MBB Storms Past BC Šilute, 105-75, in Italy
By Alex Schwartz
HurricaneSports.com
MONTECATINI TERME, Italy – The University of Miami men’s basketball team dominated the final 31 minutes of action to post a 105-75 victory over BC Šilutė Wednesday evening at Pala Terme in the second game of its foreign tour.
Trailing by 16 late in the first quarter, the Hurricanes orchestrated a 49-point swing and led by as many as 33 points, en route to crossing the century mark. Senior guard Dejan Vasiljevic, as he did in the first win abroad, paced Miami with 20 points, this time adding six rebounds, five of which were offensive.
“The best part about that is it put us in a position where we were going to have to fight and claw to get back in the game,” Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga said of the team’s early hole. “We turned it around in the second quarter, took the lead and never looked back. We had a great team effort. Ten guys played, 10 guys scored and we won by 30 points. A very good night for the Canes.”
BC Šilutė jumped out to a 29-13 edge just 8:12 into the game, but Miami countered with an 8-0 spurt to trim the deficit before conceding a 3-pointer to make the margin 11, 32-21, through one frame.
The Hurricanes opened the second quarter on a 13-2 run to tie the game at 34 and continued to roll from there. Buoyed by stingy defense, Miami took its largest lead of the half, 50-38, with 2:23 left before the break, making it a 29-6 run to begin the period and a 37-9 run dating back to the first session.
After a late, short burst from BC Šilutė to cap the half, Miami took an eight-point lead, 51-43, into the intermission.
The advantage continued to grow from there, as the Hurricanes went on a 19-5 run, including scoring 11 straight points to cap the stretch, to begin the second half to take a 70-48 edge and put the game out of reach. The cushion sat at 26 points, 83-57, entering the last 10 minutes of action.
Miami, as aforementioned, extended its cushion as high as 33 in the final quarter before BC Šilutė connected on a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it a 30-point decision.
Four Hurricanes joined Vasiljevic in double figures, including freshman guard Isaiah Wong, who posted 17 points and seven boards, finishing 6-of-10 from the floor, 2-of-4 beyond the arc and 3-of-3 at the stripe.
Redshirt junior guard Kameron McGusty stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, seven rebounds and a team-best seven assists, while junior guard Chris Lykes notched 13 points and four assists.
Redshirt junior forward Sam Waardenburg amassed a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 13 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end, to go along with a team-best three blocks. Redshirt junior center Rodney Miller, Jr., narrowly missed a double-double of his own, finishing with nine points and 10 boards.
The Hurricanes, who racked up 27 offensive rebounds, will play LCC International University, another Lithuanian team, Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Costa Masnaga, Italy, to conclude its foreign tour.
To keep up with the University of Miami men’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesHoops on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
PLAYER STAT HIGHLIGHTS
Harlond Beverly: six points, eight rebounds, three assists
Nysier Brooks: six points, six rebounds, two blocks
Willie Herenton: three points
Chris Lykes: 13 points, four assists
Kameron McGusty: 16 points, seven rebounds, seven assists
Rodney Miller, Jr.: nine points, 10 rebounds, two blocks
DJ Vasiljevic: 20 points, six rebounds
Sam Waardenburg: 10 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks
Anthony Walker: five points, two steals
Isaiah Wong: 17 points, seven rebounds
