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Hurricanes stumble after a competitive start, fall to Wake Forest

Zach Cohen
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On national television, The Miami Hurricanes (4-12, 0-5 ACC) were set off to play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (12-4, 4-1 ACC) in an early evening affair at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, FL. The crowd was fairly sized to watch this disappointing Hurricanes men’s basketball team, and once again fans left unhappy as Miami lost to Wake Forest 88-78. 

En Route to their 5th straight loss, few players played exceptionally for the ‘Canes. Once again, it was another standout performance from the 6-7 Guard out of Atlanta, GA, Matthew Cleveland. He notched 22 points, shooting 8-13 from the field and two blocks in a whopping 35 minutes of action. Following a poor performance against Florida State, Jalil Bethea rebounded with a 13-point, four-assist performance. 

In the early seconds of the first half, Wake Forest with the ball, Matthew Cleveland made a block on the left wing as Hunter Sallis of Wake Forest attempted the shot. The crowd was on its feet early but the Demon Deacons retained possession on an offensive rebound and Cameron Hildreth. Hildreth, the senior from England would go on to torch the Hurricanes all night, scoring 31 points and going 6-8 beyond the arc. 

As the half went on both teams were trading baskets, until there was a two-minute scoring drought from the 14:32-12:29 mark. After the drought, both teams picked it back up again and at the 4:05 minute mark Wake Forest would have the slight 31-29 advantage.

Poor ballhandling and decision-making from the ‘Canes allowed Wake Forest to close out the first half on an 8-2 run. The run was led by Hildreth who scored five of the team’s last eight points including a driving layup with just two seconds to spare in the half. With 20 minutes down, the score was 39-31.

A quick dunk by Matthew Cleveland to open up the second half happened to be the only promising play for Miami. Wake Forest would maintain at least an eight-point lead until the 14:55 mark of the half. Sallis would make a smooth mid-range jumper to extend the Wake Forest lead to 10. He would go on to score 15 of his 22 points in the second half. 

From here on out, it was all Wake Forest. There were times when it seemed as if Miami could crawl back into the game, but Wake Forest remained in front and ended up winning 88-78. 

It only gets harder for the Hurricanes from here. Miami will travel to North Carolina to play the number four team in the country, the Duke Blue Devils. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. and will be televised live from Cameron Indoor Stadium on ESPN.

Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck commits to Miami

Shea Mcdonald
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Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck commits to Miami

Just a year after acquiring a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback in Cam Ward, Miami again has taken a big swing in the transfer portal. Carson Beck, a former Georgia quarterback who recently withdrew from the NFL Draft and entered the transfer portal, has chosen Miami as where he will spend his last year of eligibility.

This news was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The 23-year-old was Georgia’s starting quarterback the last two seasons and showed flashes of being a top draft pick. After sitting through the dominant back-to-back title runs for the Bulldogs in 2021 and 2022, Beck ascended into becoming the starter following the departure of Stetson Bennett.

In his first season at the helm, Beck led Georgia to a 13-1 season that was ultimately marred by a loss in the conference championship to Alabama that kicked them out of the College Football Playoffs. He posted a 72% completion percentage, throwing for 24 touchdowns with only six interceptions, adding four on the ground as well.

Coming off a dominating bowl win over Florida State, where Beck flashed his talents as a passer, he entered the 2024 season as a projected first-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft.

But instead of rising even further, Beck faltered at several points in the season. A rough middle-of-the-season stretch included a 13-12 win over lowly Kentucky, a four-turnover game against Alabama that he did nearly bring them back from, and a couple of other three-interception games against Texas and Florida. Through that seven-game stretch, Beck threw 10 touchdowns to 12 interceptions with losses to Ole Miss and Alabama.


This, combined with the rise of prospects like Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders solidifying themselves as two first-round talents, Beck was moved further down draft boards. Beck did have a strong finish to the year, as Georgia ended the regular season 3-0, with Beck throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns against No. 7 Tennessee and five touchdowns in an eight-overtime thriller against Georgia Tech.

