Fifth series Miami Hurricanes delivered another March Madness shock by beating Texas 88-81 to book a place in the Final Four for the first time in school history.
Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong rallied Miami from a 13-point deficit in the second half, while Norchad Omier made two big free throws and an even more important steal on the stretch to secure the huge win over the two seeds.
Miller finished with 27 points, 7 of 7 from the field and 13 of 13 from the foul line, while Wong scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to defeat the Longhorns, who had been the top remaining seed in an his head. turbulent NCAA tournament.
Now, after falling short in the Elite Eight a year ago, the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (29-7) head to NRG Stadium in Houston on Saturday night for a date with No. 4 seeded UConn. Two more new Final Four entrants, 5th seed San Diego State and 9th seed Florida Atlantic, will play in the other National Semifinal.
It’s the first time since the seeding began in 1979 that no better-seeded team than No. 4 made it to the Final Four, and perhaps it’s fitting that Miami coach Jim Larranaga is involved. He returns to the Final Four after placing George Mason 11th there in 2006.
Jordan Miller (C), who was 13/13 from the free throw line, celebrates against Texas on Sunday
Jim Larranaga guided George Mason to the Final Four in 11 places in 2006 – now he’s going 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 go 20 for 20 combined from the field and the foul line in an NCAA Tournament game. ‘We came together. We stayed together. We have shown a lot of perseverance and the will – the will to just want to get there.’
Miami and Texas were tied 79-all when Omier, known for his bruises, was fouled by the Longhorns’ Brock Cunningham while chasing a loose ball. He made both foul shots to put the Hurricanes ahead, then stole the ball from Texas star Marcus Carr on the other end, and Wong made more free throws with 34 seconds left.
Miller continued to drill foul shots throughout to freeze the Midwest Region title for the Hurricanes.
Wooga Poplar scored 16 points, and Nijel Pack continued his virtuoso performance against Houston with a top-ranking 15, as the same school that once completely dropped hoops in the 1970s moved on to the game’s biggest podium.
Marcus Carr led the Longhorns (29-9) with 17 points, though he appeared to be troubled by a hamstring injury he sustained late in the game. Timmy Allen added 16 points and Sir’Jabari Rice finished with 15 in a season that began with Chris Beard’s firing over domestic violence allegations later dropped and ended with interim coach Rodney Terry comforting his team after a heartbreaking defeat .
The Longhorns revealed about 90 minutes before the tip that Dylan Disu, the Big 12 tournament MVP and early star of the NCAA tournament, would miss the game with a foot injury. He 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 bulky boot as he watched with pain in his heart on Sunday.
Marcus Carr celebrates making a 3-pointer, but it was Texas who took home the L
Larranaga just puts it around his neck after cutting it off at the T-Mobile Center on Sunday
Miami players react after reaching the first Final Four in the school’s history – all as No. 5
Without their 6-foot-9 star in the paint, the Longhorns’ deep group of dangerous guards resorted to potshots from the perimeter against Miami’s porous defense. Rice hit two 3s early, Carr added two himself, and the Longhorns – who tied a school tournament record with 13 3s in the first round against Colgate – hit seven in a rush to take a 45-37 lead during the peace.
On the other hand, Texas decided to prevent Pack and Wong from producing a follow-up to their three-point barrage against Houston.
Pack, who dropped seven threes in the regional semifinal, didn’t even attempt it until 7 1/2 minutes remained in the first half, and his best shot – a rainbow looping across the backboard as he went out the job fell – did not. don’t even count.
Wong took as many shots and scored as many points (two) as he had turnovers in the first 20 minutes of the game.
The Longhorns’ advantage stretched to 13 in the second half and tension began to build on the Miami bench. At one point, Harlond Beverly tried unsuccessfully to drive into two established defenders, and Larrañaga not only tongue-tied the backup guard during the next stoppage, but then ripped him out of the game.
Luckily for the ‘Canes, Pack and Wong were ready, Poplar and Miller seemingly possessed.
Dillon Mitchell celebrates two of his four points in 13 minutes of playing time after a dunk
Hurricanes players huddled together during the second half of the game, which they eventually won
Wooga Poplar had 16 points and six rebounds for victorious Miami against No 2 seed Texas
Still trailing 72-64 with about eight minutes left to play, the backcourt alternator joined Miller and Omier in a turbocharged 13-3 run to give the Hurricanes a 77-75 lead, their first since the first minutes. And when Rice answered for Texas on the other end, it was Miller who started his late-game parade to the foul line with two go-ahead free throws.
Carr made a nifty turnaround jumper to re-tie the game for Texas, but Miami’s momentum never slowed.
Omier made his free throws with a minute left, swept the ball from Carr and Miller and Co. made up on the foul line.
“Last year we reached the Elite Eight here and that’s coming to a crushing end,” said Larranaga. “Today, last night, all the guys just kept talking, ‘We’ve got to get past the Elite Eight and get to the Final Four.'”
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