Takeaways from Miami Hoops' 66-64 Win Over UCF
The UCF Knights made a late comeback, but the Miami Hurricanes did just enough to secure an important early-season victory.
Up next, Miami will face off against Rutgers in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. at the Watsco Center.
Here are five takeaways from Miami's win over the Knights.
1. Nijel Pack came up big for Miami in the second half.
After an inconsistent first five games of the season for Pack, the Kansas State transfer has stepped up over the Hurricanes' past two contests.
Pack scored a season-high 23 points last Wednesday against St. Francis Brooklyn and dropped 16 points against UCF, with 14 of these coming in the second half.
The guard was the focal point of Miami's offense in these final 20 minutes, making important baskets down the stretch that secured the win for the Hurricanes.
2. Darius Johnson was unstoppable in the second half.
Like Pack, Johnson put together an impressive second-half performance of his own.
The sophomore guard scored 22 of his 24 points in the final half. Johnson also scored 15-straight points for the Knights to cut Miami's lead from 13 to four.
To its credit, Miami only allowed Johnson to score three points in the last 8:26 of the game. This defensive adjustment helped propel the Hurricanes to their win.
3. AJ Casey continues to fight for more playing time.
The freshman forward's playing time has increased over the past few games, and this trend continued against UCF.
Casey played a season-high 15 minutes on Sunday and was the first forward off Miami's bench. He finished with two points and one rebound and provided a strong defensive presence in the paint.
4. Miami's sophomores continue to stand out.
UM's second-year guard duo of Bensley Joseph and Wooga Poplar played rotational minutes for the Hurricanes last season, but the pair's role has grown even more this season.
Poplar and Joseph have taken advantage of their increased responsibilities, as they combined for 19 points and five assists against the Knights.
Both players were integral to the scoring run that the 'Canes went on at the end of the first half that gave them the lead at the break.
5. Norchad Omier was a force on the offensive glass.
Along with Pack, Omier made a huge impact in the later parts of the second half.
In the final 20 minutes of the game, the Arkansas State transfer had 10 rebounds, five of which were offensive.
In the final three minutes, Omier's trio of offensive rebounds allowed the Hurricanes to burn more clock and create additional scoring opportunities to hold off UCF.
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Luke Chaney is a contributing writer for Sports Illustrated-FanNation's AllHurricanes.com, covering recruiting and Miami Athletics. You can also find Luke on WVUM 90.5 FM as a play-by-play broadcaster. He is also the Sports Editor for The Miami Hurricane. Follow Luke on Twitter @luke_chaney4.