MIAMI TAKES DOWN NC STATE!!!!!!

Wow. In a game where I wasn't quite sure my questionable heart-genes would hold up, Reggie Johnson tips in a Shane Larkin miss with .8 seconds left to take down #19 North Carolina State (16-6, 5-4 ACC) in Raleigh. I probably just wrote a sentence that least encapsulates the craziness of this basketball game. 

If I were to tell you that the Hurricanes shot 3-21 from three, allowed some little sad hobbit to drive all day against Durand Scott, and got destroyed in the paint by CJ Leslie and Richard Howell, who would you guess won the game? Well, you're wrong. 

After getting outmatched in nearly ever single facet of the game in the first half, Miami turned it on in the second behind the brilliant post play of Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble and the fearless action at the rim by Durand Scott, who also almost lost us the game by missing SO MANY FREE THROWS within the final 1 1/2 minutes. Miami's defense also, uncharacteristically, played fairly poor, being out-manned in the paint and on the drive. Once Coach Larranaga made the coaching move of the game by switching Rion Brown onto NC State's resident Baggins Tyler Lewis, who was driving incessantly on Durand Scott, the D finally locked down a bit, however. And when Reggie and Julian did that thing where they say "screw you" and then proceed to eat the entire city of Raleigh's first borns, the game was put in place for a chance to win it.

And win it the Cardiac Canes did. After a fairly poor shot selection by Baggins Lewis, Larranaga set up a timeout apparently for laughs as Larkin was just going to iso it anyway. After a tough shot rimmed out, Big Reg tipped the ball in over two Wolfpack defenders, and once NC State's general Mark Gottfried decided not to call a timeout and Rodney Purvis rimmed-out a last-second heave, the #14 Canes improved to 8-0 in the ACC and 17-3 on the year. IT'S A BASKETBALL SCHOOL NARRATIVE.

So, Miami is proving that it can not only win on the road but also win close games. They overcame an off-night (to say the very least) in their two largest strengths, defense and outside shooting, to beat a ranked conference opponent at the near-buzzer. Julian Gamble smiled a lot. This is a veteran, focused, and determined team that looks poised to make a pretty good run this March. Canes fans should also be aware that this team can improve, most notably in their defensive consistency, shot selection, and the gradual return to dominance of Reggie Johnson. Oh, it's so great you're back big dawg. 

Miami next plays Boston College Tuesday at 7pm at the Bank United Center. NC State next will be icing their collective anuses. Swag on, Canes Fam.