Nijel Pack scores 16 in Miami debut, helps lead Hurricanes past Lafayette in season opener

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Nijel Pack scored 16 points in his Miami debut and the Hurricanes pulled away from Lafayette in the second half on their way to a 67-54 season-opening win on Monday night.

Isaiah Wong also scored 16 points while Arkansas State transfer Norchad Omier posted a double-double in his Miami debut with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Jordan Miller addressed the home crowd before the game as one of the key pieces on last year’s first ever Elite Eight team as a banner was unveiled in the rafters. Miller chipped in nine points and seven rebounds.

Pack, a transfer from Kansas State who was a Big 12 First Team pick last year, hit 4 of 10 from 3-point range and added five rebounds.

Wong, a preseason All-ACC pick, shot 5 of 13 from the floor, 3 of 9 from 3. He also added five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block.

Miami (1-0) trailed 30-28 at halftime, making 10 of 34 shots (29.4 percent) from the floor.

Omier scored the first four points after the break, Wong had a dunk and a 3 and Wooga Poplar knocked down a free throw to cap a 10-0 run to begin the second half.

The Leopards (0-1) battled back to tie the game at 43 before the Hurricanes responded with a 9-0 run starting with a jumper by Bensley Joseph and ending with Wong hitting three free throws to put the Hurricanes up 52-43 with less than seven minutes remaining and held on the rest of the way.

The Hurricanes finished the game shooting 36.2 percent (21 of 58) from the floor, 29.4 percent (10 of 34) from 3 and made 15 of 25 (60 percent) of their free-throw attempts.

Lafayette shot 36.5 percent (19 of 52) from the field. CJ Fulton led all scorers with 17 points.

NEXT UP

The Hurricanes host UNC Greensboro on Friday (7:00 p.m., ACCNX).

Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and on Twitter @InsideTheU.