Miami 78, Boston College 77: ‘That was closer than it should have been’

In the words of our overlord, leader and managing editor Cam Underwood:

In recent weeks, I’ve foretold of the Miami Hurricanes basketball squad’s ultimate dreams coming to fruition, dreams of getting a feel-good invitation to March Madness.

Alas — sadly — I’m no fortune teller and this basketball team continues to let us down.

Despite a 78-77 *victory* over the now 9-12 Boston College Eagles, a generally poor basketball program, the Canes by no means appeared to bust out of the slump that’s seen them drop four out of their past five contests.

There’s a reason Boston College has the worst overall record in the ACC, but the naked eye of a Cane4Life wouldn’t have been able to notice from the second half performance of Miami’s uncharacteristically disheveled defense.

However, let’s graciously extend a huge round of applause for JaQuan Newton. That man was hustling tonight and in the process dropped a career-high 23 points, every single one of which Miami would need to lock up this heart attack-inducing game. Four cold-blooded free throws in the final half-minute from next year’s senior leader* and two more from Mr. Do Everything, Bruce Brown, sealed the deal on Wednesday.

*Please come back, Quan

Fellas, it’s not getting any easier from here with No. 9 North Carolina coming to town at 1 p.m. Saturday and No. 6 Florida State hitting Coral Gables just four days later.

But hey, a win is a win.

On to the Tar Heels.

#PackTheWat on Saturday.

Let’s kick some ass.

NOTES—

• Since 2010, Boston College has gone head-to-head with the Canes 12 times. Their record in those contests? Zero wins, 12 losses. Ten of those wins occurred with Coach Jim Larranaga at the helm. Giddily finding BC on the season’s basketball schedule is awfully similar to eyeing that Bethune-Cookman game for Canes Football, a tradition unlike any other.
• Reed gonna R33D.
• This game featured a new Miami starting lineup, with Anthony Lawrence, Jr. replacing Dewan Huell.
• That’s JaQuan’s fifth 20-point game of the season and the sixth of his career.
• As I mentioned, do-it-all freshman Bruce Brown filled up the stat sheet once again, posting this line: 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. The kid can ball. The best part? Brown seems to be getting better and better with each and every game.
• Another atrocious defensive effort in the second half from a Hurricanes team that came into the game ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense (61.9 points per game). In the process of putting of 55 second half points, Boston College cut a 17 point deficit with nine minutes left to just two with seconds to go.
• Luckily, the Eagles we’re just what the doctor order for the reeling Miami squad. In fact, BC was probably the only ACC team in a bigger rut, now losers of six of seven contests.
• The Canes have hit six or more 3-pointers in all of their ACC games thus far. It’s not quite a recipe for success, but hitting from range certainly doesn’t hurt the cause.
• Twenty-two wins in our last 23 home games.