Hurricanes Take Down Deacons 78-69
Jan. 31, 2006
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Robert Hite scored 25 points, including seven 3-pointers, as Miami beat Wake Forest 78-69 Tuesday in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.
Guillermo Diaz added 18 points and Anthony Harris scored 16 for the Hurricanes (13-8, 5-3), who beat Wake Forest for the first time in five meetings.
Justin Gray scored 20 points and Eric Williams added 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Demon Deacons (12-9, 1-7), who dropped their fourth consecutive game. Hite scored 17 points in the second half, which saw Miami mount a 23-6 run after falling behind 41-35 in the first 1:17.
Hite connected on three consecutive 3-pointers at one point, with the last one giving the Hurricanes a 49-43 lead with 15:24 remaining.
Miami’s lead swelled to 11 points after a runner by Denis Clemente made it 58-47 at 9:33.
Wake Forest pulled to within seven points twice, including 60-53 after a basket by Eric Williams at 7:00.
But Hite responded by drilling his fifth 3-pointer of the game from the left corner just 17 seconds later, and a runner by Diaz put Miami up 65-53 at 6:43. After that, Wake Forest never got closer than nine points.
Hite, whose seven 3-pointers ties his career high, is coming off a season-high 31 points in Miami’s 84-78 overtime win at Florida State on Sunday.
Miami shot 52.1 percent from the field for the game, including 60.9 percent in the second half. Hite hit 7 of 11 field goals, including 7 of 10 3-pointers.
Wake Forest shot 45.3 percent, including 38.7 percent in the second half.
The Demon Deacons have now lost seven of their last eight games.
