Article by NTVScout: Matias Deya

UMiami vs. Elon 

Final Score: Miami 99 – Elon 72
Date: November 20, 2025

UMiami handled business against Elon, 99–72, in a game that turned into an offensive showcase for both teams early before Miami’s pressure, discipline, and superior talent completely took over after halftime. Miami didn’t even have their starting center, but it didn’t really matter. They kept the full-court press on and off all night and switched everything in the half court, which immediately bothered Elon’s guards. Elon, on the other hand, spent the entire game confused on the defensive end, opening in man-to-man for one possession, then suddenly switching to a 3–2 zone, then drifting back into man mid-possession like they forgot what they were running. That lack of structure gifted Miami open threes, driving lanes, skip passes, basically everything.

To Elon’s credit, they came out making tough shots. Chandler Cuthrell looked dominant for the first couple minutes, scoring seven quick points and matching Miami physically better than expected. Both teams went small early, Reneau at the five for Miami, Cuthrell at the five for Elon, and it created a fast, up-tempo game. Miami shot 50% from the field in the first half, Elon shot 60%. It wasn’t great defense, it was just shot making and quick offense on both ends.

But the difference was the pressure. Miami forced nine turnovers before halftime and turned those into 13 points. They had seven steals by the break, compared to Elon’s one. That’s where the gap really started to form. Even with Elon hitting shots, Miami’s defense caused enough chaos to create separation. Miami led 47–41 at the half because they were simply the more active and physical group.

The second half is when the game blew open. Miami hit Elon with an 11–3 run in the first two minutes, and Elon immediately called timeout down 58–44. Nothing changed. Elon got completely lost defensively the entire second half. Their zone left massive gaps in the paint, and every rotation looked late or confused. Their offense was fine,  they made shots all night, but you can’t win games giving up open three after open three and straight-line drives every other possession. Miami pulled away effortlessly and never looked back.

Shelton Henderson had the best offensive half of his young college career. He finished with 16 points on 7–11 shooting, but all the real damage was done in the first half. In his first minutes, he looked like the version of himself I’ve pointed out as a weakness, missed two easy finishes at the rim, looked unsure of himself on drives. But once he settled in, he flipped the switch. He started finishing through contact, hit shots from the paint and from three, and physically he looked like a man among boys. What matters most for Henderson is mindset. He needs to stay aggressive, teams can’t handle his strength downhill. And defensively, he was easily Miami’s best perimeter defender tonight. He wasn’t getting scored on. His trajectory is clearly trending upward, and performances like this speed it up.

Malik Reneau continues being Miami’s most reliable interior scorer. He had 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and did most of his work inside the paint. He’s athletic, he’s in great shape, he’s physical, but he plays like an old-school big at 6’8”. That’s the concern long-term. Everything he does offensively is inside. He attempted three threes and missed all of them, and the bigger issue is his confidence. He passed up a wide-open three with two seconds left on the shot clock, then got blocked because he hesitated. That tells you exactly where his mindset is with perimeter shooting. If he ever becomes a confident and consistent outside shooter, he has an NBA shot. Right now, he’s a dominant college post player who needs one major skill unlock.

Tru Washington gave Miami 18 points on 7–9 shooting with 10 boards. He is aggressive, tough, and fearless. Listed at 6’4 but looks shorter, he relies on athleticism, quickness, and touch around the basket. He’s a very good athlete and a productive college guard, but the NBA margin is thin for guards his size. Unless he becomes an elite scorer, it’s hard to see him getting real NBA buzz. But he helps Miami win, and that matters.

Dante Allen, the Miami freshman, continues to stand out in flashes. He had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and hit 3-of-5 from deep. He’s built like a senior already, freaky athletic, and physically one of the more gifted guys on the floor. His jumper doesn’t look great mechanically, but he shoots it with confidence, and his defensive ceiling is legitimately high. Hard player to project long-term right now because the role is inconsistent, but his impact is real every time he plays.

For Elon, Cuthrell had 15 points and showed early dominance before being completely removed from the game. And Bryson Cokley was easily their most impressive player, 14 points on 6–7 shooting, confident, skilled, and playing like someone who should not be coming off the bench. Defense needs work, but he flashed real talent.

Miami was simply the deeper, faster, stronger, more organized team,and that’s why this game ended in a blowout.