No. 14 Miami absolutely throttled Wagner 83-57 on Friday night, a crucial rebound after stumbling in their season opener against top-ranked Florida. Shelton Henderson, after struggling in that initial game, exploded for 19 points to lead the Hurricanes. This was the statement Miami needed.
Henderson’s Epic Turnaround Powers Miami’s Dominance
Talk about a bounce-back game. Shelton Henderson, who only managed seven points in the season-opener against Florida, came alive against Wagner. He poured in 19 points, with a massive 16 of those coming after halftime on an incredibly efficient 8-of-9 shooting from the field. It wasn’t just Henderson, either. Malik Reneau, who averaged a team-leading 18 points last season but also struggled with just five in the opener, chipped in 12 points. Caleb Gaskins added 11 points to the Hurricanes’ commanding win. Miami looked like a totally different team, hitting 16 of their 18 free throws and completely dominating the paint with a 52-22 advantage. They also showed off their speed and unselfishness, racking up 24 fast-break points compared to Wagner’s three, and dishing out 18 assists on the night.
Hurricanes Shut Down Wagner After Early Scare
The game actually started with a brief scare when Tajae Jones’ second-chance layup gave Wagner their only lead of the night at 10-8 in the opening four minutes. But Miami wasn’t having it. They responded with a crushing 22-4 run that completely flipped the script. Caleb Gaskins, Brent Bland, and Nick Dorn all drained 3-pointers during that surge, and Dante Allen capped it off with a layup that put Miami up 30-14 with 4:35 left in the first half. The Hurricanes carried a 34-21 lead into the break, then came out in the second half and absolutely slammed the door shut with a 12-2 surge. Henderson electrified the crowd with consecutive fast-break dunks that capped that run, stretching the lead to an unassailable 46-23. Gaskins’ dunk with 4:46 remaining gave Miami their largest lead at 75-44. For Wagner, who are working with an entirely new roster under first-year coach Dwan McMillan, Tajae Jones had a solid outing with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Miami will look to keep this momentum rolling when they host North Florida on Monday. Meanwhile, Wagner has another tough test ahead, visiting No. 4 UConn on Monday.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply