Miami wasted no time seizing control Friday night, riding a dominant first half from Malik Reneau to a 78–65 victory over Georgetown in the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational Magic Bracket consolation game.
Reneau scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the opening half, setting the tone early as the Hurricanes (6–2) rebounded convincingly from Thursday’s 72–62 loss to No. 9 BYU. The sophomore forward was nearly flawless before halftime, hitting 6 of 10 shots, burying three 3-pointers and knocking down all four of his free throws.
His final triple of the period — a deep, contested shot in the closing seconds — punctuated a commanding 41–20 Miami lead at the break. It was the exclamation point on a game-opening 13–2 run that the Hurricanes never relinquished.
Tru Washington provided steady scoring with 17 points, while Tre Donaldson added 13 points and six assists as Miami’s offense rediscovered its rhythm. Ernest Udeh Jr. anchored the interior with a game-high 11 rebounds, helping the Hurricanes maintain control even as Georgetown mounted a more competitive second half.
The Hoyas (5–2) struggled out of the gate, shooting just 18.5% (5 of 27) before halftime. They found their touch after intermission, improving to 50% from the field, but the early deficit proved far too steep.
Freshman standout Caleb Williams kept Georgetown afloat offensively, draining five 3-pointers and matching Reneau with 23 points. Malik Mack contributed 16 points and KJ Lewis chipped in 11 as the Hoyas made a late push but never got within single digits.
With the win, Miami caps its time in the Orlando showcase on a positive note and now looks ahead to a road challenge at Ole Miss on Tuesday in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Georgetown returns home to face UMBC on Wednesday, aiming to regain its early-season momentum.
