Lynn Kidd (24 points), Miami open season by crushing FDU

Mar 12, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Miami (Fl) Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga reacts after a foul call in their game against the Boston College Eagles in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Lynn Kidd, making his Hurricanes debut, scored an efficient 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds, leading host Miami to a 113-72 win over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on Monday night in Coral Gables, Fla.

The 113 points were the most scored by Miami since 1989.

Miami' Nijel Pack added 21 points and a game-high five assists in both teams' season opener.

Kidd, a Virginia Tech transfer, made 10-of-11 shots from the floor and 4-of-4 on free throws.

Because of the lopsided score, Kidd played just 25 minutes and came up just short of his career scoring high (31).

Kidd was one of four transfers to contribute to Miami's win. The others were former Stetson guard Jalen Blackmon (15 points), former East Carolina forward Brandon Johnson (seven points, nine rebounds) and former Samford guard A.J. Staton-McCray (seven points).

Miami also had two highly rated freshmen make their debuts as Divine Ugochukwu scored 15 points and Jalil Bethea added nine.

The Knights had three players in double figures: Terrence Brown (18 points), Dylan Jones (15) and Jo'el Emanuel (13).

Cam Tweedy, who missed last season due to a knee injury, scored two points for the Knights. In 2023, he had 13 points and nine rebounds as the Knights upset top-seeded Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

In the first half, Kidd didn't miss a shot as Miami went into intermission with a 56-35 lead. Kidd scored 18 points, shooting 7-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the foul line.

The Hurricanes attacked the rim in the first half, which allowed them to shoot 70.6 percent from the floor. They shot just five 3-pointers, making two.

Jones led the Knights with 12 first-half points. All of his points came from deep as he made 4-of-6 3-point attempts.

While the Knights had trouble on the defensive end in the first half, they had their moments on offense, shooting 50 percent from the floor and 6-for-13 on 3-pointers (46 percent).

The second half was never in doubt as Miami cruised.

For the game, Miami shot 66.7 percent from the floor and 41 percent on 3-pointers (7-for-17). Miami had a 37-22 advantage on rebounds and an 11-2 edge on steals.