5-seed Miami rallies past 2-seed Texas into first Final Four

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong rallied Miami from a 13-point second-half deficit, Norchad Omier made two big free throws and an even more important steal down the stretch, and the fifth-seeded Hurricanes stunned No. 2 seed Texas 88-81 on Sunday to reach the Final Four for the first time in school history.

Miller finished with 27 points, going 7-of-7 from the field and 13-of-13 from the foul line, while Wong scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to beat the Longhorns, who had been the top remaining seed in a topsy-turvy NCAA tournament.

Now, after falling short in the Elite Eight a year ago, the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (29-7) are headed to NRG Stadium in Houston for a date with No. 4 seed UConn on Saturday night. UConn opened as a 5-point favorite over Miami at Caesars Sportsbook.

Two more first-time Final Four participants, fifth-seeded San Diego State and No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic, will play in the other national semifinal.

It's the first time since seeding began in 1979 that no team seeded better than No. 4 made the Final Four, so perhaps it is fitting that Miami coach Jim Larrañaga is involved. He took George Mason there as an 11-seed in 2006.

Miami became the fourth team since 1979 to defeat a 1-seed, 2-seed and 4-seed en route to the Final Four. The others were fifth-seeded Auburn in 2019, eighth-seeded Kentucky in 2014 and eighth-seeded Butler in 2011.

Miami advanced to its first Final Four in school history, with Jim Larrañaga becoming the 15th coach to take two different schools to the Final Four (he also took George Mason in 2006). Larrañaga is also the fourth coach to reach multiple Final Fours as a 5-seed or lower.

«No one wanted to go home,» said Miller, coincidentally a George