The University of Miami men’s basketball team defeated No. 24 Louisville 78-73 on March 12 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The win advances Miami to the semifinals and highlights their strong performance in the second half after a closely contested first period that saw twelve lead changes. The Hurricanes, now with a record of 25-7, overcame an early deficit and responded to Louisville’s runs with key plays from several players.
After trailing by one at halftime, Miami surged ahead with a decisive 10-0 run early in the second half. Malik Reneau was instrumental during this stretch, contributing a three-pointer, layup, and free throws before Dante Allen added an and-one dunk on a fastbreak. Later in the half, Shelton Henderson extended Miami’s lead to eight points with a free throw.
Louisville narrowed the gap to just one point with over six minutes remaining, but Miami maintained composure. With less than two minutes left and holding onto a slim lead, Reneau made a crucial layup followed by Tru Washington’s steal and two free throws to push the advantage back up to five points. In the final moments, Reneau and Henderson secured victory with additional free throws and a dunk following a block.
Reneau led all scorers with 24 points along with six rebounds and three steals. Washington contributed 17 points while Tre Donaldson added 14 points and six assists. Ernest Udeh Jr. led all players with nine rebounds as well as seven points and three blocks.
Miami will face No. 10 Virginia next in the tournament semifinals. The game is scheduled for tip-off at 7 p.m., airing on either ESPN or ESPN2.
