn State and only played about 90 seconds in the Sweet 16 against Xavier before watching the rest of that game in a walking boot.
He was still wearing that uncomfortable boot as he watched in anguish on Sunday.
Marcus Carr celebrates a three-pointer, but it was Texas who went home with the L
Larrañaga puts the net around his neck after cutting it at the T-Mobile Center on Sunday
Miami players react after reaching the first Final Four in school history, and all as a No. 5 seed
Without their 6-foot-9 star in the paint, the Longhorns’ deep group of dangerous guards resorted to random shots from the perimeter against Miami’s porous defense. Rice hit two 3-pointers early, Carr added two of his own and the Longhorns, who tied a school tournament record with 13 3-pointers in the first round against Colgate, hit seven to take a 45-37 halftime lead.
On the other hand, Texas resolved to prevent Pack and Wong from producing a sequel to their 3-point barrage against Houston.
Pack, who hit seven 3-pointers in the regional semifinal, didn’t even attempt one until 7½ minutes remaining in the first half, and his best shot, a looping rainbow across the backboard as it fell out of bounds, missed. He doesn’t even count.
Wong made as many shots and scored as many points (two) as he had turnovers in the first 20 minutes of the game.
The Longhorns’ lead stretched to 13 in the second half, and tension began to build on the Miami bench. At one point, Harlond Beverly unsuccessfully attempted to drive against two well-established defenders, and Larrañaga not only gave the backup guard a reprimand during the ensuing stoppage, but later took him out of the game.
Fortunately for the ‘Canes, Pack and Wong were prepared, Poplar and Miller apparently possessed.
Dillon Mitchell celebrates after a dunk, two of his four points in 13 minutes of playing time
Hurricanes players huddle together during the second half of the game, which they later won
Wooga Poplar had 16 points and six rebounds for the victorious Miami against No. 2 seed Texas
Still trailing 72-64 with roughly eight minutes to play, the backcourt dynamo joined Miller and Omier in fueling a 13-3 run to give the Hurricanes a 77-75 lead, their first since the opening minutes. . And when Rice responded on the other end for Texas, it was Miller who began his late-game parade to the foul line with two free throws to go.
Carr made a nifty jumper to tie the game again for Texas, but Miami’s momentum never waned.
Omier hit his free throws with a minute left, stole the ball from Carr, and Miller and company delivered at the free throw line.
“Last year we made the Elite Eight here and it comes to a crushing finish,” Larranaga said. “Today, last night, all the guys kept talking, ‘We’ve got to get past the Elite Eight and get to the Final Four.'”
