Hurricanes Get Sweet Win
March 19, 2000
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By TOM SHARP
AP Sports Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Miami Hurricanes are earning respect and addingto the school record books with every NCAA tournament victory.
Johnny Hemsley scored 24 points as Miami upset third-seeded Ohio State 75-62on Sunday in the South Regional to advance to the round of 16 for the firsttime.
Miami (23-10) had never won an NCAA tournament game before last season, letalone two in the same year. The loss spoiled the Buckeyes hopes for a returntrip to the Final Four.
“Once again we are swimming in uncharted waters,” Hurricanes coach LeonardHamilton said. “It feels kind of good. Each time we win a game, each time wetake another step forward, we’re making history for our program.”
Sixth-seeded Miami will play seventh-seeded Tulsa in the South Regionalsemifinals Friday in Austin, Texas. Tulsa beat second-seeded Cincinnati 69-61.
Elton Tyler added 20 points for Miami, and John Salmons 13.
“We’re trying to build that tradition and mystique the way the Kentuckysand Connecticuts have,” Hemsley said. “This is just a great step.”
Although Miami won a share of the Big East regular season title, it wasgiven a No. 6 seed in the tournament. The Hurricanes weren’t happy about it atthe time, but haven’t let it affect them.
“I don’t want to put a number on it, but if we play defense and executelike we did today we can play a few more games,” center Mario Bland said.
Scoonie Penn led the Buckeyes (23-8) with 19 points, eight of them in a90-second span late in the game after Miami had taken a 13-point lead. MichaelRedd added 13 before fouling out with 4:17 left to play, and George Reese had11.
“It’s tough,” Penn said. “We felt we were a team that could have movedon, but we didn’t play well enough today to move on and that hurts.”
The smaller Hurricanes scrapped their way to a 41-26 rebounding advantageand outshot the Buckeyes, hitting 26-of-51 (51 percent) to Ohio State’s20-of-56 (36 percent).
Miami never let Ohio State get into the offensive flow it used to routeAppalachian State in the first round Friday.
“I think they’re every bit as good a defensive team as we’ve played allyear,” Ohio State coach Jim O’Brien said.
Hemsley’s back-to-back 3-pointers gave the Hurricanes a 56-51 lead with 6:16to play.
Hemsley fired another 3-point attempt on the next possession to beat theshot clock, and Mario Bland snared the long rebound. He passed to Tyler, whohit a 15-footer to make it 58-51.
Redd, the Buckeyes’ leading scorer, picked up two fouls in a span of 18seconds and left with 4:17 to play.
A basket and two free throws by Salmons made it 62-51 with four minutes togo, and Tyler added a field goal to make it 64-51.
Miami closed the first half with a flurry.
With just seconds left, Redd picked off a pass at midcourt and soared in fora dunk, which he slammed off the back of the rim. Ohio State’s Brian Brown,trailing the play, got the rebound and promptly ran over Hemsley for a charge.
The Hurricanes quickly inbounded and Salmons launched a long 3-pointer thatbeat the buzzer for a 36-31 lead.
“That was a big play,” O’Brien said. “What can you say? He didn’t miss iton purpose.”
