Poplar, Omier lead No. 13 Hurricanes to opening 101-60 rout over NJIT
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) Wooga Poplar scored 21 points, Norchad Omier had 20 points and 10 rebounds and No. 13 Miami beat New Jersey Institute of Technology 101-60 in the opener for both teams Monday night.
Poplar shot 8 of 16, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. The junior guard didn’t play the final 12:10 after Miami built a 72-44 lead.
“I’ve improved on a lot of stuff - ball handling, shooting - just getting more comfortable with new guys on the team,” Poplar said.
Coming off their first Final Four appearance, the Hurricanes also had double-figure scoring from Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Cleveland played two years with the Seminoles and made a winning 35-foot shot at the buzzer that beat Miami last February in the Hurricanes’ only home loss of the season.
“Just getting to play with the guys, I had a lot of fun out there,” Cleveland said. “They make it easy.”
Poplar, Omier and guard Nijel Pack are the three Hurricanes’ starters returning from last season’s team. Pack had nine assists in the opener.
“I thought that was a very good opening night for us,” Miami coach Jim Larrañaga said. “A lot of guys played. A lot of guys played well. We shared the ball very well and we scored the ball from three, from two.”
The lopsided advantage enabled Larrañaga to utilize his reserves extended minutes.
Adam Hess scored 14 points for the Highlanders in the debut of coach Grant Billmeier. NJIT hired Billmeier after he spent eight seasons as an assistant at Maryland and Seton Hall.
“This is definitely not the way I wanted to start it out,” Billmeier said. “It’s a humbling experience for everyone. My guys are going to continue to be resilient and continue to battle throughout the year. I like the attitude that they showed and will continue to show.”
The Highlanders rallied from a 13-point deficit and got to 22-18 on Hess’ three free throws with 9:47 remaining in the first half.
Miami never was threatened after a 23-8 spurt in the next 5:32. Consecutive 3-pointers by Bensley Joseph capped the surge and put the Hurricanes ahead 45-26 with 4:05 remaining.
GAME EXPANDING
Known for his inside presence, Omier hit two 3-pointers from the top of the key in the first half. Omier attempted 16 threes last season and made five.
“The way he shot the 3 and the way he handled the ball, if he could do that for an entire season, that'd be great. He’s a handful,” Larrañaga said.
BIG PICTURE
NJIT: The Highlanders dropped to 0-4 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams. They also faced Virginia, Boston College and Maryland, when the Terrapins were in the ACC.
Miami: The Hurricanes were ranked among the top 25 preseason for the first time since 2017-18, when they also started at No. 13. The 2017-18 Hurricanes finished 22-10, losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against eventual Final Four participant Loyola of Chicago.
UP NEXT
NJIT: Opens its home schedule against Saint Peter’s on Saturday.
Miami: Will continue its season-starting three-game homestand against Central Florida on Friday. Before the game, the Final Four banner commemorating the Hurricanes’ season will be raised.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Kjell de Graaf vs. Norchad Omier (Nijel Pack gains possession) | |||
19:45 | +2 | Matthew Cleveland makes two point layup (Norchad Omier assists) | 0-2 | |
19:19 | +3 | Adam Hess makes three point jump shot (Sebastian Robinson assists) | 3-2 | |
19:05 | +3 | Norchad Omier makes three point jump shot (Nijel Pack assists) | 3-5 | |
18:53 | Wooga Poplar personal foul (Mekhi Gray draws the foul) | |||
18:43 | Mekhi Gray misses two point dunk | |||
18:41 | Adam Hess offensive rebound | |||
18:35 | Adam Hess turnover (lost ball) | |||
18:30 | +2 | Norchad Omier makes two point layup (Bensley Joseph assists) | 3-7 | |
18:19 | Elijah Buchanan turnover (lost ball) | |||
18:09 | Wooga Poplar misses three point jump shot | |||
18:07 | Elijah Buchanan defensive rebound | |||
17:59 | Elijah Buchanan turnover (bad pass) (Bensley Joseph steals) | |||
17:52 | Wooga Poplar misses three point jump shot | |||
