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Why Marvel can’t afford to mess up ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Lazaro Chavez
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Why Marvel can’t afford to mess up ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Marvel Studios recently released the trailer for one of their most anticipated projects since Avengers: Endgame, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While the trailer provided stunning visuals and a bit of optimism for the film, a lot rides on its shoulders. 

This film will make or break the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as we know it. Marvel Studios is in a desperate need of revitalization, and it’s time to see if they can live up to expectations, or fall flat on their face. 

The Fantastic Four are among the most important characters in the Marvel mythos, often referred to as Marvel’s first family. The team made their debut leading to the silver age of comics from which many Marvel mainstays hail from. Thanks to them, characters like Spider-Man, Iron-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers were able to thrive. However, they haven’t had the greatest run on the silver screen.

While the MCU garnered billions of dollars and praise, the first family has not been so privileged. Their first theatrical outing was in 2005, which drew moderate success.Its sequel “Rise of the Silver Surfer” failed to elevate the franchise, leading to the cancellation of a third film. In 2015, 20th Century Fox released a rebooted film with younger actors, which was a massive failure with fans, critics, and wallets. 

With Marvel Studios at the dish, this new iteration of marvel’s first family carries the weight of not only redeeming a beloved team on the silver screen, but also saving the franchise as a whole.

Currently the MCU sits at a crossroads, the franchise has experienced a drop in critical and financial success, most notably with films like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels which both released in 2023. The franchise has also been met with fatigue thanks to the various Disney Plus serieses released since 2021. 

For example, in order to understand Captain America: Brave New World, a fan would have to watch all three previous Captain America films, all four Avengers movies, and a six-episode limited series ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (which has a total runtime of six hours). Which makes the already lengthy franchise more complicated to follow. The content saturation has also been a factor, with various interconnecting shows and movies released in a single calendar year.

The casting choices are also of concern. While Vanessa Kriby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are expected to be fan favorites as Invisible Woman and The Thing, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn as Mister Fantastic and Human Torch have raised eyebrows among Marvel fans.

Pascal, best known for his roles in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, is nothing short of a brilliant actor but fans are concerned if he can play the most intelligent man in the multiverse. Quinn, best known for his role as Munson in Stranger Things, has drawn skepticism as to whether he can embody the charm and fiery attitude that Johnny Storm is known for. Not to mention, his look in the trailer—a grown man with a little boy’s haircut—has sparked some criticism.

As a huge marvel fan, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will prove to be a make or break film for marvel. It could return the franchise to its glory from the 2010s or make it wither away.

Hurricanes bats come alive but not enough to win as Miami gets swept by Wake Forest 

Zach Cohen
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Hurricanes bats come alive but not enough to win as Miami gets swept by Wake Forest 

With an 8:17 p.m. first pitch for the second game of the Saturday doubleheader and the final game of their series against Wake Forest, the Miami Hurricanes looked to salvage a victory after getting walked off in the earlier game. After disappointing plate appearances by the Miami batters in the first two games, the bats woke up during game three. However, a seven-run sixth inning from Wake Forest powered it to a 12-10 victory. 

In the top of the second inning, after a Bobby Marsh base hit, freshman catcher Evan Taveres stepped into the batter’s box for his first at-bat of the game. Tavares hit a two-run shot to left field for his first collegiate home run, and UM had a 2-1 lead.

The long ball struck again when Marsh hit a two-run homer to right center, the deepest part of David F. Couch Ballpark. Wake Forest’s home field is quite small – 310 down the left field line and 300 down the right field line. Marsh’s home run in the fourth moved Miami within one, as the Demon Deacons (18-3, 6-0 ACC) touched home four times in the bottom of the third.

Redshirt junior pitcher Brian Walters came up big to help the Hurricanes take a game in each of the Florida and UConn series and looked to carry the ’Canes to a victory against Wake Forest. In four innings pitched, he allowed 10 hits and five runs while striking out four batters.

Miami’s bats stayed consistent throughout the first six innings, as two runs came into score in the fifth and one in the top of the sixth.

The bottom of the sixth was a disaster for Miami’s pitching. Hawaii transfer Alex Giroux allowed a double down the left field to projected first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Marek Houston. Giroux hit the next batter and was taken out of the game with no outs in the inning.