In the SEC Championship Game against Texas, Beck suffered a UCL injury on a sack, which forced him to have surgery and miss the rest of the season.

Beck brings a traditional pocket passing style to the position. He has enough athleticism on the college level to occasionally extend plays. He attacks the middle of the field well but struggles when pressured by defenders.

There are questions regarding who Beck is throwing to. The ’Canes will be without there top five receiving targets from last year. Xavier Restrepo, Sam Brown, Jacolby George and tight end Elijah Arroyo all declared for the NFL Draft, and Isaiah Horton transferred to Alabama.

LSU transfer CJ Daniels, who just two years ago with Liberty posted 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns, was added to the roster. Joshisa “Jojo” Trader, who had three receptions for 61 yards in Miami’s bowl game to cap off a mostly quiet freshman season, leads the expected returnees.

Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson did a really good job of working with Ward and turning him into a potential number one overall pick but had less success with Tyler Van Dyke the year prior. His system has proven to be effective and might work well with a quarterback like Beck, who likes to play in rhythm and push the ball downfield.

There will be a lot of questions coming this season with Miami hoping to build off a 10-win season. A lot will fall on an accomplished field general like Beck, who is expected to fully recover from his injury long before fall practice, to answer those questions.

Canes fall 80-65 to rival Florida State

Shea Mcdonald
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Miami men’s basketball was dismantled on Wednesday night by in-state rival Florida State, 80-65, to drop to 4-11 on the season. The story going into the game was Miami’s continued investment in its youth movement. Once again, the freshman duo of Jalil Bethea and Divine Ugochukwu started; alongside them, fellow freshman Austin Swartz and sophomore Paul Djobet saw significant action.

The early returns in this game were great for Miami.

Bethea drew contact on a three-point attempt and cashed in all three free throws. Ugochukwu brought the ball up almost every possession and ran the offense confidently. Working the pick and roll with Lynn Kidd and making aggressive drives to the basket, he got himself a couple of early buckets as well. From there, Miami and Florida State traded baskets back and forth for a while, but signs of what was to come were evident.

As UM hung in the game and kept up, it was against the odds. The Hurricanes seemingly struggled for each and every basket, whereas Florida State’s offense seemed to come effortlessly.

Though both teams committed a similar number of turnovers, 8-7 in favor of Florida State, the Seminoles outscored the Hurricanes 9-0 in the first half off those turnovers.

Similarly, Miami was unable to get any quick transition offense and was outscored 11-4 by FSU in fastbreak points. Having to rely on what has been a lackluster half-court offense combined with the fact that it’s led by freshman guards is a recipe for disaster, and it was for Miami.

These problems were only made worse with Miami’s leading big man, Lynn Kidd, getting into foul trouble early with two quick fouls and being subbed out just six minutes into the half and not returning until the second half.

Well into the first half, when Miami subbed out forward Brandon Johnson, the Hurricanes went to an all-guard lineup where 6-foot-7 Paul Djobet was the tallest player Miami fielded.

This group quickly was outmatched on the boards. On back-to-back possessions, it gave up an offensive board – once to Malique Ewin and once to Taylor Bol Bowen. Each of these rebounds was followed up with easy layups at the rim. One more zero-resistance drive to the rim later, Miami called a timeout and was done with the lineup and brought Johnson back in.

But that stretch gave Florida State the confidence and momentum to put the pressure on Miami. Bowen hit back-to-back threes to give the Seminoles a nine-point lead. Then Miami, seemingly frustrated, started to turn the ball over more, giving the Seminoles even more momentum. Three more turnovers for Miami all led to made baskets by Florida State, and after a 17-5 run, UM was down 14 heading into the half.

Even worse for Miami, while attempting to chase a loose ball, Ugochukwu got in a collision and suffered an injury. He came back into the game and tried to fight through it, but grimacing while holding his side, it seemed too much. With just over a minute left in the half, he exited the game and would not return.

As the Hurricanes walked back into the locker room, Watsco Center, filled with Florida State fans, rang out with Seminoles chants and cheers.

