Platek’s late layup creates additional heartbreak for ’ Canes

CORAL GABLES — It has become too common for these Miami Hurricanes: Shorthanded, they fought but ultimately experienced more heartache in a narrow defeat.

Down four rotation players, including preseason All- ACC guard Chris Lykes for the seventh consecutive game, Miami fell to North Carolina 67- 65 thanks to senior guard Andrew Platek’s late layup Tuesday night at Watsco Center.

“Letting Andrew Platek just go to the basket and make a layup was just horrendous defense by us,” said Miami coach Jim Larrañaga of the decisive basket allowed with three seconds left. “That’s very, very disappointing.

“That should’ve been the best defense we played all night — the last possession. We had to get a stop, and Andrew just went to the basket like no one was guarding him.”

The Hurricanes ( 4- 5, 0- 4 ACC) are off to their worst conference start since joining the ACC in 2004. Their past three losses have come by a combined five points after a 66- 65 loss to Clemson and an 80- 78 defeat at Virginia Tech.

Rechon “Leaky” Black led North Carolina ( 7- 4, 2- 2) with 16 points and nine rebounds. The Tar Heels got 12 points and 16 rebounds from freshman big Day’Ron Sharpe. Kerwin Walton had 13 points and four assists.

Freshman guard Earl Timberlake, who made his first career start, had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists for Miami. Senior guard Elijah Olaniyi scored 11 off the bench, while center Nysier Brooks had 10 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks before fouling out with 5 minutes, 35 seconds left.

UM’s sophomore guard and leading scorer Isaiah Wong, who entered averaging 17.8 points per game, finished with eight. He didn’t score his first points until there was 12: 45 remaining.

Lykes has yet to even return to practice from the left ankle injury suffered Dec. 4. Fellow senior guard Kameron McGusty also has missed four of his last five games with a right hamstring injury. He played against Clemson on Saturday but was held out Tuesday. Frontcourt players Sam Waardenburg and Rodney Miller are out for the season.

Aft e r Pl a t e k’s g o - a head layup, UM was only left with a full- court heave from Harlond Beverly that drew iron but missed. Beverly finished with nine points.

Wong made a high- arching fadeaway midrange jumper with 14 seconds remaining to tie it at 65 - 65 before Platek’s game- winner.

Garrison Brooks made two free throws with 46 seconds remaining to put UNC ahead 65- 63. A Miami turnover from freshman forward Matt Cross in the backcourt immediately followed, but UM got a stop on a Timberlake steal.

Wong made two free throws before Brooks’ pair to tie it at 63- 63 with 58 seconds left.

Bl a c k d r i l l e d a c o r n e r 3- pointer to give the Tar Heels a 63- 61 advantage with 1: 36 remaining. A Caleb Love triple with 2: 52 to play brought North Carolina within 61- 60 after trailing by as many as 10 earlier in the second half.

Nysier Brooks fouling out proved problematic for the Hurricanes down the final stretch.

“Nysier was kind of negating some of their post play and getting defensive rebounds and was a target inside, got several baskets in and around the rim,” Larrañaga said. “Losing him was a huge loss, but the main thing is we didn’t handle the full- court press very well.”

His fifth personal appeared questionable as he stood straight up in the lane outside the no- charge zone as Sharpe came charging in on a floater that he made for a three- point play.

“I felt I made the right decision,” Brooks said. “It was just sacrificing my body, beat him to the spot, but it was a blocking foul.”

The Hurricanes are on the road for five of their next seven games, beginning with North Carolina State on Saturday.