Miami defeats Boston College 76-54 after decisive first-half surge in February 28 ACC game

Hurricanes turn an early deficit into a comfortable home win

MIAMI GARDENS/CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami men’s basketball used a dominant first-half stretch to defeat Boston College 76-54 on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at the Watsco Center, strengthening its position near the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.

Boston College opened with the sharper start, building a 13-6 lead in the first half. Miami responded by taking control for the remainder of the period, closing the half on a 30-6 run over the final 15 minutes to carry a 36-19 advantage into intermission. The swing was driven by extended defensive pressure and a prolonged Boston College shooting drought in which the Eagles missed 12 of 13 field-goal attempts during one stretch.

Key runs separated the teams after halftime

Any chance of a Boston College rally was limited by a second decisive burst after the break. Miami delivered a 13-2 run near the midpoint of the second half, expanding the margin to 55-31 and effectively removing late-game suspense. Miami’s lead later reached 27 points as the rotation continued to produce.

Donaldson leads balanced scoring; Udeh anchors the interior

Guard Tre Donaldson led Miami with 15 points, while Tru Washington added 14. Center Ernest Udeh Jr. posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, providing consistent control on the glass and around the rim.

Miami also received a significant lift from the bench. Reserve guard Noam Dovrat scored a season-high 12 points, knocking down four of five attempts from three-point range to extend the lead during the second half.

Kapke scores 18 in loss as Boston College offense stalls

Boden Kapke paced Boston College with 18 points. Fred Payne and Jayden Hastings each scored 11 for the Eagles, who struggled to sustain efficiency after their early lead. Boston College finished with 19 points in the first half and 35 after halftime, but the damage from the prolonged first-half drought and Miami’s second-half surge proved too large to overcome.

Standings implications and what’s next

With the victory, Miami improved to 23-6 overall and 12-4 in ACC play, remaining in third place with two regular-season games left. In the ACC format, the top four teams earn byes into the conference tournament quarterfinals, scheduled for March 10–14 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

• Miami’s next two games: at SMU (Wednesday) and home vs. Louisville (Saturday).
• Boston College’s next two games: at Virginia (Tuesday) and home vs. Notre Dame (Saturday).

Final score: Miami 76, Boston College 54 (Halftime: Miami 36, Boston College 19).