Miami extends Louisville misery by winning ACC opener 80-53
LOUISVILLE — Jordan Miller had 14 points, Norchad Omier scored 12 and Miami opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with an 80-53 victory over winless Louisville on Sunday.
Miller sank 6 of 10 shots with a 3-pointer for the Hurricanes (8-1), who picked up their fourth straight win. Omier hit 6 of 7 shots, adding two blocks. Isaiah Wong pitched in with 10 points and five rebounds. None of Miami's starters played more than 24 minutes.
Jae'lyn Withers led the Cardinals (0-8) with 12 points. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Louisville is off to its worst start since the 1940-41 season. That year the Cardinals, then members of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association — now called the River States Conference — lost their first 11 games. Louisville matched the 1960-61 Virginia Cavaliers for the worst start to a season by an ACC member. Louisville joined the ACC in 2014.
Omier had 12 points in the first half and Miller scored 10 as Miami opened up a 42-23 lead at intermission. The Hurricanes led by as many as 32 in the second half.
Louisville's first season under former long-time Kentucky assistant and Cardinals alum Kenny Payne has gone downhill quickly. The Cardinals opened with three straight one-point home losses, to Bellarmine, Wright State and Appalachian State, followed by blowout defeats at the Maui Invitational to Arkansas, Texas Tech and Cincinnati.
The Cardinals play a conference game at Florida State on Saturday before hosting Western Kentucky, Florida A&M and Lipscomb with a chance to end their skid.