No. 15 Miami scores first 21 points in 97-49 rout of LIU

CORAL GABLES — Norchad Omier had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Matthew Cleveland scored 15 and No. 15 Miami routed Long Island University 97-49 on Wednesday night.

The Hurricanes (7-1) were never threatened after they scored 21 straight points to start the game and led 53-18 at halftime. Omier had nine points and Wooga Poplar and Nijel Pack hit consecutive 3-pointers during Miami’s early surge.

Poplar finished with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and Pack had 13 for the Hurricanes, who scored 21 points off turnovers in the first half. Freshman reserve Kyshawn George also added 13 points.

It was the Hurricanes’ largest margin of victory since they beat Western Carolina 92-43 in November 2016.

LIU (1-7) missed its first six shots and committed seven turnovers before Tai Strickland’s 3-pointer broke the scoring drought 7:37 into the first half.

Poplar’s jumper with 6:06 remaining in the half increased the lead to 42-12.

With the loss, LIU completed the first half of a six-game road trip. The Sharks will have a 48-day gap between home games before they face UAlbany on Dec. 28 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

LIU has been outscored by an average of 21 points in its seven losses.

Strickland and Andre Washington finished with 14 points apiece for the Sharks. Strickland is the son of second-year LIU coach and former NBA guard Rod Strickland.

BIG PICTURE

Miami: For the second consecutive game, Omier played a foul-free first half. Omier, the team’s lone interior presence in the starting lineup, had been getting into foul trouble until he limited his infractions Saturday against Notre Dame.

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Miami: Will face Colorado in the NABC Brooklyn Showcase in New York on Sunday.