Miami can't close out Eddie and Hokies, lose 61-60 in OT

The last time the Miami Hurricanes took on an ACC foe, they concluded matters by cutting down the nets in Greensboro and celebrating an ACC Tournament Championship.

Today's game lacked that sort of pageantry,  and unfortunately for Miami the result was also disappointing.

During Friday's presser, Coach Jim Larranaga compared offensive basketball to synchronized swimming, dancing, and marching band.

It's unclear which analogy the team related to best but they clearly got the message, at least for a while.

Early on UM certainly looked a lot more organized and crisp offensively then they did last Wednesday Vs Nebraska, getting some good offensive looks from Rion Brown on a pull up jumper, Davon Reed who followed up his own drive with a stick back, and Garrius Adams with a pull up three.

But Jarrell Eddie nailed a couple of bombs for the Hokies and things were even at 13 halfway through the 1st half.

A couple of pretty jumpers by Manu LeComte that were bookends for a Reed pull up gave 'Canes a lead, but Eddie hit his third triple of the half to keep it close.

Brown and Reed would then answer on back-to-back drives to the hoop, and James Kelly got inside to swell the lead all the way to 9.

The first half concluded with the Hurricanes up 31-23 having played a very nice 30 minutes.  The Hokies were living and dying by the three, hitting 5-15 in the first 20 minutes. 7 different UM players scored in the first stanza.

The second half started with aggressive play for UM on both ends.

A Kelly put back and Adams jumper put Miami up double figures very quickly.

But the bombs from VT kept coming, and a Marshall Wood three pointer cut the lead to 41-35.

Moments later as teams traded buckets, LeComte hit  Kelly with a perfect lob to keep it at 6.

Through most of the second half Tech got a boost from the inside play of Joey Van Zegeren  with the 'Canes balanced, attacking style keeping them at bay.

With the game seemingly under control, things got tight down the stretch (just like every UM game this season) with two more deep threes from Eddie cutting it to 55-51, and a runner in the lane by VT's leading scorer cutting it to 2 with under 2 to play.

UM's promising offensive play had also stagnated, and Miami just couldn't close out the ubiquitous Eddie and the Hokies.

A Garrius Adams free throw gave Miami a touch of breathing room, but Eddie hit an off balanced corner three to tie it up.

Donnavan Kirk blocked what could have been a game winner by Eddie and UM headed to OT for the 4th time this season.

Adams opened the extra session with a nice drive, but Wood nailed one off the pick and pop to put VT up one. Kirk hit one of two FTs to tie it.

Van Zegeren and Kirk traded monster blocks on both ends to keep it that way.  But Eddie would hit another ridiculous shot to put VT ahead.

Adams drove hard to the hoop to draw a foul on UM's final possesion, but hit just one of two. Kirk got the offensive rebound but was pinned under the basket and couldn't convert.

And just like the Hurricanes had blown a very winnable game.

Next Miami gets a nice long break, before stepping back out of conference and taking on Savannah State on the road, December 19 at 7PM.

Technical Fouls: PLAYERS: None - TEAMS: None