The hosts raced out to a 10-0 lead just 2:17 into the game, a stretch that included 3-pointers from veteran guards Wong and Pack and forced a Louisville timeout.
Wong had 9 of Miami’s first 14 points and finished the first half with a team-high 11. He ended the night with his sixth straight double-digit output.
Despite the early deficit, Louisville (3-22, 1-13 ACC) battled its way back into the contest, taking its first lead of the game at 34-33 with 4:34 remaining in the first half on a pullup jumper El Ellis.
Due largely to Ellis’ 17 first-half points, the Hurricanes (20-5, 11-4 ACC) found themselves leading by just one, 42-41, at the end of the first stanza.
Ellis finished with a career-high 33 points for Louisville, who had one of its best offensive performances of the season in the loss.
Miami shot 58.1 percent from the floor in the first half, while Louisville (3-22, 1-13 ACC) shot 58.6 percent – including a 6-of-13 mark from 3-point range.
In a back-and-forth second half, the Hurricanes took their biggest lead of the game up to that point at 60-49 on a 3-pointer from Bensley Joseph 4:41 into the second half.
