No. 22 Miami Secures ACC Bye
No. 22 Miami clinched a 77-69 road victory at SMU, securing a double bye in the ACC tournament. The win cements Miami's position as a serious March Madness contender, with their defense and clutch shooting making the difference in Dallas.
The victory marked Miami's 24th win of the regular season, tying a school record. It represents a major turnaround for the program under first-year head coach Jai Lucas, whose team has seen a 15-win improvement over last season—the largest in the nation. With the win, the Hurricanes locked up the No. 3 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. This grants them a coveted "double bye," allowing them to bypass the first two rounds of the tournament and advance directly to the quarterfinals. Miami's offense was firing on all cylinders against SMU, matching a season-high with 11 three-pointers and shooting 61.1% from beyond the arc. The team recorded 20 assists on their 27 made baskets, showcasing strong ball movement. Tre Donaldson orchestrated the offense with 17 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds. Malik Reneau secured a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while center Ernest Udeh Jr. anchored the defense with 10 rebounds and 4 blocks. Freshman guard Noam Dovrat has emerged as a key weapon off the bench, scoring 12 points on four-for-five shooting from three-point range for the second consecutive game. His timely shooting has provided a significant boost to the Hurricanes' attack. This win was Miami's seventh victory in its last eight games, solidifying its position as a ranked team and a strong contender heading into postseason play. The Hurricanes entered the AP Top 25 for the first time since December 2023 just before the game.
