Jim Larranaga praises Nijel Pack for 'sensational' performance in win vs. Houston

Nijel Pack could have scored a bucket anywhere on the court in Friday’s win over Houston in the Sweet 16.

The Miami star scored 26 points behind seven-made three-pointers (7-10) en route to upsetting the 1-seeded Cougars. Some of those trey’s would have been good from NBA-range, and his shot-making ability was the difference in the Hurricanes’ eventual 89-75 win over Houston.

He effectively put the game away after Houston cut it to a two-point margin in the second half, burying three-straight deep balls to extend the lead.

“He was ridiculous,” Miami head coach Jim Larranaga said postgame. “I don’t know how far those shots are. People say to me, what do you say when he misses one of those long shots? What I say is keep shooting. The guy is a great shooter. These guys are great offensive players.”

Pack wasn’t just aggressive with his shot selection, his defense was just as strong — though it worked to his detriment. He finished with four fouls and had to be selective in his defensive process down the stretch.

Larranaga, who sat Pack for just six minutes all night, was worried for the entire second half that he would be without his best scorer in the game’s most important moments.

“I was very concerned about Nijel getting in foul trouble. I took him out very early in the second half because they were just attacking the rim, and I didn’t want him picking up a second or third foul,” Larranaga said. “Then eventually he ended up with four, but he was able to stay in the game. He had a sensational game.”

Led by Pack, the win earns Miami its second Elite Eight appearance in as many seasons after failing to make one ever in school history. Last year they were erased from the NCAA Tournament thanks to a 26-point loss to eventual the national champion Kansas Jayhawks.

Miami will hope to hang around just a bit longer this time, as the ‘Canes are just one win away from making program history by earning their first Final Four berth ever.

Texas stands in the ‘Canes path, however, and the Longhorns are playing some of their best basketball of the season. The injury to star forward Dylan Disu has drawn concerns regarding Texas’ chances of winning the title, but is listed as day-to-day heading into Sunday’s macthup, according to Longhorns interim head coach Rodney Terry.

Whether Disu can go or not, tip-off between Miami and Texas is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon live on CBS. The Longhorns have opened as a four-point favorite entering Saturday.