Canes Basketball Bounce Back, End 7-game Tailspin In Strong 94-75 Victory vs PC

Coral Gables, FL – It was a great day to be a Miami Hurricane. After a tough 7-game skid following their strong 3-0 start at home, Canes Men’s Basketball was determined to bounce back and reclaim a spot in the win column.

Their performance Sunday afternoon at the Watsco Center featured a team hungry for success on the court. The Hurricanes showed just that, eventually cruising to a 94-75 victory over Presbyterian College, where they set a school record, shooting 67.3% (35-of-52 shots). 

Three Canes led the way

Most of their points came from three players. Matthew Cleveland led the game in scoring by setting a career-high 24 points, on 9-of-12 shooting. Brandon Johnson finished the game with 22 points, having made 9-of-11 shots. Lynn Kidd had himself a double-double on the court. Kidd converted 8-of-9 shots for 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and even had a career-high in assists with 6.

Lynn Kidd is going off today! pic.twitter.com/QG47YcQf3o

— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) December 15, 2024

Although the final score may indicate a blowout victory, the game was closer than you’d think for the first seven minutes. Miami and Presbyterian traded lead changes in the early going. The Canes started with a 4-0 lead, but the Blue Hose came roaring back, scoring 7 straight points to make it 7-4. Miami responded by scoring 5 points in a row, but then Presbyterian answered back by dropping a 3-pointer to take a 10-9 lead with 14:26 on the clock. 

However, a 6-0 Miami run, thanks to a Johnson 3-pointer along with an and-one layup from Kidd, changed the momentum of the game for good. 

Off the bench

Jalen Blackmon came off the bench and scored back-to-back 3-pointers in the 1st half, extending Miami’s lead to 26-15 with 9:29 left of play. Blackmon played a key role in Miami’s 7-for-14 shooting (50%) from downtown, by going 3-for-4 himself in his 24 minutes of action. 

Jalen Blackmon with the 3 pic.twitter.com/TqaTixTxi3

— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) December 15, 2024

The Hurricanes truly dominated the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half, having a lead as high as 24 points, after a pair of Jalil Bethea free throws made the score 76-52 with 10:38 left in the game. At some points in the 2nd half, the Blue Hose showed some signs of life again, but they never cut the Miami lead below 16. 

The 4-7 Hurricanes will look to keep the momentum going on Saturday, December 21st, as they take on the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers at the Watsco Center.