No matter how hard the men’s basketball team has played, they cannot seem to break their current losing streak.
Guillermo Diaz had 21 points but it wasn’t enough as the ‘Canes fell in overtime 74-72 to Boston College at the Convocation Center. The loss is the team’s sixth in a row and drops the Hurricanes to 13-11 on the season and 3-7 in the Big East.
Miami shot 52 percent from the field in the first half, but struggled in the second half, going just 34.8 percent on 8 of 23 shooting and couldn’t make big plays down the stretch.
“It’s gut wrenching,” Head Coach Perry Clark said. “I’ve never been in a situation like this where nothing goes your way. We haven’t caught a break and you don’t play for breaks, but at the same time, you would think you would get one eventually.”
Will Frisby made two free throws with 0.8 seconds on the clock to force the game into overtime. However, the Hurricanes fell to 0-4 in overtime this season after a Darius Rice shot was off the mark and a put back attempt by Karron Clarke missed.
Rice and Diaz did not start the game because of what Clark called a “private team matter.” Once Rice got in, he struggled, shooting three for 10 from the field, including key misses at the end of regulation and overtime.
“The second shot I was clobbered by two guys, I took it right at them and made sure to draw the contact, but didn’t get the call,” Rice said. “I want to take the shots that get this team out of the slump and help us win.”
Clark cited the defensive lapses late in the game along with the poor shooting down the stretch as some of the reasons that the game slipped away.
“We can’t make stops defensively when we need to and that hurts us,” Clark said. “If we aren’t getting it done offensively, we need to step up the defense and we have been unable to do that.”
Boston College was led by freshman Jared Dudley’s 24 points and seven rebounds. Boston College improves to 16-7 with the victory and 5-5 in the Big East. The loss leaves the Hurricanes on the outside of the Big East tournament picture after a Virginia Tech win.
The Hurricanes return to action Saturday against the Syracuse Orangemen at 2:00 pm at the Convocation Center. With six games left to play, every game will be important if this team wants to make the postseason.
“This isn’t the right way to leave the Big East,” Rice said. “There are six games left to go so it’s not over yet.”
Darren Grossman can be contacted at d.grossman@umiami.edu