Miami Ends Season
March 14, 2001
By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer
AUBURN, Ala. – Marquis Daniels scored 15 points and Kyle Davis set anNIT record with 13 blocked shots as Auburn shut down Miami in the second halffor a 60-58 win in the first round on Wednesday night.
Daniels hit one of two free throws with 23 seconds left and Darius Rice’soff-balance 3-pointer over Daniels fell well short of the basket. Joe Gordongot the rebound but couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.
The Tigers (18-13) won for only the second time in six NIT trips and heldMiami (16-13) to 17 points in the second half.
Auburn advances to play Purdue, a 90-79 winner over Illinois State onWednesday, next week.
Miami hasn’t won an NIT game since 1963 and is 1-6 overall. The Hurricanesare just 5-36 against Southeastern Conference teams on the road.
Miami led 41-31 at halftime, but were just 6-of-28 from the floor after thatand missed all seven 3-pointers.
Davis had 11 second-half blocks against a team with four starters at least6-foot-7. The 6-10 freshman, who led the league in blocks, had thefifth-highest total in NCAA history and the second most in SEC history.
He also broke Mamadou N’diaye’s Auburn single-season record of 77 andfinished with seven points and eight rebounds.
Miami led until Abdou Diame’s layin tied it at 55 with 4:15 left. Davisblocked three consecutive shots and the Hurricanes missed nine straight over asix-minute period.
Davis then gave Auburn its first lead with a pair of free throws with 3:46left.
Daniels, who was questionable after suffering a concussion against Tennesseein the SEC tournament, had eight rebounds. His two steals gave him anAuburn-record 68 on the season.
Diame, starting in place of Daniels, had 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Auburn’s leading scorer, Adam Harrington, finished with nine points andplayed only seven minutes after halftime.
James Jones scored 16 of Miami’s first 19 points but only four after that.He finished with 15 rebounds. Darius Rice scored 10 of his 14 points in thefirst half, as did John Salmons.