Freshman Lazaro Collera entered the game and gave up a three-run homer to Wake Forest’s Kade Lewis. Giroux also gave up a walk with the bases loaded, allowing one run to score. Left-handed pitcher Michael Fernandez also allowed three runs on two hits, and Wake Forest took a commanding 12-7 lead. 

Miami (12-8, 0-3 ACC) did pour on three runs in the top of the eighth, but it was not enough to beat the Demon Deacons.

Next up, the Hurricanes will attempt to break a four-game losing streak against Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Florida. The first pitch is slated for Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Hurricanes Women’s Tennis leaves Fighting Irish in dust with 4-0 shutout

Sarah Landau
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Hurricanes Women’s Tennis leaves Fighting Irish in dust with 4-0 shutout

The Hurricanes (6-5, 2-1) showed Notre Dame (12-3, 2-2) their fight on Friday as Miami Women’s Tennis shut them out (4,0) at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Junior doubles partners Raquel Gonzalez and Xinyi Nong kicked off the battle against Notre Dame with a 6-4 win over Notre Dame’s Carrie Beckman and Maria Olivia Castedo.

Miami took home the doubles point after Alexa Noel and Maria Paula Vargas won a 6-4 matchup with Bianca Molnar and Akari Matsuno.

Following the doubles, Alexa Noel continued her successes for the day in singles play with an easy 6-0, 6-3 win over Akari Matsuno, and Hurricanes Jaquelyn Ogunwale and Aely Arai finished off the day with singles wins of their own. 

This win comes as the team’s first top-25 win of the season, and Miami looks to continue its success as it faces Louisville on Sunday.

Miami pummeled by No. 14 Wake Forest in ACC opener, losing 8-0

Jayden Gonzalez
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Miami pummeled by No. 14 Wake Forest in ACC opener, losing 8-0

On a clear Friday night in Winston-Salem, the Miami Hurricanes were outclassed by No.14 ranked Wake Forest. At David F. Couch Ballpark, the Demon Deacons shutout the ’Canes, 8-0.

The ’Canes entered ACC play at a modest 12-6, but a struggling 1-4 record away from Coral Gables.

Wake Forest put the game out of reach in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Marek Houston smacked a grand slam to left center, extending the lead to seven.

Miami starting pitcher Nick Robert continues to struggle with the long ball. The sophomore entered the evening allowing four home runs. Tonight, he surrendered three in five innings.

In five frames of work, Robert allowed seven runs on eight hits, striking out six and walking two. His ERA has climbed up to 6.91.

The ’Canes offense was dead silent this evening in Winston-Salem. 11 Hurricane batters struck out while tallying just three hits. 

Wake Forest starter Logan Lunceford dominated UM. The Missouri transfer struck out eighth Hurricane batters, allowing three hits and one walk in seven innings of work. 

The Demon Deacons got the scoring going right away. In the bottom of the first, Jack Winnay launched a two-run bomb to left center field.

In the second, WF added another run through the long ball. Dalton Wentz sent a laser over the wall in left field, making it a 3-0 lead.

The ’Canes continue to struggle on both sides of the ball. On the mound, UM has allowed 52 runs in its last five games. On offense, Miami has lacked any consistency to score.

UM (12-7, 0-1 ACC) looks to bounce back against No. 14 ranked Wake Forest (16-3, 1-0 ACC) at David F. Couch Ballpark. The two squads will play a double-header on Saturday. 

First pitch for game one will be at 4 p.m on the ACC Network. Griffin Hugus will toe the slab in game one and Brian Walters will take the mound for game two.

No.1 Wake Forest Crushes Miami, 4-0

Sebastian Font
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No.1 Wake Forest Crushes Miami, 4-0

The No. 34 Miami Hurricanes (8-5, 2-3 ACC) continued their road trip, heading over to Winston-Salem to take on the No.1 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (22-0, 5-0 ACC) Friday afternoon. While Miami had dreams of upsetting the No.1 team in the nation, Wake crushed those hopes in a dominant 4-0 sweep over the Hurricanes.

For the third match in a row, Miami dropped the doubles point. 

