Record-wise, the game appeared good on paper, and the two teams were approximately an hour away.
The game was worth checking out.
However, it was the power conference school that outmatched the smaller conference school in the first half.
Ebuka Izundu who scored 19 points led the Miami Hurricanes and grabbed 13 rebounds as they rolled to a 75-55 win over the Florida Atlantic Owls on Saturday.
Izundu completed a double-double for the second straight game.
Izundu had 15 points, and 11 rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Houston Baptist and had helped the Hurricanes (7-4) win consecutive games for the first time since winning five straight to start the season.
“He’s just a terrific young man, and he’s playing really well,” Miami head coach Jim Larranaga said. “He’s playing with a lot of confidence.”
Hurricanes have a lack of depth at the center position. Izundu because of foul trouble would lead him to have decrease playing time. Larranaga would punish Izundu making him do pushups when he would commit a foul in practice.
“There’s a lot of teams that have had really good weeks and players, but he’s got to be in consideration for ACC Player of the Week this week with the way he’s played in two wins,” Larranaga said. “Hopefully he gets that recognition. He deserves it.”
Miami shot 51 percent (29 of 57) from the floor with 21 assists while holding FAU to 33 percent (20 of 60).
FAU (8-4) was led by Anthony Adger’s 19 points. The Owls have lost two of three. And take their talents on a four-game road trip with a 1-3 road record.
The Owls have posted their two lowest field-goal percentages of the season in the last three games as they shot 29 percent (23 of 80) in a 75-71 loss at Arkansas State.
“I wish we could have gotten off to a better start and given our young guys some confidence to hang around and maybe see what could happen, but I thought Miami played very physical, aggressively, and some of their role players did a good job of changing shots at the rim and then obviously their shooters made shots,” FAU head coach Dusty May said.
The beat goes on.
The Owls plays at Illinois on Dec. 29 in their final nonconference game. The Hurricanes host Campbell on Dec. 29 to wrap up nonconference play.
Photo/RomanGaray/WORLDWIDEWEST
