Canes Squeak By Georgia Southern, 81-80
MIAMI (AP) — The University of Miami men's basketball team started out last season with a loss to Florida Gulf Coast University before reeling off one of the most memorable seasons in team history.
This year's version almost got off to the same sort of start until Manu Lecomte's two free throws with 9 seconds remaining gave Miami an 81-80 overtime victory over Georgia Southern Monday night.
Jelani Hewitt had an opportunity at a game-winning basket for the Eagles but his 30-foot shot with 2 seconds left bounced off the rim.
Donnavan Kirk scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds to lead Miami. Rion Brown scored 15 points and Lecomte finished with 12 points as the Hurricanes overcame a season-opening loss against St. Francis Friday night.
Hewitt scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Eagles (1-1) and Tre Bussey finished with 20 points
Jelani Hewitt's two free throws with six seconds remaining in regulation tied it at 67-67.
The Hurricanes had two opportunities at the win in regulation but Manu Lecomte's short jumper and Donnavan Kirk's put back at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
Lecomte's reverse layup off a steal with 22 seconds remaining capped a 7-0 run and gave Miami a 67-65 lead.
The Hurricanes' late rally started with Davon Reed's 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining and Kirk's basket with 47 seconds left.
Hewitt keyed a 13-0 Eagles run late in the second half with a layup and two 3-pointers that helped erase an eight-point deficit. Hewitt's second 3-pointer with 2:46 remaining gave Georgia Southern a 65-60 lead
The Hurricanes rallied from a nine-point deficit with a 16-6 run in the final 5:18 of the first half. Erik Swoope's dunk with 27 seconds remaining capped the run and gave Miami a 35-32 lead at halftime.
Kirk's 3-point play and tip-in during a 1:00 stretch early in the second half helped the Hurricanes increase their lead to 42-34. James Kelly's layup with 8:52 remaining gave the Hurricanes their first double-digit lead, 57-47.
The Eagles took advantage of cold-shooting Miami early and built a 10-5 lead behind 3-pointers from Tre Bussey and Brian Holmes in the first 4:26.
Hewitt's 3-pointer with 10:59 remaining increased the Eagles' lead to 19-10.
Miami missed nine of its first 10 shots but converted 16-of-18 free throws.
Georgia Southern shot 16-of-16 free throws, a school record breaking the previous mark set against Georgia Tech in 1960, when the Eagles shot 11-of-11.
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
