CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Garrius Adams scored 14 points as Miami defeated North Florida 75-62 on Saturday night,
The Ospreys rallied from an 18-point deficit early in the second half and got to within six, at 66-60 on Parker Smith’s 3-pointer with 3:10 remaining.
The Hurricanes (3-0) held North Florida scoreless in the next 1:32 and secured the win as Durand Scott converted four free throws and Kenny Kadji added another foul shot.
Miami converted 20 of 26 free throws, while the Ospreys finished 8 of 14 from the free-throw line.
Travis Wallace scored 16 points, 12 in the second half, for North Florida (1-3).
The loss was the Ospreys’ third straight in their all-time series against Miami, but the result was much closer than the Hurricanes’ 85-63 victory in 2007 and 94-41 rout in 2008.
Held to five points in the first half, Malcolm Grant responded with eight second-half points. Grant hit consecutive 3-pointers in a 37-second span that gave Miami a 48-32 lead with 14:17 to play.
Shane Larkin’s 3-pointer with 12:41 remaining gave the Hurricanes their biggest lead, at 50-32.
Erik Swoope’s basket and two free throws in the first 37 seconds of the second half gave Miami its first double-digit lead, 35-25.
The Hurricanes took the lead for good after outscoring the Ospreys 12-2 during a 1:53 stretch early in the first half. Raphael Akpejiori’s put-back basket with 12:13 remaining ended the spurt and gave Miami a 16-10 lead.
North Florida stayed within striking distance on Jerron Granberry’s second 3-pointer that cut Miami’s lead to 18-15 with 8:15 left.
Granberry finished the first half with four 3-pointers on 4-of-6 shooting from behind the arc, but was held scoreless in the second half. He finished with 12 points.
Adams’ jumper with 40 seconds remaining gave Miami a 31-25 lead at halftime.
