CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- — Wooga Poplar scored 21 points, Norchad Omier had 20 points and ten rebounds, and No. 13 Miami beat New Jersey Institute of Technology 101-60 in the opener for both teams Monday night.

Poplar shot 8 of 16, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. The junior guard didn’t play the final 12:10 after Miami built a 72-44 lead.

Coming off their first Final Four appearance, the Hurricanes also had double-figure scoring from Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland, who finished with 16 points and ten rebounds.

Cleveland played two years with the Seminoles and made a winning 35-foot shot at the buzzer that beat Miami last February in the Hurricanes’ only home loss of the season.

Poplar, Omier, and guard Nijel Pack are the three Hurricanes’ starters returning from last season’s team. Pack had nine assists in the opener.

Adam Hess scored 14 points for the Highlanders in the debut of coach Grant Billmeier. NJIT hired Billmeier after he spent eight seasons as an assistant at Maryland and Seton Hall.

The Highlanders rallied from a 13-point deficit and got to 22-18 on Hess’ three free throws with 9:47 remaining in the first half.

Miami never was threatened after a 23-8 spurt in the next 5:32. Consecutive 3-pointers by Bensley Joseph capped the surge and put the Hurricanes ahead 45-26 with 4:05 remaining.

BIG PICTURE

NJIT: The Highlanders dropped to 0-4 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams. They also faced Virginia, Boston College, and Maryland, when the Terrapins were in the ACC.

Miami: The Hurricanes were ranked among the top 25 preseason for the first time since 2017-18, when they also started at No. 13. The 2017-18 Hurricanes finished 22-10, losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against eventual Final Four participant Loyola of Chicago.

UP NEXT

NJIT: Opens its home schedule against Saint Peter’s on Saturday.

Miami: Will continue its season-starting three-game homestand against Central Florida on Friday. Before the game, the Final Four banner commemorating the Hurricanes’ season will be raised.

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