Miami fires back late to avoid getting angry at Drake
Nijel Pack scored 21 points — including the jumper and a pair of free throws in the final minute — to rally No. 5 seeded Miami past Drake 63-56 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.
The Hurricanes (26-7) scored the final 10 points by barely passing 12th-seeded Drake just a year after reaching the Elite Eight.
Norchad Omier added 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Hurricanes, who won despite being limited to a season-low 63 points. Wooga Poplar had 15 points.
Darnell Brodie had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead Drake (27-8). The Missouri Valley Conference tournament champions were outscored 16-1 in the final 4:29 and 10-0 in the final 2:28. The Bulldogs missed their last seven shots from the field and did not score the last 3:24.
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Nijel Pack #24 of the Miami Hurricanes handles the ball against the Drake Bulldogs during the first half of the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at MVP Arena on March 17, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Isaiah Vazquez/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Mo Valley Player of the Year Tucker DeVries, whose father is the coach, scored three points on 1 of 13 shots.
Miami will face the winner of the game between fourth-seeded Indiana (22-11) and 13th-seeded Kent State in the second round of the Midwest Region.
Brodie tied the game at 47 with a free throw, then Calhoun hit two straight 3-pointers in an 8-0 run that Roman Penn capped with a jumper for a 55-47 lead with 5:40 to go.
Nijel Pack #24 of the Miami Hurricanes celebrates after a second half field goal against the Drake Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on March 17, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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Miami, which scored just 17 field goals in the game, found a way to pick up the defense and shake things up. Pack started the rally with a jumper and Poplar hit two free throws and a jumper to close the deficit at 55-53 with 3:34 left.
After Penn scored the Bulldogs’ final point on a free throw with 3:24 left, Jordan Miller hit two free throws, and Bensley Joseph made one to tie the contest at 56 with 2:20 left.
Pack, who was 7 of 15 from the field, put Miami ahead for good with his jumper on a turnover.
The Miami Hurricanes huddle against the Drake Bulldogs during the second half of the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at MVP Arena on March 17, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Isaiah Vazquez/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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BIG PICTURE:
Drake: The Bulldogs won this one until they got freezing at the end.
Miami: The Hurricanes looked disconnected offensively all night, but they’ll need to improve to get back to another Elite Eight.
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