UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team defeated Providence, 74-64, Saturday evening at Mohegan Sun Arena in its first game of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament.

The victory marked the 700th of Miami (4-0) head coach Jim Larrañaga’s illustrious career. The win, in which his team led for 30-plus minutes against the reigning BIG EAST champions, came against his alma mater.

After Providence (3-1) took a 15-11 lead, Miami used separate 9-0 and 10-0 first-half runs to take early control, building its edge as high as 15 in the opening frame. The Hurricanes, behind 14 points from fourth-year junior guard Isaiah Wong, took a 12-point cushion, 38-26, into the locker room.

The Friars closed within six multiple times in the second session, but never got any closer. Fifth-year senior guard Jordan Miller banked in a 3-pointer with 5:48 left to cap an 8-0 run and make it 63-49. The Hurricanes’ advantage never dipped below double digits the rest of the way in the 10-point triumph.

Facing one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the nation, Miami had a 14-6 edge in that category, leading to a 16-4 edge in second-chance points and a 38-28 mark in paint points. The Hurricanes also shot 16-of-18 (88.9 percent) at the line.

Third-year sophomore forward Norchad Omier posted a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double to lead all players in both categories. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor and 5-of-5 at the line. Wong scored 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting and added a game-best three steals, while third-year sophomore guard Nijel Pack had 11 points. Miller chipped in nine points and nine rebounds.

Sophomore guard/forward Bryce Hopkins paced the Friars with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while graduate student guard Jared Bynum logged 14 and sophomore guard Devin Carter scored 11.

The Hurricanes now play Maryland Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament title game, live on ESPN.

To keep up with the University of Miami men’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesHoops on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

MIAMI HURRICANES POSTGAME NOTES
– Larrañaga is the 53rd NCAA coach, at any level, to reach 700 victories, including the 35th with Division I experience and the 34th with at least five years of experience at that level.
– Just seven prior individuals with ACC head coaching experience have hit the 700-win mark: Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Roy Williams, Dean Smith, Cliff Ellis, Lefty Driesell and Rick Barnes.
– Larrañaga is the fourth person to reach 700 wins while an active ACC head coach, following Krzyzewski, Williams and Smith.
– The victory over Providence marked the first for Larrañaga against his alma mater, as he lost his prior two such outings, once at Bowling Green (11/25/89) and once at Miami (12/22/14).
– Miami has won its first four games of the season for the sixth time in Larrañaga’s 12-year tenure, including the sixth in the last nine years and first since 2018-19.
– The Hurricanes improved to 78-57 all-time in multi-game events (not counting pre/post-tournament off-site matchups), including 55-31 since the program rebirth and 17-11 under Larrañaga.
– Wong moved past Mike Wittman (1964-67) for No. 17 on Miami’s all-time scoring list, now owning 1,322 points at The U.
– Omier has logged a double-double in two of his first four games as a Hurricane.