Miami basketball went into LJVM Coliseum on Jan. 7 and walked out with an 81-77 ACC road win over Wake Forest, surviving a frantic finish behind Tre Donaldson’s steady scoring and a paint and glass edge that decided the game.
Donaldson poured in 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting and made all six free throws, giving the offense a calm center whenever Wake Forest threatened to swing momentum. Malik Reneau followed with 18 points, punishing switches and finishing through contact as Miami leaned into its size advantage. Tru Washington added 13, while Ernest Udeh Jr. delivered a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds that kept the offense flowing.
The stats that told the story: Miami won the paint scoring 42-20 and owned a 37-20 advantage on the boards, including a 13-4 advantage on offensive rebounds. Those second-chance points mattered in a game that never leaned one way; both teams traded runs and neither side built much breathing room. The matchup featured 15 lead changes and plenty of ties, the kind of grind that tests late-game poise.
Wake Forest countered with perimeter shooting and a huge night from Juke Harris. He scored 28 points, including 22 after halftime, repeatedly getting to his spots and forcing Miami into tough defensive possessions. Nate Calmese chipped in 19 points and Myles Colvin added 13 as the Demon Deacons pushed the tempo and looked for pace after Miami scores.
The Hurricanes took the final swing after a late surge from the Demon Deacons tied the game at 77. With 45 seconds left, Wake Forest turned the ball over on an inbound play, and Miami converted the mistake into the go-ahead bucket. Shelton Henderson delivered the defining play, cleaning up a miss for a putback with 26 seconds left to stretch the margin and force Wake Forest into foul mode. Miami closed the door at the free-throw line to seal the four-point escape.
The win gets Miami to 13-2 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, extending an eight-game win streak. Miami ended a 16-game ACC road losing streak — a drought that stretched roughly 24 months.
Miami returns home for its next matchup against Georgia Tech, which tips off at noon local time on Sunday, Jan. 10.
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