CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Matthew Cleveland was a standout for the Miami Hurricanes, scoring 21 points, while Lynn Kidd contributed 15 points on an impressive 7-of-9 shooting performance, leading the team to a 63-57 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday night. This win not only snapped a 10-game losing streak for Miami but also marked the end of a lengthy 20-game losing streak against Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponents, which included an earlier loss of 81-65 to Boston College in the first round of the 2024 ACC Tournament. Miami’s record now stands at 5-17 overall and 1-10 in the ACC, and this victory represents their first win against a conference rival in nearly a year, dating back to a win over Virginia Tech on February 3, 2024, with a score of 82-74.
Interim head coach Bill Courtney, who stepped in after Jim Larranaga’s resignation on December 26, celebrated his inaugural victory with the Hurricanes. Cleveland’s crucial contested jumper at the baseline put Miami ahead 55-53 with just over six minutes left in the game, marking their first lead since the early part of the match when the score was 8-7. Although Tae Davis of Notre Dame scored with a dunk to tie the game at 59 with 3:40 remaining, Kidd responded quickly by converting one free throw, allowing Miami to maintain the lead for the remainder of the contest.
In a challenging closing stretch for the Fighting Irish, they struggled offensively, failing to convert any of their three field goal attempts and missing three free throws while also committing two turnovers during the final three minutes of play. For Notre Dame, Markus Burton was the top scorer with 17 points, followed by Braeden Shrewsberry who had 14 points and Tae Davis with 11 points. Miami’s Brandon Johnson also had a commendable performance, scoring 13 points and securing eight rebounds. Additionally, the Hurricanes demonstrated discipline with their ball-handling, tying their season low with only six turnovers throughout the game.
Looking ahead, Notre Dame is set to compete against Florida State on Tuesday, while the Miami Hurricanes will take a break until next Saturday when they face off against Louisville.
