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| Ja'Quan Newton throws down(Photo Credit: University of Miami/@CanesHoops) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner (@Canedude08)
Canes Rising Contributor
Every potential bubble team needs a signature win, and Miami got theirs Wednesday night, defeating Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The 'Canes took control in the second half, relying on timely perimeter shooting and a strong defensive effort to pull away from the fourth ranked Blue Devils. It's was obvious from the opening tip that Miami was the more athletic team, and that impression lasted the entire night.
Quick Shots
Miami Guards--Coming into the game, it was noted that Duke's guards lacked the athleticism to match up with their Miami counterparts. That was an understatement as Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lecomte DOMINATED the Blue Devils. Angel and Manu combined for 47 points, with Rodriguez scoring a team high 24. Manu hasn't shot this well in weeks, and he was a pest on the defensive end as well. While Manu and Angel were the headliners, 'Quan Newton had the play of the night as he finished a monster dunk to set up a potential three point play. This is the best this unit has played all season.
Free Throw Shooting--If you would have told any Miami fan that the 'Canes would shoot over 70% from the free throw line in Cameron Indoor, they would have told you to "Just Say No". For the first time in a long time, the 'Canes won the free throw battle, and those points proved to be the difference. While the 'Canes were stepping to the line and calmly making free throws, Duke was struggling, shooting 50% from the charity stripe. In a previous column, I mentioned that Miami would need to close out games from the line, and it came true Tuesday night. Miami only missed one free throw down the stretch, that's how you shut the door on an opponent.
Tonye Jekiri--While it wasn't a spectacular double-double, it was one nonetheless and Tonye stood toe to toe with the likely first overall pick in the NBA draft. Jahlil Okafor was held below his season average, and he looked off kilter all night thanks to Jekiri's physical defense. While Okafor was still an impact player, Tonye offset that impact by being a threat himself. The one thing that Tonye has to work on is being assertive, he sometimes passes up high percentage shots.
Bombs Away--Remember when Miami couldn't hit water falling out of a boat? Seems like a long time ago, but in reality, it was a couple of weeks ago. To think that the same team that couldn't buy a bucket could march into Cameron Indoor and shoot 50% from three, it's baffling. It wasn't that Miami connected on attempts, it was that the attempts were usually good looks. Players found open shooters, especially after Duke extended their defense in the second half. This team can be scary good, if the perimeter shots are falling.
Team Defense--It was known that Miami would have to double Jahlil Okafor, the major concern was whether the 'Canes would be able to rotate when Okafor passed to open shooters. That concern was misplaced, because Miami was extremely active and didn't allow Duke to take open shots. Davon Reed was crucial in this area, as he once again proved that he is the best perimeter defender on the team. Miami ran Duke off of the three point line, and then collapsed when the Blue Devils attempted to drive, it was textbook defense and it was beautiful to watch.
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