UM women beat Georgia Tech 69-56 on Senior Night, Mompremier gets 22nd double-double
Emese Hof is known for her perpetual smile. Thursday night, she was smiling even more than usual.
Hof was one of two Hurricanes honored on Senior Night as the 15th-ranked University of Miami defeated Georgia Tech 69-56 in its home season finale. Forward Khaila Prather was the other senior celebrated in a pre-game ceremony.
Hof was surprised by her sister, Roos, who flew in from the Netherlands, where she plays professional basketball. Prather was joined by her parents, Craig and Susan, and her older brother, Craig, Jr. Prather’s father is a captain in the U.S. Navy and played basketball at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was a teammate of NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson.
Both seniors are highly respected for their character. Hof is one of two three-time All-ACC Academic team honorees in program history. Prather, a member of UM’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, remained a spirited team leader while injuries forced her to miss 50 games over three seasons.
“It’s been an honor and pleasure,” UM coach Katie Meier said of her seniors. “You can coach 50 years and not have journey I’ve had with these two.”
Meier said she shed tears writing cards to Hof and Prather Thursday morning. “I walked out of my office, and (director of basketball operations) Margie Gill said, `Did you spill water on your sweatshirt?’ I was soaked. They mean the world to me. It’s very emotional. With all they went through (injuries). I love them to death.”
The win over the Yellow Jackets was important as the Canes try to keep their momentum heading into March. Their last regular-season game is Sunday at 10th-ranked North Carolina State. UM (24-6, 12-3 ACC) is expected to have a top-four seeding in the ACC Tournament the following week. The 24 wins ties for fifth-most in program history.
Asked what she expects from NC State, Meier said: ““It’s March. This is what we’ve been working for. Throw it in the March bucket.”
UM center Beatrice Mompremier reached her 1,000th career point and her 22nd double-double of the season before halftime Thursday. She had 14 points and 13 rebounds in the first half and finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Mykea Gray was 7-of-9 for 18 points. Laura Cornelius had eight assists.
Georgia Tech was without its head coach, MaChelle Joseph, and two starters, Francesca Pan and Kierra Fletcher.
Joseph was placed on leave by the university on Wednesday for “a pending personnel matter.” Joseph retained an attorney, who said in a statement that Joseph is being punished for raising gender equity issues in the athletic department. Joseph, in her 16th year at Tech, is the most successful coach in program history.
Pan and Fletcher did not make the trip due to “personal reasons,” according to a Tech spokesperson.
“Credit to Georgia Tech, they’re going through some stuff and we’re all colleagues, in same conference, all root for each other and hopefully that gets resolved,” Meier said. “They played brilliantly, were faithful and didn’t give up.”
This story was originally published February 28, 2019 at 9:40 PM.