Jaydon Young’s Career Night Propels Virginia Tech Past Miami
MIAMI—Jaydon Young delivered a career-best performance, dropping 27 points as Virginia Tech surged past Miami with a dominant second-half run, securing an 81-68 victory at the Watsco Center on Saturday night.
The Hokies took control with a 13-0 run midway through the second half, flipping the momentum after Miami had built its biggest lead of the night at 48-42 with 15:14 remaining. Just moments later, the Hurricanes’ final lead of the game, 48-45, slipped away as Virginia Tech took over.
Miami, which was riding a two-game home winning streak, struggled without its leading scorer, Matthew Cleveland, who was sidelined with a leg injury. A.J. Staton-McCray led the Hurricanes with 21 points, while Lynn Kidd (14), Paul Djobet (12), and Brandon Johnson (10) all finished in double figures.
Ben Burnham made a strong impact for the Hokies, contributing 14 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while also pulling down six rebounds. Patrick Wessler added 10 points, going 5-of-6 from the field.
Miami shot 53.8% in the first half but cooled down significantly in the second, managing just 38.5% after the break. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech’s offense remained steady, finishing at 52.5% for the game, shooting over 50% in both halves—a testament to Miami’s ongoing defensive struggles.
The Hurricanes showed promise early, battling back from a 21-13 deficit to tie the game at 38-38 just before halftime, thanks to a last-second three-pointer by Austin Swartz. Miami then opened the second half with a 10-4 run, but their offense went ice-cold for the next 4:54, allowing the Hokies to seize control.
Up next, Miami faces a major challenge, hosting No. 3 Duke on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, news broke during the game that Duke associate head coach Jai Lucas is expected to take over as Miami’s next head coach—a storyline to watch as the Hurricanes prepare for their showdown against the Blue Devils.
