Miami Downs Georgia Tech in ACC Opener
Jan. 12, 2008
Final Stats | Postgame Notes & Quotes
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – No. 25 Miami overcame a slow start to win its ACC opener Saturday, 78-68, over Georgia Tech, improving to 4-0 in ACC home openers and 9-0 at the BankUnited Center this season.
At 14-1, the Hurricanes tie the best start in program history set in 2001-02.
Sophomore James Dews scored a career-high 18 points and junior Jimmy Graham matched a career high with 13 for the Hurricanes (14-1, 1-0), who fell behind by 12 points early and then went on a 31-11 run.
The Hurricanes won despite missing their first 13 3-point tries. The ACC’s leader in three-point percentage — and fourth in the NCAA, Miami shot 42 percent from the field, but hit a season-low 2-for-19 from 3-point range. However, the Hurricanes made up for it by forcing 18 turnovers, which led to 24 points.
Jeremis Smith had a season-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Georgia Tech (7-8, 0-2). It has been six years since the Yellow Jackets had such a poor overall record this late in the season.
The Hurricanes missed 10 consecutive shots early and fell behind 22-10 before Graham sparked their comeback. He scored seven consecutive points and started an 11-0 run that cut Georgia Tech’s lead to 22-21.
A basket by Dews shortly before halftime put the Hurricanes ahead to stay, 31-29. He made their first 3-pointer for a 46-38 lead and hit another to make it 51-40.
Jack McClinton, Miami’s leading scorer this season at 15.5 points per game, was shut out for the first 14 minutes but still finished with 14 points, including an 8-of-8 performance from the line. Brian Asbury added 11 points and Dwayne Collins had a career-high tying five blocks and five rebounds.
Anthony Morrow added 17 points for the Yellow Jackets and Lewis Clinch had 13.
Georgia Tech ran off 12 straight points to lead 14-4 with Morrow and Clinch hitting 3-pointers.
The Hurricanes tied the score at 27 on a basket by Anthony King. They were up 33-31 at halftime and outscored Georgia Tech 18-9 to start the second half.
The Yellow Jackets were never closer than seven points in the final 14 minutes.
