Colorado spreads offense around in big win over No. 15 Miami

Field Level Media|published: Sun 10th December, 16:09 2023

Dec 10, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard J'Vonne Hadley (1) celebrates after the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes call a timeout in the first half at Barclays Center. credits: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Tristan da Silva had a near triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high nine assists as the Colorado Buffaloes knocked off the 15th-ranked Miami Hurricanes 90-63 on Sunday afternoon in New York City.

The game was part of the NABC Brooklyn Showcase at Barclays Center.

Colorado (7-2) had five other scorers in double figures: KJ Simpson (20 points); Luke O'Brien (13); Julian Hammond (11); Eddie Lampkin (11); and J'Vonne Hadley (11).

Miami (7-2) was led by Matthew Cleveland, who scored 17 points. Wooga Poplar added 11 points.

Hurricanes 6-7, 230-pound center Norchad Omier — the best rebounder and inside scorer on an undersized team — fouled out with 6:51 left in the game. He finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Even with Omier, Miami struggled to keep the Buffaloes off the boards. The bigger Buffaloes — including the 6-11, 300-pound Lampkin — outrebounded Miami 33-21.

For the game, Colorado shot 58.7 percent. Miami shot just 44.9 percent.

Cody Williams, Colorado's five-star freshman, missed the game due to a wrist injury. Over his past four games, he is averaging 17.5 points on 68-percent shooting.

With Williams out, Hammond got his first start of the season.

Colorado led by as many as eight points in the opening 20 minutes. But Miami closed the half with a 10-3 run, cutting its deficit to 37-36.

The Buffaloes had a 9-1 first-half edge in offensive rebounds, and they were plus-eight in paint points. Miami had a 12-2 advantage in points off turnovers and a 10-3 edge in fast-break points.

Lampkin led Colorado with 11 first-half points on 5-for-6 shooting. Cleveland led all first-half scorers with 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 2-for-2 on 3-pointers, and 3-for-3 on free throws.

Miami took its first lead of the game, 39-37, on Nijel Pack's 3-pointer with 19:22 left in the second half.

With 16:53 left, Miami surged to its largest lead of the game, 44-41, on Omier's 3-point play.

But Hadley's layup with 14:48 remaining put the Buffaloes ahead, 47-46. That was part of a 9-0 Colorado run, and the Hurricanes never recovered.

—Field Level Media