Hurricanes Breeze Past Quinnipiac, 80-66
Dec. 29, 1999
MIAMI (AP) – Johnny Hemsley, returning from a two-game suspension, scored 24points to help Miami stave off Quinnipiac 80-66 Wednesday.
Hemsley scored seven points as the Hurricanes ended the game with a 15-0run.
Quinnipiac (5-4) nearly pulled off its most significant victory sincebecoming a Division I program last season, but fell short after two startersfouled out with seven minutes remaining.
Miami (7-5) trailed 66-65 following Jared Grasso’s 3-pointer with 3:28 left.Grasso led the Braves with 15 points, all on 3-point shots, while IvoreeStanley added 14 and Bill Romano had 13.
Hemsley, Miami’s leading scorer, was suspended for the last two games bycoach Leonard Hamilton for kicking a chair on the bench last week againstDetroit Mercy.
Miami center Mario Bland added 19 points, including 11-of-12 free throws,but it was Elton Tyler’s interior defense and rebounding down the stretch thatsparked the Hurricanes’ game-deciding run. Tyler finished with nine points, sixassists, and three blocks.
Tyler hit two free throws to ignite the burst. He then fed Bland for alayup. Following a Tyler blocked shot, Hemsley nailed a 3-pointer.
After a Braves’ turnover, one of 22, Hemsley went coast-to-coast for a layupto give Miami a secure 74-66 lead with 1:28 left.
Quinnipiac used an early 17-4 run to jump out to a 20-11 lead with 11:46left in the first half.
Miami, which begins its Big East season next week, countered with a 12-3run, with Hemsley supplying seven points during the spurt.
