CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami slept through the first 20 minutes, then steamrolled Southern Miss after the break, turning a halftime tie into an 88-64 rout Saturday at Watsco Center.
Malik Reneau led the surge with 21 points in only 18 minutes, punishing the Golden Eagles inside and at the foul line before fouling out late. Freshman forward Timotej Malovec delivered a career-high 16 off the bench, while Tru Washington scored 14. Fellow freshmen Shelton Henderson and point guard Tre Donaldson chipped in 12 apiece, with Donaldson handing out a career-best 11 assists.
Miami trailed 8-0 out of the gate and chased Southern Miss for nearly the entire first half. The Golden Eagles knocked down half of their shots before halftime and built a 24-19 cushion, aided by a couple of loud Djahi Binet dunks and steady work from Tylik Weeks. Only Henderson’s free throws with less than a second left in the half pulled Miami even at 34-34 heading into the locker room.
Jai Lucas hit the right buttons at halftime. Southern Miss grabbed a 40-38 lead early in the second half, then Miami flipped the game in a hurry. Malovec drilled a corner three to ignite a 7-0 spurt, and a few minutes later the Hurricanes ripped off a 17-2 run that pushed the margin to 64-46 with 10 minutes remaining. The lead eventually ballooned to 27 before Lucas emptied the bench.
The Hurricanes shot 56.8 percent in the second half, piled up 54 points, and owned a 30-12 edge in paint scoring over the final 20 minutes. Ernest Udeh Jr. anchored that interior dominance with nine points and 10 rebounds, cleaning the glass while Miami’s guards repeatedly carved up Southern Miss’ defense.
On the other end, Miami’s mix of man and zone turned the game into a turnover fest for the visitors. Southern Miss coughed the ball up 20 times, and the Hurricanes cashed those mistakes in for 24 points, a key swing factor once the offense woke up. Weeks and Binet finished with 12 points each, but the Golden Eagles never recovered once Miami’s pressure and length started dictating tempo.
Lucas again rode a short-handed rotation; Miami leaned on seven players. Donaldson logged the full 40 minutes, and Washington played 35, yet the backcourt still fueled that second-half push rather than fading.
Miami moved to 8-2 overall and 6-0 at home under Lucas, while Southern Miss dropped to 5-4 and saw a four-game winning streak snapped. The Hurricanes stay in Coral Gables next Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe, a final tune-up before ACC play.
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