Wake Forest’s No.6 Luciano Tacchi and Luca Pow made quick work of the Hurricanes pair of Nacho Serra Sanchez and Leonardo Dal Boni, 6-1. The ’Cane pairing of Martin Katz and Antonio Prat put up a better fight, but still fell 6-3 to Wake’s No.5 Stefan Dostanic and DK Suresh which clinched the doubles point for the Demon Deacons.

Miami’s struggles continued in singles play, where Wake Forest finished off the ’Canes with ease.

Pow dispatched Dal Boni 6-2, 6-2 to keep the momentum going for the Demon Deacons, and Tacchi won 6-2, 6-1 over Miami’s Medhi Sadaoui. The match was officially clinched with Serra Sanchez falling 6-2, 6-2 to No. 65 Ionnis Silas.

The Hurricanes will finish up their road trip this Sunday March 16th as they head to NC State looking to finally get a road win this year.

Midweek Disaster: Hurricanes pitching gives up 18 hits in a 14-4 loss at UCF

Zach Cohen
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Midweek Disaster: Hurricanes pitching gives up 18 hits in a 14-4 loss at UCF

After a series loss to the University of Connecticut Huskies, the Hurricanes took the 235-mile drive up to Orlando on Tuesday for a one-game pit stop before heading further north to Wake Forest. In hopes of building momentum just ahead of ACC play, Miami flatlined on both sides of the ball, losing 14-4.

Coming into Tuesday night’s action, Miami (12-6)  starting pitcher Alex Giroux dazzled in his first two appearances in a Hurricanes uniform. Throwing a combined 12 innings, only giving up seven hits, and striking out nine. However, Giroux and the rest of the pitching staff were in for a rude awakening versus the Knights. 

Giroux, the right-handed graduate transfer from Hawai’i, gave up five hits and six runs on only 1.1 innings pitched. The Knights worked his pitch count up to 50 before Miami head coach J.D. Arteaga would ask for 7.2 innings out of his bullpen. 

The second inning resulted in a slugfest for both teams. In the top of the frame, Miami down two runs, would take its lone lead of the game. After a no-out single from Bobby Marsh, senior outfielder Derek Williams sent a ball 375 feet over the wall in right-center for his third home run of the year. Freshman catcher Nolan Johnson would reach base safely via a hit-by-pitch and score on some sloppy play by the UCF fielders. Miami would take the 3-2 lead. 

After a sluggish start to the season, Derek Williams has blossomed in the past week. He has 9 hits, 3 home runs, and his batting average has risen to .308.

UCF toppled on four runs in the bottom of the frame from walks and a couple of nice pieces of hitting including a bases-loaded double to left center by senior Andrew Sundean that scored two. The Knights would take a commanding 6-3 lead after two innings of play.

Grant Siegel, the starting pitcher for UCF (13-3) only threw two innings after giving up those three runs. All through not a bad start, UCF head coach Rich Wallace elected to go to the bullpen for the rest of the game. 

Miami used eight pitchers in the game, many of them getting roughed up. Reese Lumpkin, Rob Evans, Carson Fischer, and Michael Fernandez would pitch a combined 4.1 innings to give up 11 hits and allow eight batters to touch home. 

Freshman pitcher Tate DeRias had another quality inning in relief, striking out one and allowing no runs. DeRias’s ERA would remain at 0.00.

The Hurricanes’ only other run would come in the sixth inning. After a wild pitch advanced Derek Williams and Max Galvin into scoring position, Todd Hudson would come into pinch hit for Nolan Johnson and hit a single to left center to score Galvin. The score moved to 14-4 and neither team scored in the back third of the ball game.

After a frustrating loss, Miami will head home just for a day to regroup. They will fly out on Thursday for a weekend series in Winston-Salem to face the No.14 team in the country, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The first game of the series will be on Friday at 8 p.m.

PREVIEW: SG’s First-Year Leadership Council presents LAUNCH 

Ross Kluger
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PREVIEW: SG’s First-Year Leadership Council presents LAUNCH 

The First-Year Leadership Council of the University of Miami’s Student Government will bring  support for all students to enhance their leadership skills, expand their networks and refine their individual skill sets during the LAUNCH leadership summit at the Shalala Student Center on March 29 at 9:30 a.m.

Student body president Roy Carrillo Zamora recalled his involvement in FLC, mentioning that in 2022, he contributed to the founding of LAUNCH. 

