Kenny Kadji scored 12 points including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 34.7 seconds left to help lift the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes to a 45-43 win at Clemson on Sunday night.
Kenny Kadji
Kadji was the only Hurricane in double figures as Miami shot 34 percent (18 for 52) from the floor.
Miami (21-3, 12-0) now has a three-game lead over second-place Duke, which lost to Maryland on Saturday, with six games left on the schedule. With the loss by Duke, Miami is expected to jump to No. 2 in the AP Poll, which comes out Monday afternoon.
Trey McKinney-Jones drew a charge with 13.3 seconds left on Rod Hall following Kadji’s 3-pointer, which gave UM a 44-43 lead.
After McKinney-Jones made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line with nine seconds left, Hall had a chance to tie the game, but his lay-up missed off the rim and Clemson was unable to tip it in sealing the win for Miami.
Kadji’s 3, his only one of the game, came after K.J. McDaniels split a pair of free throws with 54.6 seconds left.
Jordan Roper, who set a career-high with 19 points, made a lay-up with two minutes left to give Clemson a four-point lead, but Rion Brown responded with a three-point play to keep Miami in it down the stretch.
Miami held Clemson to a 1-for-17 start and held the Tigers scoreless for over nine minutes, but were only able to build an 8-2 lead.
Clemson’s Adonis Filer hit a 3 to end the drought and Jordan Roper’s dunk pulled Clemson within 8-7 with 8:56 left.
The two teams picked up offensively over the next six minutes. A dunk by Julian Gamble gave Miami a 16-15 lead.
Miami took an 18-16 lead into the break shooting 25 percent (7 for 27) while Clemson shot 23 percent (7 for 30).
- Christopher Stock
- Miami Insider - InsideTheU