Miami earns No. 1 seed in ACC, shares title with Virginia

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami coach Jim Larrañaga climbed the ladder, grabbed the final strand of web, ripped it off the rim and waved it within the air.

It took all 20 league video games, happening to the ultimate second, however his Hurricanes can name themselves Atlantic Coast Conference champions.

Wooga Poplar made a career-best six 3-pointers for 18 factors, and Sixteenth-ranked Miami captured the No. 1 seed for the ACC Tournament with a 78-76 win over No. 25 Pittsburgh on Saturday evening.

“This was a nice celebration, it feels great — but we’re far from done,” Miami guard Jordan Miller mentioned. “We have a lot bigger things planned ahead, and this was just a token for our hard work so far.”

Miami (24-6, 15-5 ACC) shares the regular-season title with Virginia, which clinched its half of the crown with a 75-60 win over Louisville earlier Saturday.

“We won the marathon,” Larrañaga mentioned in the course of the on-court social gathering, the online sitting throughout his shoulders. “The ACC, it’s a marathon. And we won it.”

The Cavaliers additionally reduce down the nets in Charlottesville after their recreation — however they will be the No. 2 seed for the convention event, behind a Hurricanes group that was picked fourth within the league’s preseason ballot and beat Virginia within the groups’ solely assembly.

This would be the sixth time the Cavaliers have completed with not less than a share of the ACC title in 14 seasons underneath Tony Bennett.

After dropping consecutive video games at Boston College and North Carolina, the Cavaliers closed the common season with dwelling wins in opposition to Clemson and the Cardinals.

“I think the last two games were a step in the right direction,” Bennett mentioned.

This is Miami’s first No. 1 seed for the ACC Tournament since 2013.

“The ACC Tournament has to be our next goal,” Larrañaga mentioned. “We’ve got to get focused for that.”