It didn’t seem to faze Miami, as coming out of the tunnel for the second half, the ’Canes went on a run. This was led by upperclassman and former Seminole Matthew Cleveland.

He stepped up big for Miami, scoring 10 of its first 19 points of the half. It could have been even more, but strangely Cleveland went 1-of-6 from the free throw line during this stretch. Cleveland finished with 14 points in the half after only scoring two in the first half. This marked his fifth straight double-digit scoring outing.

Along with Cleveland, Kidd, back off the bench, became the hub for Miami’s offense, and through him it led to several easy baskets, including a couple of and-one layups of his own. This reinvigorated the crowd as Miami cut the deficit to nine and forced a Florida State timeout. A Swartz three out of the timeout cut the Hurricanes’ deficit to six.

With a chance to cut it to four, Djobet drove to the cup off a Cleveland steal, but Chandler Jackson came up behind him and swatted it away. FSU got on the break for another easy alley-oop from Justin Thomas to Jerry Deng, and from there, the ’Canes never had much of a shot.

That dunk started an 11-0 run for the Seminoles, and in just about three minutes, Miami went from down six to 17 in an instant.

To make things worse, Kidd picked up two more fouls early and went back to the bench with 7:30 remaining. This allowed FSU’s Ewin to get going, and he went 6-of-6 from the field in the half, scoring a game-leading 20 points. After Daquan Davis’s fast break-and-1 layup, the Seminole chants returned as they went up by as much as 25.

Miami shot a rough 5-of-21 from three, including Cleveland being 1-5 from behind the arc and Jalen Blackmon going 0-4 and 0-6 from the field on the day. Meanwhile, Florida State shot 10-of-24 for a total of 41% from deep. Most notably, this included Bowen, who went 4-of-4 from deep.

The Hurricanes’ assist total was only 11 compared to 26 for the Seminoles, who moved the ball around well.

Miami will next be host to Wake Forest on Saturday, Jan. 11. Tip-off is 5:15 pm.

Last minute blunders leads to another Hurricanes loss, this time against Virginia Tech 

Zach Cohen
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Last minute blunders leads to another Hurricanes loss, this time against Virginia Tech 

Going into the final minute of action, the Miami Hurricanes were up 85-81 against the Virginia Tech Hokies (6-8,1-2 ACC) in Blacksburg, Va. A missed jump shot and foul by Jalil Bethea let Virginia Tech’s Mylyjael Poteat attain scoring opportunities at the basket. Another foul by Miami’s Brandon Johnson allowed Poteat to score the game-winning free throw to seal the 86-85 Hokies win.

This was another game where Miami had a chance near the end of the game, and it was another contest where poor fundamentals and a lack of effort led to a Hurricanes loss. Miami (4-10, 0-3 ACC) has been in several close games this year, but now they sit tied for last in the ACC.

Over the past two games in the Bill Courtney era, the freshmen have gotten more run with the absence of Nijel Pack. Bethea scored 15 points, while Divine Ugochukwu and Austin Swartz combined for 19 points. Guard Matthew Cleveland continued to play well against Virginia Tech, scoring 21 points and going 3-of-5 from behind the arc. 

The game started off with each team trading baskets early; Miami made 8-of-11 field goals to start the game, while Virginia Tech (6-8, 1-2 ACC) made four of its first five three-point attempts. 

Midway through the first half, the Hokies had a 23-18 lead. Miami continued to chase Virginia Tech, eventually going on an 8-0 run. With just over three minutes to play in the first half, Miami had a 38-32 lead. 

The first half ended the same way it started, as both teams continued to knock down shots. Tobi Lawal scored six straight points to end the half, and the Hokies had a 40-39 lead at the break. 

Both teams came out firing in the second half action. A quick three-pointer by Bethea and an emphatic slam by Cleveland kept the Hurricanes in the game. With 15 minutes left, the score was tied at 54-54. 

