Miami takes season opener with a 77-59 win over N. Florida

CORAL GABLES, Fla, (AP) — Isaiah Wong scored 20 points and Miami began its season with a 77-59 victory over North Florida on Sunday.

Miami moved its record to 6-0 against North Florida. Miami is 63-2 against in-state, non-Power 5 teams at home since 1985.

The Hurricanes played without highly reguarded freshman guard Earl Timberlake, who is expected to miss the first three to five weeks of the season due to a right ankle injury.

Miami jumped to an 11-0 lead before the Ospreys got back in it.

North Florida (0-3) proceeded to go for 9-for-21 shooting from 3-point range in the first half, and Josh Endicott's trey as time expired before intermission capped an 11-5 run that reduced its deficit to 42-34.

Junior Carter Hendricksen, last year's lone returning starter, began the second half with a 3 for the Ospreys, Jonathan Aybar added a layup and North Florida was within three.

But Wong responded with back-to-back layups that started a 13-5 run and the Hurricanes led by double digits for most of the rest of the way.

Harlond Beverly and Chris Lykes scored 11 points apiece for Miami, and Matt Cross and Kameron McGusty each had 10.

Hendricksen led the Ospreys with 21 points, and Aybar had 12.

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