Cleveland scores 32, Johnson has game-winning dunk as UM ends season on a high note
Brandon Johnson grabbed a rebound and slammed down the game-winning dunk with one second remaining on Saturday afternoon, pushing the Miami Hurricanes ahead 72-70 over N.C. State and ending his college career and an arduous UM season with an exclamation point.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Hurricanes bench erupted, as did the small but delighted Watsco Center crowd. Seniors Johnson and Matthew Cleveland, who matched a career high with 32 points, celebrated with their teammates as their families cheered from the stands on Senior Day.
With that dunk and the smiles and hugs that followed, one could almost feel the weight of the season lifted from the shoulders of the UM players, interim coach Bill Courtney and his staff.
Over the past few months, they endured the unexpected retirement of legendary coach Jim Larranaga, numerous injuries, losing streaks, and in the past two weeks the distractions surrounding the hiring of new coach Jai Lucas, the Duke associate head coach, who was named UM coach on Thursday and takes over the program on Sunday.
Although the Hurricanes ended the season in last place in the ACC with a 3-17 conference record and 7-24 record overall, on this afternoon there was reason to celebrate.
“I’m very proud of this group to end the season that way, with all the adversity we faced, with them facing basically an impossible situation since Christmas, to band together for one last opportunity to be a team, to be a family and overcome obstacles…I couldn’t be more proud,” said Courtney, who confessed that he resorted to watching The Bachelor to get his mind off the lowest points of the season.
“What we’ve been through and then throw in the chaos of the couple weeks before, everything circling around, trying to keep them focused on the game is almost impossible. The last two days of practice, I don’t know what they’ve been like for these guys. So, for them to stay locked in and play extremely hard was a testament to their character.”
The Hurricanes, who were missing injured Lynn Kidd and Paul Djobet, trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half but never gave up.
They chipped away at the Wolfpack’s lead, got big plays from freshmen Jalil Bethea, Austin Swartz and Divine Ugochukwu and pulled off the win. Bethea finished with 10 points. Swartz had eight points, six rebounds and three assists. Ugochukwu added six points, six assists and three rebounds.
Courtney was impressed with the focus of the freshmen, who managed to block out the Lucas hiring for at least a few hours.
“We’ve got a game on Saturday, and they’ve got to meet with Jai [Sunday],” Courtney said, chuckling. “If you’re a freshman, you’re Divine Ugochukwu, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about the game against N.C. State or meeting with the new coach on Sunday? It’s difficult, especially for 18 and 19-year-olds to compartmentalize and play the game.”
The coach also praised the seniors, who “went out with a bang” and will carry memories of Senior Day for a lifetime.
“No matter what happens, no matter much you get paid playing basketball, this memory will stay with them forever, so for it to end like it did, it’s very, very sweet.”
Cleveland agreed.
“You can always find something to be blessed about and grateful for,” Cleveland said. “We had nothing to play for, they had nothing to play for, this wasn’t the season we wanted but it ended on a positive note, and that was a great feeling.”
Saturday’s game was proof that the college basketball landscape has changed drastically in the past few years due to the transfer portal and NIL contracts. Both the Wolfpack, which went to the Final Four last year, and the Hurricanes, who reached the Final Four in 2023, finished bottom three in the ACC and did not qualify for the conference tournament.
“That team we beat is not going to the ACC Tournament and they were in the Final Four last year,” Courtney said. “Two years ago, we were in the Final Four. You’re going to see big swings because you’re building a roster every single year.”
He had well wishes for Lucas.
“In all my interactions with him, he’s a great guy,” Courtney said. “He’s a really, really quality human being, so I wish him nothing but the best. There’s pitfalls all over the place in college basketball now. I hope he’ll be able to attack some of those things right away and have success.”
He added that Larranaga’s legacy at UM should be “celebrated more”, considering he took the program from mediocrity under Frank Haith to four Sweet 16s, ACC titles, back-to-back Elite Eights, and the Final Four.
“That’s my guy, I love him to death, love his family, his wife, I want to see him appreciated and celebrated. I want to start a movement to get a statue of him outside the arena or at least the court named after him because he set a legacy here at UM that will be very, very hard to match. And, I hope Jai exceeds it.”
As for his future, Courtney smiled and said: “No idea. I imagine I’ll be coaching somewhere next year, trying to win, trying to teach lessons and help guys become men. As much money as they’re making, they’re still kids trying to be led.”
This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 4:25 PM.