Miami Hits Their Free Throws Down The Stretch, Beats Seton Hall
Jan. 11, 2000
By JIM O’CONNELL
AP Basketball Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Johnny Hemsley scored 23 points and Miami went12-for-14 from the free throw line over the final 5:08 in beating Seton Hall71-64 Tuesday night, snapping the Pirates’ seven-game winning streak.
Hemsley, coming off a 14-point effort on 5-for-17 shooting in a loss to No.7 Syracuse, was 9-for-19 against Seton Hall, including 3-for-9 from 3-pointrange.
The Hurricanes (9-6, 2-1 Big East) came into the game as the conference’sbest free throw shooting team at 74.3 percent and came through down the stretchagainst Seton Hall (10-3, 2-1).
Two free throws by Mario Bland with 5:08 to play gave Miami the lead forgood at 57-55. Elton Tyler’s basket with 3:19 left made it 59-55 and was theHurricanes’ only field goal over the last 6:55 until Hemsley scored at thefinal buzzer. Miami’s next six possessions after Tyler’s basket ended withsomeone going to the line for two free throws. Four of those times they madetwo and twice made one.
Bland and Vernon Jennings each had 14 points for Miami in a defensive gamethat saw neither team lead by more than four points in the second half untilthe final 1:11 when the Hurricanes started making free throws.
Darius Lane and Shaheen Holloway each had 16 points for Seton Hall, whichwas trying for its second straight 3-0 start in the Big East, and RimasKaukenas added 12. The winning streak tied the longest for the Pirates in thethree seasons under coach Tommy Amaker.
It was Miami’s third consecutive victory in Continental Airlines Arena andits sixth in the schools’ last eight meetings.
