CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Once Miami started making shots, they kept making shots.
Nijel Pack scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half in his return to the lineup after a two-week injury absence, Matthew Cleveland and Norchad Omier added 23 each, and Miami beat No. 16 Clemson 95-82 on Wednesday night to improve. 9-0 at home this season.
The secret: Miami made 18 of its last 22 shots, fueling a 60-point second half against a Clemson team that entered the night giving up 69.2 per game.
“Maybe as bad a defensive half as I’ve had as a coach,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said.
On the other hand, Miami coach Jim Larrañaga wondered if it was the first time in his career: three players scored at least 23 points in the same game. It hadn’t happened during his tenure in Miami; There was a night in 1997 when his son Jay scored 40 and Antonio Daniels added 30 for Larrañaga’s Bowling Green team in a victory over Akron.
“I think it’s the first time in 50 years with me,” Larrañaga said.
Kyshawn George and Bensley Joseph each added 12 for the Hurricanes (11-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who are 7-3 against ranked opponents since the start of last season. Pack scored 13 of Miami’s points in a 21-6 run that gave the Hurricanes a nine-point lead with 10 minutes left, and Clemson never caught them.
Joseph Girard III scored 18 points and PJ Hall scored 17 before fouling out for Clemson (11-2, 1-1). Chase Hunter scored 16 for the Tigers, who led by six at the half, led by eight early in the second half and were looking for their first 12-1 start since the 2017-18 season.
Instead, the defense simply fell apart. Miami ended up shooting 75% (21 of 28) in the final 20 minutes.
“We just lost our flow, really on both ends, in the second half,” Brownell said.
And it was with a new lineup for the Hurricanes. Wooga Poplar, Miami’s second-leading scorer, missed the game with a sprained ankle. George started in his place and got his 12 points with three-pointers.
Chauncey Wiggins scored 12 and Ian Schieffelin had 11 for Clemson.