Each team went on runs the rest of the way. A 12-5 run by Miami led them out of the media timeout at the 12-minute mark and was followed by a 9-2 run by the Hokies to make the score 74-74 with 5:29 remaining.

Back-end second-half play has been a problem for Miami all season long, and the story was the same against Virginia Tech. Miami had trouble guarding Poteat all night, scoring 25 points alongside Lawal’s 22.

Miami will look to regroup as it returns to Coral Gables to face Florida State this Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Miami WBB goes cold, starts first losing streak of the season against Louisville

Zach Cohen
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Miami WBB goes cold, starts first losing streak of the season against Louisville

The Miami Hurricanes’ women’s basketball team (11-3, 1-2 ACC) kicked off 2025 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. against the Cardinals (9-5, 2-1 ACC). A chance to start 2025 with a statement win fell quite short as Miami struggled all night, losing 74-56 and marking a two-game losing streak.

Despite coming up short, Haley Cavinder had another terrific performance to start her last calendar year as a collegiate basketball player. Cavinder scored 19 points, going 8-of-8 from the charity strike. Forward Cameron Williams scored 12 points and nine boards, shooting above 50% from the field and nearly securing a double-double. The 6-foot-5 Natalija Marshall, continues to make strides in her three-point game, shooting 3-of-5 from behind the arc. 

The Hurricanes got off to a fast start when Marshall hit Williams for a quick layup. Louisville then went on a 7-0 run and had a 20-13 advantage going into the second quarter. Miami struggled defensively, allowing Louisville’s Tajianna Roberts to go 2-of-3 from deep in the first 10 minutes of play and the team to shoot 50% from the field.

In the second quarter of play, Louisville came out of the gates strong, extending their lead to 12 points early, on a made field goal by Elif Istanbulluoglu. Miami clawed its way back, making the deficit just seven on a made free throw by Cavinder at the 6:47 mark. However, Louisville owned the second quarter, widening their lead to as much as 18. To end the first half, Miami was down 43-27. 

The second half did not go any better for the Hurricanes. Louisville scored 22 to Miami’s 13 third-quarter points. 13 of Louisville’s points were off turnovers, and seven were fast break opportunities. Going into the last 10 minutes of play, Louisville was up 65-40. 

The bright side of the 4th quarter for Miami was that it outscored Louisville 16 to 9. However, that was not enough to make a comeback. Miami fell 74-56.

Miami will look to pick up its first win of 2025 and get back to its winning ways against Virginia Tech this Sunday at noon back home in Coral Gables.

Miami starts strong, collapses in second half in first game without Larrañaga

Shea Mcdonald
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Miami starts strong, collapses in second half in first game without Larrañaga

In the first game of the post-Jim Larrañaga era, the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team again found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. After getting outscored by 22 in the second half, Miami fell to Boston College 78-68 and dropped to 4-9 on the season.

Miami came flying out of the gates, scoring the first eight points of the game. Most of the damage was done through center Lynn Kidd, who went a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and totaled 11 first-half points. Along with him, guard Paul Djobet came out firing as well.

Off the bench, he scored eight of his 10 total points on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field, including one of Miami’s two first-half three-pointers.

Defensively, the ’Canes smothered the Eagles, holding four of their five starters to one or fewer shots made. This included forcing a 1-of-6 half from guard Donald Hand Jr. and completely blanking forward Elijah Strong. The one area of struggle for Miami’s defense was in the paint.

After the 8:38 mark, where Miami amassed its 19-point lead, Boston College big Chad Venning subbed back into the game and changed the momentum of everything. 11 straight points from Venning chipped away at Miami’s lead, and by halftime, the Hurricanes led by a solid yet manageable margin of 12 points.

With a decent lead, momentum and a chance to start the new year with a big win to start the post-Larrañaga era, Miami fell flat on its face. Out of the gate, Miami’s offense was a mess, committing four turnovers in the first three minutes of the half. This led to easy transition buckets, and in a blink of an eye, Boston College cut Miami’s lead down to just four.

