DURHAM, N.C. – The University of Miami’s basketball team fell by two at Duke, 68-66, Saturday afternoon at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Fifth-year senior guard Jordan Miller registered a game-high 19 points, including 13 in the second half, for No. 17/16 Miami (15-4, 6-3 ACC) in its first defeat against the Blue Devils in league play in exactly three years.
The Hurricanes used a late 12-3 run, including a fourth 3-pointer in five attempts by third-year sophomore guard Nijel Pack to retake the lead, to grab a 36-32 edge with 3:13 on the first-half clock. Duke (14-5, 5-3 ACC) hit two 3-pointers in the closing two minutes, sandwiched around a Miami basket, and the teams went into the locker room even at 38 apiece.
Miami shot 5-of-9 from 3-point range, including hitting five of its first seven attempts, and 9-of-10 at the line in the opening 20 minutes, while the Blue Devils went 5-of-11 and 3-of-7, respectively.
Coming out of the break, an early 8-2 personal surge by Miller put the Hurricanes ahead by two. However, Duke used a 10-0 run in 4:28, started with two shot-clock-beating 3-pointers, to go up by eight, 55-47, with 11:48 to play.
Miami, buoyed by a trio of 3-pointers and a three-point play, closed within one, 64-63, with 2:54 remaining. Despite holding Duke to 2-of-16 down the stretch, including zero field goals in the final five-plus minutes, the Hurricanes could not level the score or regain the lead, as the Blue Devils held on for the home win.