CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Hurricanes played so well Saturday they earned a standing ovation from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
With the Heat stars watching from the front row, the eighth-ranked Hurricanes put on another show at home, making a school record-tying 15 3-pointers and extending their winning streak to 11 games by beating North Carolina 87-61.
As noted on Breitbart Sports, the Hurricanes also have an impressive 8 game road winning streak, joining Arizona as having the best road records in the NCAA.
Sophomore Shane Larkin had 18 points and a career-high nine assists for the Atlantic Coast Conference leaders, who built margins of 9-0 and 44-27 en route to another rout. They improved to 11-0 at home, where each of the past four wins have been by at least 22 points.
Such success is unprecedented for the Hurricanes (19-3, 10-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who set a school record for ACC victories in a season with eight games still to go. They are the last unbeaten team in league play among the major conferences.
North Carolina (16-7, 6-4), which began the season 18-2 against the Hurricanes, has now lost to Miami for the second time this season, the first being a 68-59 defeat four weeks ago.
The Hurricanes made 13 of their first 19 3-point tries and finished 15 for 26 from beyond the arc. Larkin tied a career high with five 3-pointers in eight attempts.
Miami’s smothering defense did the rest, flustering a team averaging an ACC-best 79.1 points per game. Julian Gamble led the way with four blocks, and the Tar Heels were so discombobulated that on one inbounds pass, two of their players collided away from the ball and went sprawling.
With this victory, the Hurricanes have earned their way into the conversation for the top spot in the rankings. With 11 straight wins, many of them dominant performances such as their 90-63 victory over Duke on January 23, Miami has to be considered one of the elite teams in the NCAA.
The Hurricanes are set to play at Duke on March 2.
Breitbart Sports contributed to this report.
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