According to The Associated Press.

CORAL GABLES, Fla.

On Wednesday evening, No. 8 Duke defeated Miami with a final score of 84-55, with Jeremy Roach as the top scorer with 16 points. This game took place in Coral Gables, Florida.

The Blue Devils (21-5, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their fifth consecutive game and 16 out of 18 games, with Kyle Filipowski and Mark Mitchell each scoring 15 points.

Filipowski stated that they are not giving up on each other and are staying focused on their ultimate goal for the end of the season. They are aware that they have been in a similar situation before, but they still have a lot to achieve. They need to ensure they are prepared for March.

Tyrese Proctor of Duke returned to the game after missing one due to concussion protocol. He scored 12 points in 23 minutes, while Caleb Foster added 11.

In their second consecutive game, the Blue Devils successfully made 13 out of 29 shots from the 3-point line, marking another double-digit performance in terms of conversions from that range. On Saturday, they were able to sink 10 shots from behind the arc against Florida State.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer praised his team’s strong collective performance and victory. He also expressed admiration for Miami, regardless of who their players may be, acknowledging their talent and potential, particularly at home.

The Hurricanes (15-12, 6-10) were led by Wooga Poplar and Bensley Joseph, each scoring 15 points. Despite their efforts, the team only shot 31% from the field and suffered their fifth consecutive loss. This is their longest losing streak since February and March of 2021 when they had a six-game slide.

“It’s extremely difficult, frustrating, and disappointing for all of those who support Miami basketball,” expressed Coach Jim Larrañaga. “It feels like continuously climbing a mountain and constantly slipping back down.”

Duke successfully limited Miami’s top scorer Norchad Omier to only nine points, as he struggled to make shots and finished with a 3-of-14 shooting record. The duo of Filipowski and Mitchell put pressure on Omier throughout the game, causing him to struggle and change his shot selection near the basket.

Mitchell stated that they executed the game plan effectively and made adjustments while defending Omier.

Foster’s three-point shots in a row sparked a 13-0 streak and gave Duke the lead of 29-14 in the middle of the first half. Roach’s three-pointer at the 2:36 mark before halftime increased the score to 38-18.

“I was not aware of our exact lead,” stated Roach. “I simply wanted to increase it a bit more. Our coach has always emphasized finishing strong at the end of each half. I believe we executed that well today.”

Duke extended their advantage to 54-31 after Foster’s successful 3-pointer 4:54 into the second period. Miami failed to narrow the gap, only managing to get within 58-41 after Poplar’s two free throws at the 15:59 mark.

The Miami team was missing their second and third top scorers, Matthew Cleveland and Nijel Pack. Cleveland was present during pregame warmups, but was unable to play due to illness. Meanwhile, Pack was out for the second consecutive game due to a lower extremity injury.

BIG PICTURE

Duke: Recently, the Watsco Center has not been a welcoming place for the Blue Devils. The victory marked Duke’s first at the Hurricanes’ home court since January 4, 2020.

Miami’s chances of making it to the NCAA tournament are slim, so they are focusing on winning the conference tournament in the upcoming month. They are also trying to avoid being seeded 10th through 15th, which would require winning five consecutive games. After their recent loss, Miami is now ranked 12th in the conference, just behind Boston College by half a game.

UP NEXT

Duke will finish a three-game away series on Saturday against Wake Forest.

On Saturday, Miami will be hosting Georgia Tech.

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The Associated Press college basketball rankings can be found at https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball.

Source: wralsportsfan.com