17:50 | Hurricanes offensive rebound | |||
17:46 | Nijel Pack misses two point jump shot | |||
17:44 | Matthew Cleveland offensive rebound | |||
17:41 | +2 | Matthew Cleveland makes two point layup | 3-9 | |
17:12 | Elijah Buchanan misses three point jump shot | |||
17:10 | Kjell de Graaf offensive rebound | |||
17:07 | Matthew Cleveland blocks Kjell de Graaf's two point layup | |||
17:05 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
16:59 | Matthew Cleveland misses three point jump shot | |||
16:57 | Elijah Buchanan defensive rebound | |||
16:31 | Kjell de Graaf misses two point layup | |||
16:29 | Elijah Buchanan offensive rebound | |||
16:21 | +2 | Mekhi Gray makes two point layup | 5-9 | |
16:03 | +2 | Norchad Omier makes two point layup | 5-11 | |
16:03 | Kjell de Graaf shooting foul (Norchad Omier draws the foul) | |||
16:03 | +1 | Norchad Omier makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 5-12 | |
15:50 | +2 | Kjell de Graaf makes two point layup (Mekhi Gray assists) | 7-12 | |
15:31 | +2 | Michael Nwoko makes two point layup (Matthew Cleveland assists) | 7-14 | |
15:08 | +2 | Elijah Buchanan makes two point jump shot | 9-14 | |
14:54 | Bensley Joseph misses three point jump shot | |||
14:52 | Kjell de Graaf defensive rebound | |||
14:43 | Michael Nwoko personal foul (Kjell de Graaf draws the foul) | |||
14:43 | TV timeout | |||
14:33 | Wooga Poplar blocks Jake Goldberg's three point jump shot | |||
14:32 | Highlanders offensive rebound | |||
14:26 | Tariq Francis turnover (lost ball) | |||
14:05 | +3 | Wooga Poplar makes three point jump shot (Kyshawn George assists) | 9-17 | |
13:46 | Adam Hess misses three point jump shot | |||
13:45 | Highlanders offensive rebound | |||
13:45 | Michael Nwoko personal foul (Kjell de Graaf draws the foul) | |||
13:40 | Adam Hess turnover (lost ball) (Norchad Omier steals) | |||
13:27 | +2 | Wooga Poplar makes two point jump shot | 9-19 | |
12:58 | Mekhi Gray misses three point jump shot | |||
12:56 | Wooga Poplar defensive rebound | |||
12:50 | Norchad Omier misses two point layup | |||
12:48 | Adam Hess defensive rebound | |||
12:45 | Jake Goldberg misses three point jump shot | |||
12:43 | Tariq Francis offensive rebound | |||
12:37 | Adam Hess misses three point jump shot | |||
12:35 | Norchad Omier defensive rebound | |||
12:34 | Bensley Joseph turnover (bad pass) | |||
12:23 | AJ Casey blocks Daniel Schreier's two point layup | |||
12:21 | Norchad Omier defensive rebound | |||
12:13 | Wooga Poplar turnover (bad pass) (Elijah Buchanan steals) | |||
12:09 | Norchad Omier shooting foul (Elijah Buchanan draws the foul) | |||
12:09 | Elijah Buchanan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
12:09 | Elijah Buchanan misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
12:09 | Kyshawn George defensive rebound | |||
11:59 | +3 | Norchad Omier makes three point jump shot (Wooga Poplar assists) | 9-22 | |
11:41 | Tariq Francis misses two point jump shot | |||
11:39 | Nijel Pack defensive rebound | |||
11:37 | Tariq Francis personal foul (Nijel Pack draws the foul) | |||
11:37 | TV timeout | |||
11:27 | Wooga Poplar misses two point jump shot | |||
11:25 | Elijah Buchanan defensive rebound | |||
11:08 | Elijah Buchanan turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:56 | Kyshawn George misses three point jump shot | |||
10:54 | Elijah Buchanan defensive rebound | |||
10:49 | +3 | Tariq Francis makes three point jump shot (Justin Anderson assists) | 12-22 | |
10:32 | Kyshawn George turnover (bad pass) (Jake Goldberg steals) | |||
10:22 | Tariq Francis misses three point jump shot | |||
10:20 | Daniel Schreier offensive rebound | |||
10:19 | Norchad Omier personal foul (Daniel Schreier draws the foul) | |||
10:12 | +3 | Elijah Buchanan makes three point jump shot | 15-22 | |
9:53 | Matthew Cleveland misses three point jump shot | |||
9:51 | Matthew Cleveland offensive rebound | |||
9:45 | Wooga Poplar misses two point jump shot | |||
9:43 | Sebastian Robinson defensive rebound | |||
9:37 | Bensley Joseph shooting foul (Adam Hess draws the foul) | |||
9:37 | +1 | Adam Hess makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 16-22 | |
