DALLAS (AP) — Tre Donaldson scored 17 points, Malik Reneau had a double-double and No. 22 Miami beat SMU 77-69 on Wednesday night, ensuring the Hurricanes a double bye in next week’s ACC Tournament.
Reneau had 12 points and 11 rebounds while Tru Washington scored 15 for Miami (24-6, 13-4), which got its seventh win in eight games since the start of February. Freshman guard Noam Dovrat had 12 points on four 3-pointers for the second game in a row.
The Hurricanes played their first game as an AP Top 25 team since December 2023 after getting ranked on Monday. They matched their school record for regular-season wins and increased Division I’s best turnaround to 17 victories more than last season with first-year coach Jai Lucas.
Jaron Pierre Jr. had 27 points with six 3s and Boopie Miller scored 21 for the Mustangs (19-11, 8-9), who have lost three in a row after earlier this season getting double-digit wins at home over Top 25 teams North Carolina and Louisville. They haven't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2017.
Miami never trailed and there were four ties, the last at 23-all before Dovrat’s 3-pointer with 7:34 left in the first half. Dovrat played only five minutes before halftime, but made all three of his 3-point attempts, including one at the end of the half for a 38-31 lead.
Miami stretched it to 60-44 midway through the second before Pierre hit back-to-back 3s. The Mustangs had a chance to get within six with two minutes left after a turnover by Ernest Udeh Jr., but he responded with his fourth block, denying a shot by SMU big man Samet Yigitouglu, who finished with 12 points. Udeh also had 10 rebounds.
Up next
Miami is home against Louisville on Saturday.
SMU plays at Florida State on Saturday.
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