Nijel Pack exploded for 26 points while three other Miami players finished in double figures to lift the No. 5 Hurricanes to an 89–75 win over No. 1 seed Houston in the Midwest region Sweet 16 matchup on Friday.
The Hurricanes led by six at halftime and nearly relinquished the lead in the early moments of the second half. However, Pack delivered with his prolific shooting performance (7-of-10 from three-point range) as the Hurricanes continued to pound the Cougars from beyond the arc.
Miami’s 89 points were the first time this season that Houston allowed 80 or more points to an opponent. Hurricanes star and ACC Player of the Year Isaiah Wong finished with 20 points, followed by Jordan Miller posting 13 and Norchad Omier filing a double-double performance with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
With the Cougars’ loss, this year will mark the first Elite Eight in men’s NCAA tournament history without any No. 1 seeds remaining in the bracket.
The Hurricanes will face the winner of the matchup between No. 3 Xavier and No. 2 Texas in the Elite Eight on Sunday. In addition to the men’s program, the Miami women’s program will also play in this year’s Elite Eight against LSU on Sunday.
