Despite pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the college basketball season so far, Miami is still unranked as it heads into a showdown with in-state rival Florida State on Tuesday night in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Hurricanes (13-3, 5-0 ACC) sit atop the ACC standings having won nine consecutive games. Miami is the third-highest vote-getting squad among teams also receiving votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25 rankings coming off its 76-74 road upset of then-No. 2 Duke.
Miami secured its first win over a top-5 opponent since February 2016. Miami recorded 15 steals, which accounted for most of Duke’s season-high 17 turnovers.
Miami beat the Blue Devils, who dropped to No. 8 in this week’s poll, for the seventh time in 11 seasons under coach Jim Larranaga in part thanks to 18 points and a career-high seven steals from Charlie Moore, who set the program record for steals in a conference game.
“Charlie is our Tom Brady,” Larranaga said after the game. “He’s got to deliver the ball, whether he scores it or passes it or just orchestrates our offense.”
The Seminoles (8-5, 2-2 ACC) will face a team unbeaten in conference play for the second consecutive game. FSU dealt Louisville its first ACC loss on Saturday, 79-70, after putting together its own efficient offensive performance.
Caleb Mills sparked a 50-point first half for the Seminoles with 23 of his 27 points (matching a career-high) coming over the first 20 minutes. Matthew Cleveland helped FSU finish off the Cardinals in the second half as he finished with 17 points — also matching a career-high — and five rebounds. Cleveland’s performance offset the Seminoles’ colder shooting in the second half when they made just three of their first 17 shots after halftime.
“We weren’t perfect … We still have a ways to go, but I thought tonight we were able to generate, (and) create that type of mentality that I think it takes for us to compete consistently,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said.
–Field Level Media
