CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — The University of Miami men’s basketball team’s (15-9, 6-7 ACC) second-half comeback fell just short as the Hurricanes faced a 75-72 setback to the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels (19-5, 11-2 ACC), Saturday afternoon at the Watsco Center.

Fourth-year junior guard Nijel Pack eclipsed the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season, with 20 points, while junior guard Wooga Poplar totaled 13 points and ten rebounds for his third career double-double. Fourth-year junior forward Norchad Omier recorded his ACC-leading 13th double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

“I thought that was a heck of a college basketball game,” head coach Jim Larrañaga said. “The thing about North Carolina is that they’re exceptional at running the court. They outran us in the first five minutes, and we fought back and had a one-point lead at the half. And then they came out and did the same thing, and we were down ten again. We fought back and put ourselves in a position to win the game late but were not able to pull it off.”

Poplar put Miami ahead for the first time in the game with a driving layup, drawing a foul for an old-fashioned 3-point play. Pack finished the first half shooting 7-of-9 from the field, highlighted by four 3-pointers, to give Miami a 41-40 advantage at halftime.

RJ Davis scored 25 points, and Armando Bacot had 10 points and 15 rebounds for the Tar Heels (19-5, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) in their first game since an 80-76 home loss to Clemson on Tuesday. Elliot Cadeau scored 19 points, and Harrison Ingram finished with 13.

The Tar Heels scored 10 of the first 12 points of the game and extended their lead to as much as 12, 20-8, in the first 10 minutes of action. However, Pack got the Miami offense going with back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Hurricanes to within one at the 3:59 mark of the first half.

UNC took the lead for good with an 18-7 spurt to start the second half. Bacot’s layup made it 58-48 with 13:11 remaining. Miami (15-9, 6-7) closed to 73-71 on Wooga Poplar’s layup with 1:10 left. Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan each made a foul shot to increase North Carolina’s lead to 75-71.

Bacot fouled Poplar with two seconds remaining. Poplar made the first free throw and deliberately missed the second for an offensive rebound opportunity. Officials ruled Miami committed a lane violation on Poplar’s attempt.

Omier and Pack scored eight points during the 19-5 run late in the first half, erasing an eight-point deficit. Pack’s jumper put the Hurricanes ahead 37-33 with 3:01 left.

Ultimately, the Tar Heels knocked down free throws in the game's final minute to solidify the 75-72 North Carolina victory.

The Hurricanes head north for a two-game road trip, beginning with a matchup against the Clemson Tigers in Clemson, S.C. on Wednesday. Tipoff in Littlejohn Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN.

Courtesy of Miami Athletics and the Associated Press

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