Tied at 83-83 with 3.6 seconds remaining, Virginia’s Chance Mallory was sent to the free throw line.
The Hurricanes have been no stranger to late game heroics themselves, with their previous two wins coming by one point each.
But Miami wasn’t able to make it three storybook wins in a row, as Mallory hit all three free throws to ice the game 86-83 in favor of the Cavaliers.
No.14 Virginia fell behind initially to the red-hot Canes on Saturday at John Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va..
The Cavaliers opened the first half with an early 11-7 lead, but the Canes quickly responded with a 17-2 run to take a 24-13 advantage. Miami shot 56.7% from the field and 62.5% from beyond the arc during that stretch. Freshman Shelton Henderson led the surge with an early eight points.
The remainder of the half turned into a back and forth battle between the Hurricanes and Cavaliers. With the game tied at 39-39 and 40 seconds remaining, Tru Washington knocked down his third 3-pointer of the half, and Timo Malovec converted a fast break layup to give Miami a 44-39 lead at halftime.
Virginia set the tone to start the second half with an 11-2 run, but Miami answered, cutting the deficit to 59-57 with 11:53 remaining. The Cavaliers responded once again with another 11-2 run, forcing Miami, down by seven, to call a time out.
Out of the break, Tre Donaldson sparked a 13-2 run, hitting a 3-pointer to give the Hurricanes a 73-70 lead with five minutes remaining. Trailing by four points in the closing minutes, Miami battled back to tie the game at 83-83.
But with 3.6 seconds left, the Canes committed a foul beyond the arc, sending Virginia’s Mallory to the free throw line.
Mallory calmly drained all three from the line, sealing the win for Virginia, 86-83.
Donaldson and Henderson each led Miami with 18 points, while Malik Reneau added 16. Washington contributed 15 points and seven assists off the bench, and Ernest Udeh Jr. recorded nine rounds and eight points, going 6-for-6 on the free throw line.
In the second half, the Hurricanes shot 12-of-31 from field goal, 4-of-10 from the three point range, and 11-of-11 from the free throw line, finishing the game at a season high of 94.1 percent at the line. Turnovers ultimately made the difference. Miami committed nine turnovers, which Virginia converted into 14 points.
Miami now sits third in ACC conference with a record of 21-6. Under first-year head coach Jai Lucas, The Hurricanes have transformed into a legitimate March contender after entering the season with uncertainty.
Last season (2024-2025), Miami finished last in the ACC with a 3-17 conference record and failed to win a road game. This year, Lucas has reshaped the program’s identity, emphasizing points in the paint, offensive rebounding and efficiency at the free throw line while building a stronger defensive foundation.
Key contributors this season include Reneau, who is averaging 19.5 points per game; Udeh Jr., who averages 9.5 rebounds per game and Donaldson, who leads the team with 5.9 assists per game. The Hurricanes’ renewed culture has positioned themselves with a chance to make it far in March Madness.
Miami will remain on the road and will match up against Florida State on Tuesday in Tallahassee at 9 p.m.