No. 3 Miami fends off upset bid by Clemson

Miami’s Trey McKinney-Jones (4) blocks a shot by Clemson’s Jordan Roper in the final minute of the third-ranked Hurricanes’ 45-43 victory in an Atlantic Coast Conference game Sunday at Clemson, S.C.

CLEMSON, S.C. — Kenny Kadji scored 12 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to keep No. 3 Miami perfect in Atlantic Coast Conference play after a 45-43 victory over Clemson on Sunday.

The Hurricanes (21-3, 12-0) finished with their fewest points of the season, and their high-scoring guard duo of Durand Scott and Shane Larkin went a combined 3-of-16 shooting for 10 points. Still, Miami won it on Kadji’s wide-open 3.

Clemson (13-12, 5-8) had three chances to answer back, but Rod Hall was called for an offensive foul on one trip and, after Trey McKinney-Jones made a free throw, Hall missed a layup and K.J. McDaniels failed on a tip.

The Hurricanes hugged when the horn sounded, grateful to escape on the road and continue the league’s longest unbeaten start since Duke went 16-0 in 1998-99. They’ll likely supplant the Blue Devils, who lost Saturday 83-81 at Maryland, as the country’s No. 2 team today when the new rankings come.

Freshman Jordan Roper had a career-high 19 points for the Tigers. Devin Booker added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

It was the second straight home heartbreaker for the Tigers, who were beaten 58-57 by North Carolina State on Scott Wood’s 3-pointer at the end.

Miami has won 13 straight, few as dramatic as this one. The Hurricanes struggled to shoot throughout and had to rally after trailing 42-38 on Roper’s layup with two minutes remaining.