Pressure Doesn’t Get to Miami This Time

In another time, the Miami Hurricanes would have folded. But this time, even the pressure of playing in the Carrier Dome didn’t bother them in a 76-63 victory over Syracuse on Monday night.

After trailing for most of the game, the No. 18-ranked Orangemen, 16-8 overall and 7-7 in the Big East, gained the lead midway through the second half. Consecutive three-point baskets by Allen Griffin and Jason Hart and a dunk by Etan Thomas sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

Having lost its six previous games in the dome, No. 16 Miami (16-5, 10-3) looked as if it would fail again. But Tim James, Mario Bland and Vernon Jennings keyed a 15-point run that put Syracuse away.

It was the third consecutive home loss for Syracuse.

“We have not played well [at home],” Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim said. “We’ve played our best basketball on the road. I don’t have an answer for that, but obviously it’s a concern.”

Hart, scoreless in Syracuse’s loss to Villanova on Saturday, had 17 points.

No. 20 College of Charleston 85, Virginia Military Institute 79--Jody Lumpkin had 25 points in a Southern Conference game at Charleston, S.C., as the Cougars extended their winning streak to 19.

Charleston (22-2, 13-0) held VMI (10-13, 7-6) to 28% shooting and one field goal in the final 7:50.

No. 25 New Mexico 85, San Diego State 60--Kevin Henry scored 14 of his 23 points in a 27-5 run to close the first half and the Lobos (18-6, 5-4 Western Athletic Conference) sent the Aztecs (2-19, 0-9) to their ninth straight loss at San Diego.

WOMEN

Erin Stovall scored 19 points as No. 18 Virginia (16-6, 9-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) beat Maryland (5-17, 2-10) for the 16th consecutive time, 69-55, at College Park, Md.