Hot-shooting Miami Hurricanes basketball team dominates overmatched Stonehill, 97-59
The University of Miami men’s basketball team (9-2, 1-0 ACC) eclipsed the 90-point mark for the fourth time this season, downing the Stonehill Skyhawks (2-12, 0-0 NEC), 97-59, Thursday night at the Watsco Center.
“I’m happy we won and I’m happy we won by as many points as we did,” head coach Jim Larrañaga said. “I’m happy we had five guys in double-figures and I’m happy we outrebounded them, 52-27. I didn’t like the 13 turnovers, especially the ones we had at the end, but I did like the 26 assists.”
For the third time this season, junior guard Wooga Poplar set a new career high in scoring, totaling 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Fourth-year junior Norchad Omier tallied 20 points and a team-leading 18 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the 2023-24 campaign.
Juniors Matthew Cleveland and Bensley Joseph joined Omier and Poplar in double-figures with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Cleveland added nine rebounds to his stat line, while Joseph tallied a career-high eight assists in the contest.
Freshman Kyshawn George scored in double-figures for the second time this season, totaling 12 points in the game, all of which came from beyond the arc.
As a team, Miami outrebounded the Skyhawks, 52-27, and recorded an assist on 68 percent (26-of-38) of its shots.
Omier anchored the Hurricanes on offense and defense in the first 20 minutes, recording his second first-half double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. As a team, Miami knocked down nine threes in the first half, paced by Poplar and George who tallied three apiece.
The Hurricanes strung together an 18-2 run in the middle section of the first half to take a 30-point, 39-9, lead over the Skyhawks. Junior Bensley Joseph closed out scoring for the Hurricanes in the first half with a fastbreak dunk to give Miami the 54-25 advantage heading into the locker room.
Poplar was explosive for the Hurricanes in the second half, pouring in 13 points in the first five minutes of the frame. Miami led by as much as 45 in the second half, with 14 points coming from the bench in the final 20 minutes.
Sophomore AJ Casey tied his career high with eight points in the game, all of which came in the second half. The Hurricanes have a week off before returning to the Watsco Center on Dec. 29 to host North Florida for Miami’s final non-conference game. Tipoff in Coral Gables is set for 6 p.m. and the game will air on ACC Network.
Game Notes:
- Fourth-year junior Norchad Omier recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 20 points and 18 rebounds
- Omier is the first Hurricane to tally 18 points and 18 rebounds since Ebuka Izundu did so on 11/13/18 against Stephen F. Austin
- Sophomore AJ Casey tied his career high with eight points in the contest
- Junior Bensley Joseph set a new career high in assists with eight
- Junior Wooga Poplar tallied his fourth 20-point game of the season with 24 points
- Miami eclipsed the 90-point mark for the fourth time this season
- All five starters scored in double-figures for the third time this season