9:37 | +1 | Adam Hess makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 17-22 | |
9:37 | +1 | Adam Hess makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 18-22 | |
9:15 | Matthew Cleveland misses two point jump shot | |||
9:13 | AJ Casey offensive rebound | |||
9:08 | +2 | AJ Casey makes two point layup | 18-24 | |
8:56 | +2 | Kjell de Graaf makes two point layup (Sebastian Robinson assists) | 20-24 | |
8:44 | Nijel Pack misses two point layup | |||
8:42 | Matthew Cleveland offensive rebound | |||
8:41 | +2 | Matthew Cleveland makes two point layup | 20-26 | |
8:41 | Highlanders 30 second timeout | |||
8:21 | Adam Hess misses two point jump shot | |||
8:19 | AJ Casey defensive rebound | |||
8:12 | +3 | Nijel Pack makes three point jump shot | 20-29 | |
8:01 | Sebastian Robinson misses two point jump shot | |||
7:59 | Nijel Pack defensive rebound | |||
7:49 | Elijah Buchanan blocks Nijel Pack's two point layup | |||
7:47 | Hurricanes offensive rebound | |||
7:47 | TV timeout | |||
7:40 | +3 | Wooga Poplar makes three point jump shot (Nijel Pack assists) | 20-32 | |
7:18 | Mekhi Gray misses three point jump shot | |||
7:16 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
7:11 | +2 | Wooga Poplar makes two point layup (Matthew Cleveland assists) | 20-34 | |
6:44 | Sebastian Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
6:42 | Sebastian Robinson offensive rebound | |||
6:39 | Sebastian Robinson turnover (bad pass) (AJ Casey steals) | |||
6:30 | Matthew Cleveland misses two point dunk | |||
6:28 | Sebastian Robinson defensive rebound | |||
6:24 | +2 | Sebastian Robinson makes two point layup | 22-34 | |
6:13 | +3 | Wooga Poplar makes three point jump shot (Nijel Pack assists) | 22-37 | |
5:48 | AJ Casey shooting foul (Elijah Buchanan draws the foul) | |||
5:48 | Elijah Buchanan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:48 | +1 | Elijah Buchanan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-37 | |
5:34 | +2 | AJ Casey makes two point layup (Matthew Cleveland assists) | 23-39 | |
5:05 | +3 | Adam Hess makes three point jump shot (Tariq Francis assists) | 26-39 | |
4:44 | +3 | Bensley Joseph makes three point jump shot (Nijel Pack assists) | 26-42 | |
4:22 | AJ Casey blocks Tariq Francis's two point layup | |||
4:20 | Christian Watson defensive rebound | |||
4:06 | +3 | Bensley Joseph makes three point jump shot (Nijel Pack assists) | 26-45 | |
4:02 | Highlanders 30 second timeout | |||
3:39 | Jake Goldberg misses two point layup | |||
3:37 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
3:22 | Nijel Pack turnover (lost ball) (Tariq Francis steals) | |||
3:13 | +3 | Adam Hess makes three point jump shot (Daniel Schreier assists) | 29-45 | |
2:53 | Bensley Joseph misses three point jump shot | |||
2:51 | AJ Casey offensive rebound | |||
2:48 | AJ Casey misses two point layup | |||
2:46 | Matthew Cleveland offensive rebound | |||
2:46 | +2 | Matthew Cleveland makes two point layup | 29-47 | |
2:46 | Daniel Schreier shooting foul (Matthew Cleveland draws the foul) | |||
2:46 | +1 | Matthew Cleveland makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 29-48 | |
2:30 | Mekhi Gray misses two point layup | |||
2:28 | Hurricanes defensive rebound | |||
2:28 | Kjell de Graaf personal foul (Matthew Cleveland draws the foul) | |||
2:13 | Wooga Poplar misses three point jump shot | |||
2:11 | Jake Goldberg defensive rebound | |||
1:54 | Adam Hess misses three point jump shot | |||
1:52 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
1:39 | +2 | Matthew Cleveland makes two point dunk (AJ Casey assists) | 29-50 | |
1:26 | Adam Hess misses two point jump shot | |||
1:24 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
1:19 | Nijel Pack misses three point jump shot | |||
1:17 | AJ Casey offensive rebound | |||
1:13 | Christian Watson misses three point jump shot | |||
1:11 | Levi Lawal defensive rebound | |||
1:04 | +3 | Jake Goldberg makes three point jump shot (Tariq Francis assists) | 32-50 | |
0:38 | +2 | Christian Watson makes two point layup (Nijel Pack assists) | 32-52 | |
0:05 | Adam Hess misses three point jump shot | |||
0:03 | Hurricanes defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |