Miami defeats Wake Forest 77-81

Miami Edges Wake Forest in Thrilling 81-77 Victory

In a back-and-forth contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Miami (21-7) outlasted host Wake Forest (18-9) 81-77 at LJVM Coliseum on Wednesday night. The win marks Miami's first road victory against the Demon Deacons this season.

As the buzzer sounded, Miami celebrated a hard-fought 4-point triumph over its ACC foe. The visitors had struggled to find their rhythm early, trailing by as many as 7 points in the first half. However, a 9-0 run sparked by Tre Donaldson's 5 points in the final 3:15 of regulation propelled Miami back into contention.

Donaldson's clutch performance was key in this thrilling contest. The senior guard scored 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including two 3-pointers, and dished out six assists to pace the Hurricanes' attack.

Wake Forest's Juke Harris led all scorers with a career-high 28 points but fell just short of his team needing performance. Despite Harris's best efforts, Miami's defense stiffened down the stretch, holding the Demon Deacons to 5-of-15 shooting over the final 4:30.

The game was marked by a frenetic pace and numerous possessions in transition. Both teams capitalized on turnovers, with Wake Forest grabbing 10 points off Miami's mistakes and Miami scoring 11 points from Wake Forest errors.

Statistically, both teams presented balanced performances. Wake Forest shot 52% from the field but struggled with its three-point shooting (11-of-21) to fall short. Miami overcame its own 3-point woes to shoot 22% behind the arc while outrebounding Wake Forest 13-4 on the glass.

Miami's ability to close out the game with timely free throws was crucial, as Ernest Udeh Jr. and Tre Donaldson each converted 2-of-3 from the line in the final minutes to seal the win.

The 81-77 result marked a significant bounce-back for Miami after two consecutive losses, while Wake Forest fell to 0-4 against top-25 opponents this season.