“I was part of the FLC team that started LAUNCH in Spring 2022,” said Carrillo Zamora. “It was so great to help start a conference that expanded the leadership development that SG has provided for a century to more students. Through LAUNCH, I met some amazing student leaders who are now staples on campus.” 

Participants will gain access to unique tools and resources, such as professional development and effective leadership advice. Starring a series of workshop activities and inspiring keynote speakers, these events will empower students with practical skills they can carry with them throughout their college careers.

Carrillo Zamora believes these tools are a pivotal opportunity for all students.

“LAUNCH remains not only one of the best places to learn how to excel at the U, but a magnet for the next generation of student leaders,” he said.

Student body vice president Josh Abel spoke on how the conference has evolved since its inception.

“LAUNCH originally started during COVID, meant to bridge the gap between students and help them get more involved on campus,” said Abel. “When I became Vice President, I really wanted to create a summit that was unlike anything else offered here. Oftentimes, I think leadership summits teach the same material over and over again, which can feel repetitive.”

Abel continued discussing his goals and aspirations for the conference, as well as what he hopes to see in its participants.

So, for our outcome at LAUNCH, while it isn’t tangible immediately, it’s something you’ll see yourself grow into over the next four years. It makes the experience all the more rewarding for me, because I’ll get to watch the evolution of our future student leaders,” he added.

As vice president, Abel oversees and mentors the council and has played a huge role in the development of the conference.

“At the end of the day, the key to success isn’t about doing everything — it’s about doing something really, really well,” he said.

In addition to his efforts, the four project coordinators have also helped organize LAUNCH: Alex Barrowclough, Drake Johnson, Jana Faour and Jensen Ring. They manage the committees for Marketing and Outreach, Hospitality and Assessment, Logistics as well as Sponsorship and Finance, respectively.

Beyond the educational features, LAUNCH offers networking events, a student leader panel and chances to connect with peers across disciplines.

“My favorite part of the event is how it brings together all of our emerging leaders into one space,” said former FLC member Fernando Sepulveda Sagaseta.

Garrett Eisenhuth, an event leader last year, expressed his excitement for the conference.

“LAUNCH Leadership Summit is the premier way to kickstart your involvement on campus. There’s no better opportunity to learn about what it takes to become a student leader here in Miami,” said Eisenhuth. “Last year’s event was an incredible experience for all involved, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what this year’s FLC cohort can put together.”

You can find more information and how to register on SG’s Instagram (@umiamisg). The deadline to register is March 22.

The SpaceX explosion is a national concern

Olivia Pretto
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The SpaceX explosion is a national concern

A small, fiery object streaked across the sky as my roommate and I sat in our living room on the evening of Thursday, March 6. I jokingly quipped I might have finally seen my first shooting star or even proof of alien life. 

To my disappointment, I was not witnessing a notable discovery, but rather the aftermath of the nearby Florida Keys SpaceX starship explosion. Many other UM students were left perplexed as mysterious objects soared above campus. This marks the second explosion of the year, and its wreckage pollutes the Caribbean and Turks and Caicos islands and even reaches the city of Miami. 

Elon Musk’s ownership of SpaceX and close ties with the government have contributed to the success and operation of the company, granting him access to taxpayer dollars. Musk has worked closely with the Trump administration and was hired as a “special government employee.” As the Trump administration continues to cut funding for important national resources such as scientific research and education, valuable taxpayer dollars should not be spent on experimental endeavors that pose a danger to public safety. Despite executive support, the recent explosions highlight the potential risks and lack of transparency of SpaceX operations. 

SpaceX aims to lead the way in establishing sustainable civilian life on Mars. Since its conception, more than 450 landings have occurred, 415 of them successful. The March 6 launch was part of a mission to release mock satellites into space. The mission went wrong when the spacecraft experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly, as announced on SpaceX’s X account. So why does this explosion render tension in today’s political climate? 

The Trump administration has made significant cuts to the National Institute of Health, a 15% cap on indirect costs for research grants, drastically reducing funds for medical research and a stark contrast from the substantial government support he has extended to Musk. While the White House insists that all government contracts undergo rigorous review, the continued financial support of SpaceX, despite its recent failures, raises concerns about the best interest of American citizens. 

