Nijel Pack scored a season-high 23 points, Norchad Omier recorded a double-double and Miami beat stubborn St. Francis Brooklyn 79-56 Wednesday night in Coral Gables, Fla.
A transfer from Kansas State, Pack played only 27 minutes for the game and less than 10 minutes in the first half after picking up two early fouls, but was the only player for either team in double figures at the break with 12 points.
Omier, a transfer from Arkansas State, scored 13 points and hauled in 10 rebounds and Isaiah Wong added 10 points for the Hurricanes (5-1).
Tedrick Wilcox Jr. scored a season 18 points — 13 in the second half — to lead St. Francis, which was without starting point guard and preseason All-Northeastern Conference honoree Rob Higgins. Higgins has an upper-body injury.
Wilcox was the only player to score in double figures for the Terriers (2-3).
The Hurricanes were 28-for-54 from the field (51.9 percent), while the Terriers went 20-for-56 (35.7 percent). The Hurricanes also enjoyed a 37-30 edge in rebounds and forced the Terriers into 19 turnovers to their 12. They made 18 of 26 free throws to the Terriers’ 9 of 12.
Miami increased a 12-point halftime bulge to 23 points, 57-34, less than eight minutes into the second half but saw the lead cut to 14 points when Wilcox went on a 4-for-5 stretch of 3-pointers to help get the Terriers back in contention. Miami went on a 6-1 spurt to get the cushion back to 19 points, though.
The Hurricanes got their lead back to 20 for the final four minutes and the 23-point final margin matched their largest of the game.
The Terriers led 13-5 after going 5-for-7 from the field to start the game, but the Hurricanes woke up and went on an 8-0 run that tied the game at 15-15.
The Hurricanes took the lead for good at 21-19 on Pack’s 3-pointer and held a 38-26 advantage at the break. They started the second half on a 12-4 run that gave them a 20-point cushion.
–Field Level Media