Even worse for Miami, its guards just couldn’t stop fouling. Freshman guard Divine Ugochukwu took two quick fouls after UM’s turnovers, and within the backcourt, Djobet picked up three, and Jalil Bethea picked up two of his own. This got the Eagles to the line early, and after holding them to seven first-half free throws, Boston College shot 19 free throws in the second half, converting on 15 of them.

Miami kept trying to create separation, but the only one who had anything going was guard Matthew Cleveland.

He poured in 15 of his game-leading 21 points in the second-half and tried his best to keep the team afloat while his teammates struggled heavily. This wasn’t only with turnovers. Kidd, who was perfect in the first half, went 1-of-5 in the latter half. Brandon Johnson was blanked on seven attempts for the game, and Austin Swartz, whom Miami turned to in the second half hoping to get some offensive spark, shot 2-of-8, including 1-of-7 from behind the arc.

As a team, Miami shot 10-of-35 for a total of 29% in the second half, and if you take away Cleveland’s efforts, just a little over 20 percent.

With a little over eight minutes left in the game, Boston College held the lead after a Roger McFarlane triple. The Eagles didn’t just take the lead; they ran away with the momentum like Miami had failed to do.

Soon, Boston College’s lead ballooned to nine points, and it was able to hold onto it. Miami made scoring runs to get the game within four points, but with Cleveland being the only reliable option in the second half, it just wasn’t enough. Miami was outscored 49 to 27 in this disastrous half, and with another loss, continues this frustrating season.

Miami’s next game will be a road contest against a team struggling nearly as much as them with the Virginia Tech Hokies. That game will take place on Jan. 4, with tip-off at 2:00 p.m.

Miami Hurricanes fire defensive coordinator Lance Guidry

Shea Mcdonald
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Miami Hurricanes fire defensive coordinator Lance Guidry

In an unsurprising announcement, the Miami Hurricanes have dismissed defensive coordinator Lance Guidry. On the firing, head coach Mario Cristobal had this to say, “In a continuous effort to always improve all aspects of our program, I have decided to make a change on defense. We will move forward and make decisions that provide our players, staff, and program the best opportunity to win and develop at the highest level.”

It was an obvious decision given the struggles all season, allowing 30 points per game against power-four schools. The 42-41 loss in the Pop Tart Bowl against Iowa State cemented the need for changes. That game Miami held a six-point lead with a little over six minutes remaining. The Cyclones then went on a 16-play, 84-yard drive from Iowa State, salting the clock as they drove for a touchdown and handed Miami their last loss of the year.

The inability to get key stops time after time plagued Miami and was a large reason for them missing the playoffs. Against Georgia Tech, Miami let up 271 yards on the ground, allowed Georgia Tech to go 9/14 on third down, and lost time of possession 35 to 25. This included several obvious passing downs where Miami let a banged-up Haynes King and backup Aaron Philo convert, keep drives alive, and keep Cam Ward and the explosive Miami offense off the field and out of rhythm. 

Miami still held control of their own destiny going into the final week of the regular season against Syracuse, and once again the defense let Miami down. After starting up 21-0, Miami was outscored 35-7 through the second and third quarters. Though that was helped by a Syracuse scoop and score touchdown, that run is absolutely inexcusable in a must-win game. With the season on the line, Mario Cristobal put his faith in his defense one last time. Settling for a field goal on Syracuse’s five-yard line with the hope that, having 3:42 left in the game, the Canes’ defense could force one stop and give Miami the opportunity to win the game. Once again, with certainty on what the opposing team was going to do, Miami could not stop it. A run defense that was one of the best in the nation last year once again failed to get any push. Syracuse gained three first downs and iced away any chance of Miami getting the ball back and killed any hope of making the College Football Playoffs. 

Miami was one of the worst defenses in preventing explosive plays and ranked 96th in 20-yard plays and 106th in 50-yard plays. This gets worse when accounting for just games against Power Four schools, dropping Miami to 118th and 124th, respectively. Miami only forced 18 forced turnovers on the year, making the constant defensive lapses unsustainable for the offense to cover up for. 

Where this falls on Guidry is that this defense wasn’t bad last year. Miami’s defense was fairly solid against the pass and exceptional against the run. The overall numbers aren’t drastically worse this year, but the Canes’ have an explosive offense, and with less pressure on the defense, they couldn’t carry their weight.

Though Miami lost guys like Kamren Kinchens, Leonard Taylor, and James Williams last year, the lack of development from younger players and regression of some veterans led to the defensive mess this season, and Guidry has to take the blame on that. This even started to hurt the Canes’ outside of just games. Florida safety and flipped Miami commit Hylton Stubbs spoke of this on a podcast, stating, “It was looking like it was a player thing and a coaching thing, and that’s most likely a coaching thing.” Losing guys like Stubbs, and on the hunt for defensive prospects in the transfer portal, there needs to be certainty that changes to improve the coaching on defense are on the way. 

With Guidry out, Miami will need to make improvements in both coaching and personnel to get back on track. This is especially so considering the uncertainty that the offense will face losing Cam Ward and a slim yet possible chance that Shannon Dawson goes with him. Combine that with Xavier Restrepo (draft), Jacolby George (draft), Sam Brown (draft), Elijah Arroyo (draft), and Isaiah Horton (transfer) all gone, leaving Miami without its top receivers and tight end and now star running back Damien Martinez also declaring for the draft, this Canes’ offense will look completely different. Next year they will desperately need their counterparts on defense to return to an acceptable form if not more. Whoever steps in to fill Guidry’s shoes will play a key role in any success Miami plans on having next season.

McDonald: Takeaways from Miami’s 42-41 loss to Iowa State

Shea Mcdonald
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McDonald: Takeaways from Miami’s 42-41 loss to Iowa State

The Miami Hurricanes ended their season with one more crushing last-second loss. In the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Iowa State, they fell 42-41, wrapping up an exciting but slightly disappointing season. Here are some of the key takeaways from Miami’s season finale.

One Last Close Loss

Miami thrived early in the year on playing with fire and ended the season getting burned one last time. The Hurricanes’ two losses that booted them out of playoff contention were by one score, and this bowl just by a single point. After combining for 59 first-half points, both teams slowed down, and Miami generated several defensive stops. But when the defense needed to step up, quarterback Rocco Becht, starting at his own 16-yard line, led the Cyclones on a 16-play, 84 -yard drive that ended with a touchdown. Miami’s offense, which stalled in the second half, didn’t respond and ended the game unable to move into scoring position. It was another game that was lost due to Miami’s inability to get stops when it mattered most.

Defensive Reset

One last time for the season, Miami’s defense let them down. Once again, the same issues plagued Miami’s defense from start to finish. 28 points allowed in the first half, the 16-play drive to win the game and the inability to make a play when it was needed most cost Miami. The ’Canes entered the game missing defensive backs Daryl Porter Jr. and Damari Brown, leaving what was an already struggling group with even fewer options.

Miami constantly looked lost, and though it did create defensive stops during the second half, it didn’t make plays when it was needed most. It is of the utmost importance Miami addresses the defense going into the offseason. In terms of personnel, the Hurricanes have already acquired some big-name transfers in the secondary. The biggest question is defensive coordinator Lance Guidry. He has drawn criticism for the constant errors and mistakes by Miami’s defense.

Cam Ward: Going Out With a Bang

Cam Ward, in his final collegiate game, solidified what many draft experts and frequent Miami watchers have known for months now. Ward will most definitely be a top 5 pick, if not the number one overall pick, in the upcoming NFL draft. Between standing in the pocket and rifling throws downfield or playing his signature style of backyard football and buying time for his receivers to get open, Ward did it all.

Senior wide receiver catches senior quarterback Cam Ward’s record breaking touchdown pass in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Emily Rice

What made it even more impressive was that he did it all without three of his top five receivers, as Isaiah Horton (who transferred to Alabama), Xavier Restrepo and Sam Brown all sat out. In just the first half, Ward posted 190 yards and three touchdowns. That took Ward to 158 passing touchdowns in a career, the most all-time in Division I college football. But that was the end of his day, as the Heisman finalist did not play in the second half.

Committed Culture

Miami’s roster might look different next year, but against the Cyclones, there weren’t a ton of differences. UM had some notable draft-eligible opt-outs and transfers in their secondary and receiving room, but for the most part, the ’Canes fielded a team that was fairly like the one seen most of the year. One of those players rewarded by opt-outs was receiver Joshisa “Jojo” Trader. The freshman finished with three receptions for 61 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown reception in the first half. It’s a testament to the culture that Cristobal has built, and he said it himself before the game, calling it the result of, “highly effective, productive, and committed culture.”

With that in mind, the absence of Ward in the second half takes away some of the impact of that view. When asked after the game, Cristobal was vague on why.

“I think all meetings with players and decisions like that, we make them in private, and we keep them in private,” Cristobal said to reporters. “So I’ll prefer not to answer questions as it relates to that. I know he played his best while he was in there.”

Run-Run-Run

Miami’s ground game was the star of the show. The backfield duo of Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. was rumbling the entire night. Martinez, with his first carry of the game, went for 75 yards and a touchdown and finished with a total of 179 rushing yards. Fletcher had 62 rushing yards and a touchdown himself.

Junior running back Damien Martinez looks back and points while running 75 yards for a touchdown in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Emily Rice

Miami finished with 308 total yards on the ground, a bowl game record, and though it couldn’t get the win, it was a testament to UM’s ability in the trenches, and with questions at quarterback, it could be a strength to rely on next season. Fletcher and the promising freshman Jordan Lyle could hold down the backfield for the future.

Who’s Next Up?

Looking to next year, the question of who’s next is in the quarterback room. Miami, despite probably knowing that Ward likely wouldn’t play a large portion of the game, seemed either unwilling or unprepared to let sophomore quarterback Emory Williams even attempt to throw the football during his second half of action. Before the final drive of the game, Williams had attempted just six passes and completed just two for six yards.

After Iowa State scored, putting Miami at a one-point deficit, Williams got the ball with under a minute left with two timeouts, needing a field goal to win the game. He struggled to push the ball downfield, and with the game on the line, he couldn’t move the football. Finishing the game 5-of-14 for 26 yards and an interception, it wasn’t an ideal showcase of what could be Miami’s future under center. Over the course of the offseason, it will be interesting to see if Miami really does trust Williams or if it will look at the portal again for a quarterback.

Building Blocks

Though Miami’s season didn’t end like many would have hoped with either a College Football Playoff appearance or a bowl win, it’s a step forward in the Mario Cristobal era. That being said, it’s fair to point out that in 2017, Miami also finished 10-3 that year but lost in the Orange Bowl and went backwards in the years following. So, whether Miami uses this season to build or goes back to mediocrity is a question for Cristobal and how he can use his recruiting ability to keep this roster refreshed.

The ‘Canes high school recruiting class was the 14th-best in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and they’ve already secured numerous key transfer prospects. Questions on defense and quarterback are definite musts UM should address, but there’s a lot of good still left on this roster. This season put Miami back on the map, but it’s up to Cristobal and the Hurricanes to figure out if they’re going to stay there.

Miami Women’s Basketball falls to UNC at home 69-60 in first big ACC matchup

Zach Cohen
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Miami Women’s Basketball falls to UNC at home 69-60 in first big ACC matchup

On Thursday, the Miami women’s basketball team (11-2, 1-1 ACC) had a marquee matchup against the No.17 ranked University of North Carolina Tar Heels (13-2, 1-1 ACC) at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Fans at the arena enjoyed the Holiday game theme but left a little less cheerful this holiday season as UNC came away victorious, 69-60. 

Despite the loss, Miami’s efforts were led by Haley Cavinder and Jasmyne Roberts. The reigning Maui Classic MVP, Haley Cavinder scored 19 points as well as securing 11 rebounds in her fourth consecutive game with a double-double. As well as knocking down baskets, Cavinder dished out five assists for her teammates. Fellow Guard, Jasmyne Roberts also had a 19-point game, going 4-6 from behind the arc. 