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields addressed these concerns, stating, “President Trump and his entire administration is committed to executing a head-to-toe assessment of every contract the American people are funding with their taxpayer dollars.” However, this commitment appears at odds with the administration’s willingness to support Musk’s ventures while cutting essential programs. Fields further assured that “any contracts connected to Elon Musk’s very successful companies will comply with every government ethics rule as it pertains to potential conflicts of interest.” Yet, given the billions in taxpayer dollars flowing into Musk’s enterprises, Tesla and SpaceX, it remains unclear whether these contracts truly reflect the safety of the American people or an egocentric prioritization of private industry.

SpaceX claims that all surviving debris from the launch would have been safeguarded in pre-planned Debris Response Areas. However, numerous eyewitness accounts captured the debris flying aimlessly across the Miami skyline. Debris Response Areas are activated when debris is sighted outside of closed aircraft hazard areas, allowing the Federal Aviation Administration to react accordingly. The explosion not only threatened public safety but also disrupted air transportation, causing several South Florida airports to shut down or delay flights. The falling debris posed a risk to air traffic, forcing the FAA to halt and divert flights in response Thursday night. 

This threat to public and environmental safety underscores ethical concerns surrounding Musk’s collaboration with the Trump administration on recent projects. The explosion should spark national concern, highlighting the government’s preference for funding reckless space pursuits over critical investments in medical research and discovery. The health and safety of American citizens should be at the core of the current government’s policy decisions.

Robert falls apart in third inning as Miami baseball lose to UConn, 7-2

Max Diaz
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Robert falls apart in third inning as Miami baseball lose to UConn, 7-2

Miami baseball experienced their first losing series of the season after they went 1-2 last weekend against the Florida Gators. It seems that it could start becoming a trend as UM lost the first game of their series against the Connecticut Huskies on Friday, 7-2.

The first two innings were rather uneventful for both sides. Sophomore Nick Robert allowed no hits and struck three of the seven batters he faced. The ’Canes showed some signs of offense in the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles from redshirt junior Max Galvin and junior Jake Ogden, but neither materialized into a run. 

The third inning was where things just fell apart for Miami, more specifically, for Robert. At first, it seemed like a routine inning for Robert, the first batter he faced flew out, he walked the second, and the third grounded out. Then, things for Robert fell apart quicker than the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Over the next four batters, Robert gave up a single, double, and two walks. After this sequence of events, the score was now 2-0 and the bases were loaded. It seemed like things couldn’t get any worse for Robert, but it definitely did. UConn graduate student Sam Biller cleared the bases with a grand slam to increase their lead to 6-0. Robert finally stopped the bleeding by getting the final out on the next batter, but the damage had been done. In just one inning, Robert gave up three hits, one of which being a grand slam, three walks, and six runs. Going into the game, Robert had only given up four earned runs on the season. In just that one inning against UConn, he gave up two more than the rest of the season combined. 

Robert never got the chance to redeem himself during his outing because his night ended the next inning, as he was replaced by freshman Tate DeRias. In less than four innings of play, Robert left the game with a pitch count of 87.

After Robert’s rough showing, the Hurricanes needed their batters to step up. The ’Canes got their first score of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning in the form of a single from senior Tanner Smith that brought in Ogden to score. That cut the Huskie lead to 6-1; however, the Miami offense did not produce much else. 

The fifth and sixth innings showed no change to the score as the Hurricanes could not even manage to tally a hit. The only other run the ’Canes tallied for the remainder of the game came from a single by Galvin to bring in freshman Michael Torres in the seventh inning. However, the Huskies scored a run of their own in the top half of the inning, so the lead was still five, except now in the form of 7-2.

The final two innings provided no change in the final outcome with the only events that provoked interest in those innings. The first was that there were four pitching changes, one of which brought in UConn sophomore JT Caruso, who played for Miami last season. The other was how the UM student section showed energy till the end by chirping at Huskie players on the final plays as well as having fun dancing to the macarena while waiting during one of a seamlessly endless string of pitching changes. 

The ’Canes ended their painful performance with a flyout from sophomore Daniel Cuvet. The 7-2 loss is their largest of the season so far. With the loss, the Hurricanes fall to 11-4.

Miami Men’s 4×400 team leads the way at impressive ACC Indoor Championship

Shea Mcdonald
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Miami Men’s 4×400 team leads the way at impressive ACC Indoor Championship

Miami track and field made a significant impact on the ACC with a remarkable weekend in Louisville at the ACC indoor championships. The men placed sixth and the women 12th, but throughout the ‘Canes shined bright. 

Miami’s biggest mark came from their men’s 4×400 relay, who got Miami’s one and only gold medal of the weekend. The group made up of grad students Lance Ward and Solomon Strader, junior Ace Malone, and sophomore George Franks took first place in the event with a time of 3:06.59, just shy of their record mark they set in February and just above the current third-place time set in January. 

In their biggest meet of the season, this group flourished on the biggest stage, and this wasn’t only in the 4×4; the team broke records individually as well. Strader made the most noise, shattering a 27-year-old record set by Davian Clark in 1998 with a time of 45.74 in the 400m prelims. He finished with silver with a time of 45.86 in the finals. Franks was also a part of more history this weekend as he dominated the 200m race, breaking Miami’s record twice in one weekend. In the preliminaries he ran a time of 20.82, good for the record, and then in the finals got silver, cutting his time down to 20.77. Between Strader, Franks, and the 4×4 team, it was a great weekend for the men’s sprinters. 

The women, though not taking first, also had a big race. The group of juniors Gabriella Grissom and Sanaa Hebron, as well as freshmen Lyonna Codd and Janay Moorer, came in third with a time of 3:33.39. Grissom made more history of her own later, breaking her own record in the 800m as she came in 4th place. She brought her time down by two seconds to a time of 2:01.60. Hebron later in her individual 400m scored a new personal best with a time of 52.88. 

It was an exciting weekend for 800m runner Josh Jones, who narrowly won his heat by .004 seconds to squeak into the 800m finals. There he rounded out the track’s impressive performances by claiming the fifth fastest time at 1:49.39 to take fifth place in the 800m. As for other distance runners, Cormac O’Brien and Austen Cannon continue to swap top spots in their respective events. O’Brien, with a time of 8:15.42, was able to take down Cannon’s record set in 2023. Elsewhere, the do-it-all junior Edgar Campre got silver in the heptathlon with 5777, just shy of his record. 

Looking at the field events, there were a few other impressive showings. Grad student Christina Warren placed second in the triple jump, setting a new PB at 13.07 and taking the fifth highest mark in Miami history. Senior Erikka Hill in the shot put set a new PB

at 16.67 to grab a bronze in the events and improve on her fifth-best mark in Miami’s record books. 

Though this would be a perfectly fine peak for the season, there’s one more test for Miami. The NCAA indoor national championships will run from March 14 to 15. Last year Miami’s sole national champion was triple jumper Russell Robinson. With several ‘Canes taking top spots in the ACC, you can expect that Miami will have plenty of representation in Virginia Beach in just over a week.

Miami finishes strong, battles back to beat NC State in season finale

Ali Campbell
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Miami finishes strong, battles back to beat NC State in season finale

Heading into the final game of the season, the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team (7-24, 3-17 ACC) was facing a six-game losing streak and sought to end their season on a positive note. They accomplished just that in a thrilling contest at the Watsco Center, battling back from a 13-point deficit to defeat the NC State Wolfpack (12-19, 5-15 ACC), 72-70, on Senior Day. 

Down 10 at halftime, the ‘Canes pulled off a comeback that culminated in a game-winning slam by Senior Brandon Johnson with just one second remaining. 

Senior Matthew Cleveland delivered a career performance in his final collegiate game, matching his career-high with 32 points and adding five rebounds and four blocks. Cleveland’s dominant performance kept Miami in it, as he generated most of the offense throughout the game. 

The Wolfpack were in control for most of the contest, as they drained six three-pointers in the first half, led by senior Dontrez Styles, to take a 41-31 lead at the break. 

Styles would continue the strong shooting from beyond the arc for NC State, connecting on a triple to extend their lead to 13 a minute into the second half. However, the Hurricanes would not go away, and were able to go on an 11-4 run to pull within four at the 12:35 mark.

Still, the ‘Canes found themselves down eight with five minutes remaining. It was at this point that Cleveland ignited Miami’s late-game surge, with a fastbreak layup that would spark a 10-2 run. A key three-pointer by junior A.J. Staton-Mccray left the game tied at 70 with 1:53 to go in the contest. 

After a clutch block by Cleveland when NC State had a chance to take the lead, the Hurricanes retained possession with 23 seconds remaining.


With time winding down, Cleveland took it hard to the paint and tried to ice the game with a layup, but it bounced off the rim. However, Johnson was in prime position for the rebound and was able to complete the putback dunk to seal the comeback victory for Miami.

In addition to Cleveland’s career-high performance, Johnson achieved his second consecutive double-double, recording 10 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Jalil Bethea also contributed 10 points, shooting 100% from three-point range to help the Hurricanes’ comeback.     

Miami baseball wins 15-11 thriller over UConn

Sebastian Font
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Miami baseball wins 15-11 thriller over UConn

After losing the opening two games of the series, the Miami Hurricanes bounced back to beat the UConn Huskies in a 15-11 thriller.

Junior shortstop Jake Ogden continued his excellence on the year and paved the way for a ’Canes win. Ogden feasted at the plate with three hits and five RBIs, with one of those hits being a homer, which tracked over 422 feet.

After scoring seven and 12 runs, respectively, in the past two games against UM, UConn wasted no time staying hot offensively in the first. Designated hitter Grant MacArthur took Miami starter Brian Walters deep to left for a 2-run homer, putting the Huskies on the board immediately. Despite the setback, Walters settled down and found his groove for the next few innings.

It only took an inning for the ’Canes to start fighting back, with left fielder Max Galvin launching his third homer of the year over the right field fence against UConn starter Thomas Ellisen. 

His homer proved to be a spark as Miami got momentum going. Senior Derek Williams knocked a base hit through the left side, and after a Bobby Marsh hit-and-run, the Hurricanes had runners on the corners. That bit of baseball strategy ensured Tanner Smith’s single scored Williams, and Miami tied the game.

After a walk by freshman Fabio Peralta, Ogden launched a sac fly to left field to give Miami the lead, which grew to 5-2 after RBI walks from Dorian Gonzalez Jr. and Daniel Cuvet.

Similar to last Sunday’s game against Florida, UM kept the pressure on by stacking runs nearly every inning.

A pair of walks to Marsh and Smith followed by a Peralta hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the Hurricanes, and Ogden collected his second RBI of the game with a fielder’s choice. Later that inning, Cuvet brought home two more with a single to left, extending Miami’s lead to 8-2.

After a quiet fourth inning, the bats on both sides came alive. 

A walk to leadoff Rob Rispoli led to the red-hot Tyler Minick launching a homer just over Galvin’s leaping try in left field. The Huskies kept up the pressure with a pair of singles, and following a walk, Miami head coach J.D. Arteaga looked to the bullpen to save the day, bringing in veteran Carson Fischer to replace Walters. 

Fischer limited the damage to only one with a sacrifice fly, but the Huskies proved they were not going to go down without a fight.

The Hurricanes followed that display with a strong fifth inning of their own. With one on, Ogden launched a double to left, followed by a Gonzalez Jr. fielder’s choice to bring in a run. Ogden eventually scored on a wild pitch before Williams lasered a double to bring in the third of the inning.

Fischer came out again for the sixth but did not fare as well as before. A hit batter, single and a 2-RBI double marked the end of his day, as Arteaga brought in right-hander Will Smith from the pen.

Once again Miami’s hitters battled for their pitchers, as Ogden launched a missile of a 2-run homer over the left field fence and onto the track field.

The Huskies stuck to their scrappy identity and tried to claw their way back. 

After a pair of walks and a single given up by Smith, Arteaga brought in Lamar transfer Jackson Cleveland to limit the damage and like Fischer before, generated a sac fly to begin his outing. That breath of relief didn’t last too long, as a wild pitch and 2-run homer by MacArthur again meant UConn was only two runs away from tying the ballgame at 13 runs apiece.

UM doubled its breathing room in the bottom of the inning, with Odgen and Galvin driving home two insurance runs against the depleted Huskies (4-8) pitching staff.

Cleveland came out again for the ninth and completed a 1-2-3 inning to send ’Canes fans home happy.

Miami (12-5) will hit the road to take on the UCF Knights in a testing midweek game before it opens up ACC play against the No. 15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

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