Hurricanes hang on for a dramatic win
CORAL GABLES – There had already been one upset on the floor earlier in the day.
It took everything the Miami Hurricanes had in the game’s final minutes to keep it from being two.
Miami, which led by as many as 13 points in its women’s NCAA Tournament opener, saw its lead evaporate as upset-minded Florida Gulf Coast hit 3-pointer after 3-pointer in the second half.
Ultimately, though, the fourth-seeded Hurricanes did enough to survive, with Keyona Hayes converting on the game-winning layup with 1.5 left to help Miami clinch a 62-60 win over the Eagles on Saturday.
Miami, which is hosting in the tournament for the first time since 1993, now advances to the Round of 32 on Monday where it will face 12th-seeded Quinnipiac, who earlier in the day upset fifth-seeded Marquette 68-65 in the first game of the Coral Gables pod.
Hayes finished with a game-high 16 points and had 10 rebounds, recording Miami’s first double-double in NCAA Tournament play since Pepper Wilson had one in 2013. Emese Hof added 14 for Miami.
“We had a nice lead there, but we lost our focus and let slip,” Hurricanes coach Katie Meier said. “A couple of mistakes late game for us, but we’re still alive and we’re very excited for the crowd that showed up for us and we’re excited to have an exciting game for them and we’re excited to continue to play. We’re going to take it and we’re going to move on and get ready for our next game on Monday.”
The Hurricanes will not apologize for the victory, but as Florida Gulf Coast dejectedly walked off the floor, Eagles fans bemoaned what they believed were two late missed calls that benefited Miami.
The first came on Hayes’ game-winner. She went up strong for the layup, knocking defender Taylor Gradinjan to the floor. There was no charge called on the play. And there was no whistle moments later when Keyanna Harris knocked the Eagles’ inbounds pass away before Jordin Alexander could attempt a potential game-tying shot under the basket.
“It’s disappointing, but that’s what the refs thought it was and you’ve got to deal with it,” said Gradinjan, who had nine points. “We had another chance to bring it down on the other end, and we didn’t accelerate from what we had. Nothing we could do about it. It sucks, but it was a good play by their post.”
While the officials may not have blown their whistles on the final two plays, there was no shortage of calls in the game with both Miami and Florida Gulf Coast both losing two of their top players in the fourth quarter. Three-time All-ACC guard Adrienne Motley fouled out with 1:35 left, while Florida Gulf Coast lost Rosemarie Julien with 3:55 remaining.
The pair missed participating in one of the more thrilling finishes of the NCAA Tournament so far.
That finish came in part because of the fact the 3-pointers Florida Gulf Coast missed early, started falling. The Eagles, who came into the game second in the nation behind Idaho in 3-pointers made, were just 2-of-18 from behind the arc in the first half.
That and a 14-2 Miami run in the second quarter helped the Hurricanes build a 28-22 halftime lead.
But the game got closer in the second half as Florida Gulf Coast (26-9) began to hit from outside.