Miami Upsets No. 11 North Carolina in Defensive Slugfest

Jai Lucas earns signature win in first season as Hurricanes head coach

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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In a defensive battle, the Miami Hurricanes defeated the 11th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels 75-66 on Tuesday night. Led by a dominant performance from center Ernest Udeh Jr., who scored a season-high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Miami stifled UNC's offense, holding them to just 26.5% shooting in the second half. The win gives first-year head coach Jai Lucas his first top-25 victory and boosts Miami's postseason hopes.

Why it matters

This win is a major statement for the Hurricanes, who are looking to secure an NCAA Tournament bid in Lucas' first season. Beating a top-15 team like North Carolina on their home court will bolster Miami's resume and give them valuable momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

The details

Miami came out firing on all cylinders, making 11 of their first 14 shots to build an early lead. However, UNC kept the game close in the first half by knocking down 7 three-pointers. In the second half, the Hurricanes' defense clamped down, holding the Tar Heels to just 26.5% shooting and 7.1% from deep. Udeh was a force in the paint, throwing down multiple alley-oop dunks that energized the crowd. Freshman Caleb Wilson, UNC's leading scorer, was held in check, attempting just 3 shots in the first half.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Miami and North Carolina will face off again on Saturday, February 15, 2026 in Raleigh.

The players

Ernest Udeh Jr.

Miami's starting center, who scored a season-high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to anchor the Hurricanes' stifling defense.

Jai Lucas

In his first season as Miami's head coach, Lucas earned his first signature win against a top-25 opponent.

Caleb Wilson

North Carolina's leading scorer, who was held to just 12 points on 3 shot attempts in the first half.

Henri Veesaar

North Carolina's center, who led the Tar Heels with 13 points in the losing effort.

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What they’re saying

“Ernest is one of the people I'm probably on the most, and he'll probably tell you that, and the team would tell you that. His growth since he's been here has been amazing, so there's not enough I can say about Ernest.”

— Jai Lucas, Miami Head Coach (on3.com)

“Just give him as many looks as possible. We trapped him. We went zone on his catches. We just did a bunch of different things to kind of compete, and then we wanted to put him in a bunch of actions on the other end, just to kind of wear him out and tire him out.”

— Jai Lucas, Miami Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

Miami will face NC State, ranked No. 28 in the latest AP Poll, on Saturday, February 15, 2026 in Raleigh. The Hurricanes will then take on Virginia Tech and No. 15 Virginia in their next three games, continuing a tough stretch of their schedule.

The takeaway

This win over a top-15 opponent is a major boost for Miami's NCAA Tournament hopes in Jai Lucas' first season as head coach. The Hurricanes' stifling defense and balanced scoring attack proved they can compete with the best teams in the ACC, setting them up for a strong finish to the regular season.