Miami Falls to Georgia Tech Despite Matthew Cleveland’s 29-Point Effort
ATLANTA – The University of Miami men’s basketball team (6-24, 2-17 ACC) suffered an 89-74 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (16-14, 10-9 ACC) on Tuesday night at McCamish Pavilion.
Cleveland Shines in Hometown Return
Senior Matthew Cleveland put on a scoring clinic in his hometown, notching his 13th 20-point game of the season with 29 points, leading all Miami scorers. Senior Brandon Johnson and freshman Austin Swartz also contributed double-digit performances, finishing with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
However, it was Georgia Tech’s Lance Terry who stole the show, pouring in a career-high 31 points to lead all players.
Game Recap: Georgia Tech Pulls Away Late in First Half
The game remained competitive in the opening eight minutes, with both teams trading baskets. However, the Yellow Jackets broke the deadlock with a decisive 9-0 run, taking a 21-13 lead at the 9:49 mark of the first half.
Cleveland kept Miami within reach, tallying 15 first-half points, but Terry’s late surge—eight points in the final 100 seconds—helped Georgia Tech build a commanding 46-30 halftime lead.
Hot Shooting Propels Yellow Jackets to Victory
Georgia Tech came out firing to start the second half, knocking down three consecutive 3-pointers to stretch their advantage to 22 points (55-33) just two minutes in.
While Johnson caught fire in the second half, scoring all 16 of his points after the break, it wasn’t enough to overcome Georgia Tech’s 50% shooting from beyond the arc. The Yellow Jackets’ senior night celebration ended in victory as they secured the win.
Final Home Game Up Next for Miami
The Hurricanes will close out their season at home on Saturday against the NC State Wolfpack. Tipoff at the Watsco Center is set for 12 p.m., with the game airing on The CW.
