Matthew Cleveland put up an impressive double-double to steer the Miami Hurricanes to an 82-74 triumph over Virginia Tech on Saturday. The Hurricanes showed solid teamwork with five players scoring in double digits, according to WPTV. Norchad Omier and Kyshawn George both led the team, scoring 16 points apiece. Nijel Pack and Bensley Joseph contributed equally with 14 points each, showcasing Miami's balanced attack.
Virginia Tech held a 10-point lead near the halfway mark of the second half, but the Hurricanes were not about to just lie down. A 9-0 run beginning with a Joseph layup and culminating with a 3-pointer from him gave Miami their first lead since the early moments of the contest. According to FOX Sports, this shifted the momentum and pushed the Hurricanes to a 60-59 edge with just under seven minutes to play. Miami's aggressive defense sparked a series of turnovers from Virginia Tech, shifting the game dramatically in their favor.
The Hokies attempted merely three shots in a 4 and a half minute span because of Miami's stifling defense, as they pressured Virginia Tech into mistakes. Cleveland's dunk was the exclamation point on another 9-0 Miami sprint that sealed the deal for the Hurricanes. When the final minute approached, Virginia Tech resorted to a fouling strategy that backfired, with Miami nailing 7 of 8 free throws to extend their lead. Overall, the Hurricanes were nearly flawless from the charity stripe, hitting 27 of 29 free throws.
Not one to go down without a fight, Sean Pedulla led the Hokies with 21 points and Hunter Cattoor followed closely with 19. "The Hokies outshot the Hurricanes 46.7% to 34.6% in the first half and had advantages of 11-2 in points after turnovers, 11-0 in bench points, and 18-4 in points in the paint," a piece of stat from the FOX Sports report demonstrated the initial struggle for Miami. However, it was the Hurricanes who would close out victoriously, leaving Virginia Tech to reflect on 14 missed free throws and a series of costly turnovers.
Looking ahead, Miami is set to continue their campaign on the road against Virginia on Monday, while Virginia Tech gears up to face off with Notre Dame come February 10. Both teams will be eager to build on and learn from their performances in this Atlantic Coast Conference showdown.
