FINAL: Miami Falls to Mount St. Mary’s 78-74 in Overtime

Trinton Breeze
2 min read
The University of Miami men’s basketball team fell in overtime, 78-74, to the Mount St.Mary’s Mountaineers (8-4, 1-1 MAAC) Saturday afternoonat the Watsco Center.

Senior Matthew Cleveland led the Hurricanes in scoring with 19 points for his fifth double-figure scoring game of the season. Graduate student Lynn Kidd paced Miami on the glass, totaling 13 rebounds for his third consecutive game with double-digit boards.

Freshman Jalil Bethea and senior Jalen Blackmon also scored in double-figures in the game, tallying 17 and 16 points, respectively. Bethea’s 17 points are a new career-high for the freshman.

After setting a new program record in field goal percentage last time out, the Hurricanes got off to a slow start on offense, going just 1-for-6 in the opening five minutes of the game.

However, the Hurricanes regrouped at the second media timeout and connected on seven of their next eight shots to take a 28-18 lead at the 7:19 mark of the first half. Miami finished the first half shooting 45.7 percent from the field to lead 38-28 lead at the halftime break.

On defense, the Hurricanes forced 12 Mountaineers turnovers in the first half alone, totaling 19 points off turnovers.

Mount St. Mary’s outscored Miami 17-11 in the first 10 minutes of the second half to cut the Hurricanes’ lead to four, 49-45, with 10:39 to play.

Blackmon halted the Mountaineers run with a 3-pointer at the 7:09 mark, but Mount St. Mary’s continued to fight and a converted and-one by Terrell Ard Jr., tied the game at 64 with 3:08 left in the game.

The Mountaineers retook the lead 66-64 shortly thereafter, but Bethea responded with a driving layup to tie the game at 66 with one minute to play. Neither team could score in the final minute to send the contest to overtime.

The teams traded buckets in the first two minutes of the overtime period until Mount St. Mary’s knocked down a trio of free throws to take a 74-70 lead with 51.9 seconds to go. Bethea cut the lead to two on a pair of free throws, but time ran out for the Hurricanes and Mount St. Mary’s secured the 78-74 win.

Following the break, the Hurricanes open the new year in Chestnut Hill, Mass., against Boston College. Tipoff at Conte Forum is set for 12 p.m. and the game will air on ACC Network.

 

Comments (21)

It's time to bring in whoever is the Columbus High School Basketball coach is to save this program.
Not sure if you were being faceitous or serious, but it's funny you mention him. I think Coach Moran (Columbus HS coach) would make a great assistant coach at Miami. Has ties locally and abroad. Before landing at Columbus he was flying all over the world for camps. One of the better player development guys in the country. Wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a D1 head coach snags him up in another year or two.
 
We've officially hit rock bottom. Can't fathom anything being lower than this, considering where this program was 2 year ago. I'm pulling that Coach L can turn this thing around, but it's not looking good. Program just seems to be in a daze. From players to coaches, no one seems to have a grip on things.
 
With NIL and transfer rules expect this all over the country.
FSU football
Miami BB
 
Not sure if you were being faceitous or serious, but it's funny you mention him. I think Coach Moran (Columbus HS coach) would make a great assistant coach at Miami. Has ties locally and abroad. Before landing at Columbus he was flying all over the world for camps. One of the better player development guys in the country. Wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a D1 head coach snags him up in another year or two.
I was actually being serious. We have a lot of GREAT local talent that we let get away. By local, not just Miami, but Palm Beach, Broward, and so on.

Not our head guy, but maybe look at him. Plus, UM takes a lot of que from the alumni there. If we're being honest, it's a pretty impressive group of alumni.

Edit - We have 5 players in South Florida in the top 50 players in the country. We didn't come close with any of them.
 
I was actually being serious. We have a lot of GREAT local talent that we let get away. By local, not just Miami, but Palm Beach, Broward, and so on.

Not our head guy, but maybe look at him. Plus, UM takes a lot of que from the alumni there. If we're being honest, it's a pretty impressive group of alumni.

Edit - We have 5 players in South Florida in the top 50 players in the country. We didn't come close with any of them.
You're preaching to the choir here. I've been saying it for years that we should be doing a better job of recruiting in Florida. Since about 2010, our state has been producing McDonald's All-Americans and top 100 prospects at a high clip. This is no longer just a football state.

 
Love and appreciate everything coach L has done for the U. But it's time.
We may only win another game or 2 all season, and then I don't really think it's feasible he stays.
 
I can't see any path where he keeps his job. He'll "retire" at the end of the season. Coach L seems like a great guy and I hate that it'll end this way, but it's gotta be done.

He will have gutted this program by then... he needs to step down now.
 
Losses to the mighty powerhouses of Charleston Southern AND Mount Saint Marys. Completely sad. I have been to multiple events at the Mount and the best one was by far a WWF Wrestling event with Rowdy Roddy Piper as the main event.
 
theyre giving free tickets to the FSU game if you renew your football tickets lol.
 
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