Malik Reneau scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, as the visiting Miami Hurricanes defeated the Boston College Eagles 74-68 in an ACC matchup on Saturday afternoon.
True freshman Shelton Henderson added 19 points and six rebounds for Miami (18-5, 7-3). In addition, Tre Donaldson recorded 14 points, eight rebounds, and a game-high seven assists.
Donaldson had 13 of his points in the second half, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:31 left. Miami led the rest of the way.
Miami had lost its previous four games against the Eagles.
Boston College (9-14, 2-8), which has lost four straight games overall, was led by Donald Hand Jr., who scored 20 points, including 4-for-6 shooting on 3-pointers. Boden Kapke added a double-double with 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
However, Boston College’s leading scorer, Fred Payne, was held to 11 points on 5-for-18 shooting.
Miami was without starting guard Tru Washington (personal reasons) and reserve Marcus Allen (cancer treatments). Allen, who turned 21 on Saturday, was at the game, supporting his teammates.
The Hurricanes led 34-33 at the break. Reneau led all first-half scorers with 13 points, and Henderson had 10. Donaldson had just one point, but he ran the show well with three passes that led directly to layups/dunks. He also faked out a Boston College defender badly on a baseline spin move.
Payne missed his first six shots, but he ended the half with six points. Kapke led Boston College with 11 points, making three buckets in the paint, two free throws and one 3-pointer.
For the first half, Miami was plus-nine on rebounds, but Boston College was plus-five on turnovers, and both teams scored 18 points in the paint.
In the second half, Miami made seven straight shots, taking a 50-40 lead with 11:57 left, forcing an Eagles timeout.
But Boston College came right back, cutting its deficit to 57-56 on a steal by Jayden Hastings and a fast-break layup by Payne, forcing a Miami timeout with 6:05 left.
After the timeout, Reneau missed his second dunk of the game, and Boston College took its first lead of the second half, 58-57, on a jumper by Hand.
But Donaldson’s 3-pointer put Miami up for good as the Hurricanes prevailed.
For the game, Miami was plus-11 on rebounds and won the battle for paint points, 44-30; and fast-break points, 11-7.
–Field Level Media
