GREENSBORO, NC -- It was the third meeting of the season between Duke and Miami and it was perhaps the most compelling as there were 12 lead changes in the first half but Miami could not regain the lead in the second half to pull out a victory in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

Miami fell to Duke 85-78 and was outrebounded 36-24. Jordan Miller who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds and two assists talks about what Duke did to make it tough to win after the game.

"I think the second chance points. They had an offensive rebound, kicked it out hit a three. That hurt, always hurts."

A plot twist happened early.

With just over a minute gone by in the game, starting forward Norchad Omier was writhing in pain on the floor after a free throw. In an attempt to box out, Omier’s ankle landed on an opposing player.

Omier would need to be helped from the court by Miami’s staff and would not return with an apparent ankle injury. The starting Miami forward that averaged a double-double this season with 14 points and 10 rebounds would be greatly missed. He was eventually helped to the locker room, but would return with his ankle heavily wrapped.

"We just got a find a way to come out and get stops. Regardless of Norchad playing or not playing. We all got recruited here. We're all good enough players. So that's no excuse. We just got to find a way. Just find a way."

Both teams were hot shooting from the field in the first half. Duke shot 57.7 percent from the field while Miami shot 48.4 percent.

Bensley Joseph, Jordan Miller, and Isaiah Wong shot 11-for-16 combined for 25 points but still found themselves down 41-36 at halftime.

Miami applied a full-court press on defense and Wong and Miller kept Miami in the game with a series of big-time shots in the second half but could never regain the lead.

Wong would finish with 22 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

With 3:05 to go in the game, the Canes found themselves down 75-69 and Miller once again would come up with a big 2-point shot to get it within four points. But with 1:38 to play Jeremy Roach would hit a three to make it a seven-point game.

Nijel Pack would score on a layup to get it back to five points with 1:13 left in the game and Anthony Walker, who replaced Omier would follow that score with a three-point play after a layup by Dariq Whitehead.

Pack had 11 points, two rebounds, and an assist and Walker had six points and four rebounds.

Kyle Filipowski, who led Duke in scoring with 17 points, traded baskets with Miller to bring it back to a four-point margin, but that would be the closest Miami would get to defeating the Blue Devils.

Miami now awaits where they will be seeded in the NCAA tournament. Most projections have the Hurricanes as 5-seed as the official announcement will be made this Sunday.

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