Hurricanes set school shooting record, end long losing streak with win over Presbyterian
Finally, the seven-game losing slump is over. The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team shot a school-record 67.3 percent and cruised to a 94-75 home win against Presbyterian College on Sunday.
Matthew Cleveland, Brandon Johnson and Lynn Kidd combined for 66 points on 81 percent shooting and left the court celebrating with their teammates, something they had not done since Nov. 17.
Cleveland was the game’s high scorer with a career-high 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Johnson went 9-of-11 for 22 points with three five rebounds and three assists. Kidd, one of the nation’s most efficient shooters when he played for Virginia Tech, was 8-of-9 for 20 points with 11 rebounds and a career-high six assists.
The Canes outrebounded the Blue Hose 35-23 and outscored them 52-36 in the paint.
“I think the main thing was establishing the inside game with Lynn,” Cleveland said, explaining why the Canes shot so well on Sunday. “He shoots 75, 80 percent, so anytime he gets it in a good position, he’s going to make the right play, whether it’s finishing with the right hand, the left hand, or if they double, then he kicks it out.”
The coaching staff’s pregame message was “Trust Each Other”, and the players responded.
“We shared the ball and trusted in each other,” Cleveland said. “That was the quote of the day, so we showed that on the offensive end.”
Kidd and Cleveland said Sunday’s win gives the team a boost of confidence going forward. It was especially encouraging to the players that they could score 94 points and win so convincingly without leading scorer Nijel Pack, who missed the game with foot discomfort. He also sat out the Nov. 30 game vs. Charleston Southern with an undisclosed injury.
Asked for an update on Pack’s injury, UM coach Jim Larranaga replied: “You’ll have to ask him. I don’t know. He hasn’t played since the Tennessee game [Tuesday]. This is kind of déjà vu, if you ask me. Last year, Christmastime, he didn’t play in the last two games we had on Dec. 19 and 22nd or something. So, we’re right back in that spot, but a different set of circumstances.”
Larranaga said he was not sure if the injury that kept Pack out Sunday is the same one that kept him out against Charleston Southern.
Freshman Divine Ugochukwu started in place of Pack and Larranaga said that is the plan going forward over the next few games. The other four starters were Kidd, Johnson, Cleveland and AJ Staton-McCray.
Ugochukwu scored only two points in 25 minutes, but he had six rebounds and three assists.
“Divine has very good straightaway speed; he’s got great acceleration for a step or two,” Larranaga said.
Freshman Isaiah Johnson-Arigu missed the game with the flu. Freshman Austin Swartz, who had played significant minutes, did not play per coach’s decision. Larranaga said the reason was he is trying to motivate some of the young players.
Asked how he kept the team motivated during the losing streak, Larranaga said: “I kept emphasizing to them in our meetings that yesterday is history, nothing we can do about yesterday. Tomorrow is a mystery. We have no idea what’s going to happen. Today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present, so we need to stay in the present and keep working at getting better.”
The game was a homecoming for two former Miami Norland High teammates, sophomore Carl Parrish III and freshman Triston Wilson. Parrish started, played 28 minutes and scored 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Wilson had one assist and one steal in seven minutes.
UM (4-7) is back home Saturday at 2 p.m. for its final non-conference game against Mount St. Mary’s.
This story was originally published December 15, 2024 at 5:26 PM.