Canes Hoops Falls in Hard-Fought Battle on the Road, NC State Prevails 74-68

The University of Miami men’s basketball team (14-7, 5-5 ACC) faced a tough challenge on Tuesday night as they fell to the NC State Wolfpack (14-7, 6-4 ACC) with a final score of 74-68 at PNC Arena. Despite a valiant effort, the Hurricanes couldn’t secure a victory in a frantic battle against the Wolfpack.

DJ Horne and Casey Morsell played pivotal roles in North Carolina State’s success, combining for 39 points and making half of the Wolfpack’s shots. Horne went 7 for 14, while Morsell had a 6-for-9 performance, contributing to North Carolina State’s overall shooting percentage of 48.1%. Jayden Taylor also added 12 points to the scoreboard.

Miami faced adversity as second-leading scorer Matthew Cleveland remained sidelined due to a hip injury sustained after a victory against Notre Dame. Nijel Pack stepped up for the Hurricanes, scoring all 23 of his points in the second half. Norchad Omier and Wooga Poplar recorded double-doubles for Miami, but their efforts were not enough to overcome the Wolfpack.

Despite trailing 33-29 at halftime, Miami couldn’t turn the tide in the second half. Nijel Pack’s remarkable performance, with 10 points in five minutes, briefly tied the game at 50-all, but NC State’s 56 percent shooting effort in the second half ultimately secured their 74-68 victory.

Head coach Jim Larrañaga acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, “We just didn’t shoot the ball very well, and a lot of the credit goes to their defense.” The Hurricanes outrebounded NC State 46-31, with Norchad Omier leading all ACC players in double-doubles this season.

Looking ahead, Miami aims to bounce back as they host the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday at the Watsco Center. The game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. EST tipoff and will be broadcast on the ESPN Network. Larrañaga emphasized the importance of regaining momentum this weekend, stating, “Every game is the same. They’re all worth one, and we have to bounce back and play well on Saturday.”