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. 

About Post Author

Ricardo Urrusuno

He’s a diehard 305 native who roots for his hometown teams in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recently, he graduated from FIU with an MBA, but now he’s a Lemonhead covering UM basketball. Known to be anywhere and everywhere, you may catch him at a Miami sporting event.

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