In the first half, Miami could not find much rhythm out on the court being down early at the end of the first quarter, 21-14. The second quarter didn’t fare much better as UNC once held a 17-point advantage with 3:14 left in the half. Miami was able to slightly come back, going on a 7-0 run to close out the first 20 minutes of the game. Turnovers were a problem for Miami, UNC scored 11 points off turnovers compared to Miami’s two. 

Going into the back half of the game, Miami came out strong shrinking the deficit to seven points at the 8:11 mark of the third quarter. Roberts would go on to hit two daggers from 3-point land and Haley Cavinder would grab a defensive board and run down the court to hit her sister Hanna for a highlight reel behind the back pass resulting in a layup. Despite these efforts, UNC would go back up double digits and Miami would trail 15 entering the final quarter of the game. 

In the fourth, Miami would try to claw their way back in the game but poor free throw and 3-point shooting allowed UNC to retain the lead, going on to win 69-60. 

A loss wasn’t how the Hurricanes envisioned ending 2024. While Miami has played well all season, the challenges of conference play are only just beginning. For Coach Tricia Cullop, this game provided a valuable opportunity to understand the grit and determination required to compete and succeed in ACC matchups.

Miami will take a trip to Kentucky on January 2nd where they will face off against Louisville at 7 p.m.

No. 13 Miami falls short in the Pop Tarts Bowl to Iowa State 

Giovanni Alonso
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Four short weeks ago, both Miami and Iowa State had aspirations of conference and national titles. However, late-season missteps had not only knocked both teams out of the College Football Playoff but also left them with a desire to finish the season strong.

Both the Hurricanes and the Cyclones entered the Pop Tarts Bowl short-handed. Iowa State standout Jayden Higgins, a senior receiver who led the team in yards and touchdowns, announced his declaration for the 2025 NFL Draft following pregame warm-ups. Miami, on the other hand, played without two of their top two cornerbacks, as well as three of their five leading receivers, including first-team All-American Xavier Restrepo.

Trailing by six late in the fourth quarter, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht led the Cyclones on a methodical, 16-play, 84-yard drive, taking 5:38 off of the clock before a quarterback sneak gave ISU the lead. Miami’s frantic final drive fell short, as quarterback Emory Williams’ last-second heave was intercepted as time expired, giving the Cyclones a 42-41 win on Saturday night at Camping World Stadium.

 “This team has faced a lot of adversity … and they’ve never flinched,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said.

Miami’s start to the game was disastrous. An errant snap led to a fumble that was recovered by Iowa State’s Cael Brezina. After the Cyclones scored the game’s opening touchdown, Miami responded quickly, as running back Damien Martinez went 75 yards to the house on the first play of the ensuing drive. Momentum continued to shift, with quarterback Cam Ward finding Jacolby George to tie the game up at 14, while Iowa State’s Carson Hansen tallied two touchdowns to give Iowa State a 21-14 edge at the end of the first quarter.

Senior quarterback Cam Ward throws the football in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Emily Rice

Ward’s touchdown pass to George was historic, as it was the Heisman finalist’s 156th career passing touchdown: an NCAA Division I record. Ward broke the record set by Case Keenum (155 touchdowns) during his time at Houston (2007-11).

The back-and-forth action continued into the second quarter. Both offenses looked unstoppable, as the teams combined for eight consecutive touchdown drives. As the clock wound down, Ward put senior kicker Andres Borregales in position for a 29-yard field goal, giving the Hurricanes their first lead of the game, 31-28, heading into halftime.

The second half brought a surprise for ’Canes fans. Backup quarterback Emory Williams replaced Cam Ward. 

Ward, who did not return, finished the game with 190 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal did not comment on the decision to keep Ward out of the second half.

 “I think all meetings with players and decisions like that, we make them in private, and we keep them in private … I know he played his best while he was in there,” Cristobal said.

Without their primary signal-caller, Miami turned to its workhorse, