In a nail-biter down in Coral Gables, Virginia Tech came agonizingly close to pulling off a significant upset against Miami, only to fall short by a single point, 67-66. The Hokies had a chance at the buzzer, but Ben Hammond's drive to the basket ended with a missed shot as he lost his balance, leaving the Hokies on the outside looking in with just four games left in their push for an NCAA Tournament berth.
Miami's victory was largely thanks to a stellar performance from Tre Donaldson. The scoring guard took over in the second half, notching a career-high 32 points, with a whopping 24 coming after halftime.
Virginia Tech's defensive strategy of going under screens and switching defenders backfired, as Donaldson made them pay, hitting three of Miami's four total three-pointers. Without his shooting heroics, Miami struggled, shooting 14-37 from the floor (38%) and a meager 1-9 from beyond the arc (11%).
Donaldson's efforts boosted those numbers to 44% from the field and 25% from three-point range.
Dante Allen chipped in with 10 points and 5 rebounds, while Malik Reneau and Sheldon Henderson each contributed 9 points and 6 rebounds. No other Miami player scored more than 5 points, underscoring Donaldson's impact.
The Hurricanes also dominated the boards with 33 rebounds, including an impressive 13 offensive rebounds that translated into 19 second-chance points. Despite scoring droughts on both sides, Miami's offensive rebounding and Donaldson's scoring proved decisive.
For Virginia Tech, it was a team effort that fell just short in crunch time. Amani Hansberry led with 16 points and 5 rebounds.
Jailen Bedford showcased his versatility with 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Hammond added 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Tobi Lawal contributed 8 points and 7 rebounds before fouling out.
Neo Avdalas dished out 8 assists, surpassing Miami's team total of 7. However, the Hokies managed just 1 point in the final 2:31, unable to find a clutch scorer to match Donaldson's heroics.
Shooting 40% from beyond the arc, Virginia Tech did well to contain Miami's other threats, but Donaldson was the difference-maker. The Hokies will look to rebound at home against Wake Forest in a crucial noon matchup, aiming to keep their tournament hopes alive. Meanwhile, Miami gears up to take on #21 Virginia in Charlottesville, with a 2 PM tip-off on the horizon.