Miami Ends Non-Conference Play With 78-67 Win

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – Ja’Quan Newton scored 22 points as Miami defeated Columbia 78-67 on Wednesday night.

The Hurricanes (10-2) built three 13-point leads but fought off repeated runs from the Lions. Columbia (4-6) got to within 51-49 on Luke Petrasek’s jumper with 12:59 remaining in the second half.

Newton’s third 3-pointer with 3:01 remaining gave Miami a 71-61 lead for its first double-digit advantage since 3:46 into the second half.

Davon Reed finished with 18 points and Anthony Lawrence added 10 for the Hurricanes.

Petrasek led the Lions with 16 points.

The victory was the 1,000th in the Hurricanes’ history. Miami compiled 456 victories before the program was dropped in 1971 and has won 544 games since its renewal in 1985-86.

BIG PICTURE
Miami: The Hurricanes won their 20th straight home game. Miami is unbeaten at home since a 78-77 loss to Northeastern on Nov. 27, 2015.
Columbia: The Lions are 10-28 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams. Their last victory over an ACC opponent was against Wake Forest on Dec. 27, 1969.

UP NEXT
Miami: The Hurricanes open ACC play against North Carolina State on Saturday.
Columbia: The Lions return home on Friday and face Albany.

Game Notes
Miami’s starters vs. Columbia: Ja’Quan Newton, Bruce Brown, Davon Reed, Dewan Huell and Kamari Murphy.

With the 78-67 win over Columbia on Dec. 28, Miami earned its 1,000th program victory. The Canes’ first game was on Jan. 8, 1927, a 45-20 win over Rollins under Coach Art Webb. Current Coach Jim Larrañaga has helped UM to both its 900th victory, a 73-58 win over Hawaii on Dec. 22, 2012, and the 1,000th win, over Columbia.

With the win, Miami improves to 3-1 overall against Columbia and 3-1 at home against the Lions. Coach L is now 1-0 against Columbia all-time, 128-59 at Miami and 598-393 in his 33-year head coaching career.

With the win, Miami has won 20 straight games at the Watsco Center, with a 7-0 mark this season, added to 13 straight victories in the 2015-16 campaign. UM’s last loss at home was Nov. 27, 2015, when the Canes fell, 78-77, to Northeastern. In six seasons under Coach L, Miami is 70-20 overall at home and 39-7 in non-conference play at home. Under Coach L, Miami has had two undefeated non-conference seasons, the other being a 6-0 mark in 2012-13.

With eight made 3-pointers, Miami has made at least seven shots from long range in 111 of Larrañaga’s 187 games at UM. The Canes are 87-23 when making at least seven from 3-point range. This season, Miami is 5-0 when hitting seven from deep. 2015-16: 17-3; 2014-15: 18-5; 2013-14: 9-6; 2012-13: 19-3; 2011-12: 19-6.

With a career-high 22 points, junior Ja’Quan Newton has scored 20-plus points for the fourth time in his career and third time this season. He knocked down a career high three shots from three, only his third career game with multiple made 3-pointers and first with three. The other two occurrences were two made 3-pointers in 2016 against Syracuse and 2015 vs. Stanford in the NIT final. Newton grabbed nine rebounds, topping his career high of seven, which he recorded against Charleston on Dec. 19, 2015. Newton scored a career-high 22 points against Columbia, and now has double-digit points in 11-of-12 outings.

Senior guard Davon Reed drained three shots from downtown against the Lions, increasing his streak to 12 straight games with a made 3-pointer. He has knocked down multiple threes in eight contests, led by five against FAU. With his 18 points Reed has now scored in double digits 10 times this season, including eight straight games.

Freshman guard Bruce Brown pulled down six rebounds against the Lions. He has grabbed at least four rebounds in each of the first 12 games, has eight-or-more in five outings and pulled down double-digit boards in two contests.

Sophomore guard Anthony Lawrence, Jr., swiped three steals from the Lions. He has at least one steal in each game but two (Wofford and SC State), and had three-or-more in four outings.