Omier's 18 points and last-second block helps Miami fend off Pitt 72-68
Norchad Omier scored 18 points and recorded a block with 1.8 seconds left and Miami withstood hard-charging Pittsburgh at the end to secure a key 72-68 win on Saturday.
Out of a timeout and down 70-68 with 10.3 seconds left, Pitt's Jaland Lowe fielded the ball in the backcourt off the inbound and drove left. Omier picked him up off a screen and deflected his flailing shot attempt as he tried to draw the foul against Omier who has a four-inch height advantage over the 6-foot-3 Lowe.
Kyshawn George made two foul shots for Miami (14-6, 5-4 ACC) with 1.8 seconds left for the game's final margin. The Hurricanes have won two straight following back-to-back losses.
Pitt's loss ended its two-game win streak.
George's 3-pointer with 13:20 remaining put the Hurricanes ahead 56-37. But the Panthers began their methodical return and with 4:11 left, Blake Hinson buried a 3 to reduce the Panthers' deficit to 64-55.
Carlton Carrington made a jump shot, Lowe made a 3 followed by one from Ishmael Leggett and Lowe made two foul shots and Miami led 68-65 with 1:23 left.
Wooga Poplar's jumper gave Miami a five-point lead before Lowe's 3 with 46 seconds left. Poplar missed a 3 out of Pitt's immediate timeout after Lowe's 3 to set up the final 10 seconds.
Nigel Pack and Poplar each scored 17 points for Miami and George scored 11.
Hinson led Pitt (12-8, 3-6) with 21 points, Lowe 17 and reserve Leggett 14.
Miami capitalized on Pitt's 1-for-10 shooting spell in the first half and went on an 11-1 run for a 25-14 lead with consecutive 3-pointers from Poplar with 8:48 before halftime.
Pitt hosts Wake Forest on Wednesday. Miami travels to North Carolina State on Tuesday.
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