Horton, Toney help Pitt beat short-handed Miami 70-55

Dec 17, 2020, 12:58 pm

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- — Au'Diese Toney and Ithiel Horton combined to score 29 of their 33 points in the second half as Pittsburgh pulled away for a 70-55 win over short-handed Miami on Wednesday night.

Horton, a sophomore transfer who averaged 13.2 points and shot 41% from 3-point range at Delaware, had a season-high 18 points — all in the second half — and Toney finished with 15 points. Justin Champagnie had 10 points and nine rebounds for Pitt (5-1, 1-0 ACC).

Harlond Beverly, in a 70-second span, sandwiched a 3-pointer and a layup around a 3 by Isaiah Wong to give Miami a 35-34 lead, its first lead since the game's opening minutes, with 15:45 to play. Horton answered with a 3-pointer to spark a 19-2 run that gave the Panthers a 16-point lead midway through the second half.

Isaiah Wong scored 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range for the Hurricanes (3-2, 0-1). Anthony Walker had 12 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and two blocks. It was the 6-foot-9 sophomore's first career double-double.

Miami went into the game with only seven healthy scholarship players and Matt Cross left the game with about 12 minutes left and did not return. Elijah Olaniyi, a senior transfer from Stony Brook, was granted eligibility about an hour before tipoff. The 6-5 guard had seven points, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes but was 2-of-12 shooting, missing all seven 3-point shots.

The Hurricanes, who went into the game plus-10.2 (No. 36 nationally) in rebound margin, were outrebounded 43-29, shot a season-low 32.7% (17 of 52) from the field and made just 16 of 31 from the free-throw line.

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