Sometimes it’s just not your day.
After a close first half, Iowa State went on a 10-0 run shortly before halftime and Miami collapsed in the second half in the Advocare Invitational semifinals to lose 73-56. Ja’Quan Newton had another strong performance, scoring 21 points in the loss. The Canes struggled from deep (2 for 16 from 3PT) and failed to get anything going inside, placing the playmaking burden largely on Newton’s driving ability. Here’s what we learned:
The seniors didn’t show up
Kamari Murphy was far and away the most disappointing player this morning. Despite grabbing 12 rebounds, he put up only 4 points on 1 for 5 from the field with 4 turnovers and a flagrant foul. Murphy was consistently out of position and settled for mid-range jump shots. The stats don’t fully tell the story of how bad Murphy was, as he played a large role in Miami’s inability to get anything going on the offensive end. Davon Reed also disappointed, going 2 for 9 from the field and 1 for 7 from 3PT.
Neither did the freshmen
Given Miami’s depth issues with only nine scholarship players, it will be imperative this season for the freshmen to contribute in every game. That didn’t happen today, as Bruce Brown finished with 2 points, 4 turnovers, and an early departure with 5 fouls. Dewan Huell wasn’t much better, posting 5 points on 2 for 5 from the field and was a nonfactor offensively. Dejan Vasiljevic was 2 for 7, taking a number of bad threes in key situations.
This loss won’t kill the Canes
A loss to a top 25 team is nothing to be ashamed of, especially for a young team in November. Given the quality of the opponent and that this wasn’t a conference game, the loss is unlikely to have a significant impact on the Canes situation in March.
Up Next
Miami will face the loser of Gonzaga/Florida on Sunday, setting up potential matchups with the rival Gators or 11th ranked Gonzaga. More important than the result will be to see how the Canes respond after the drubbing they took on Friday. Whichever opponent Miami faces will present another good test for a developing Canes team.
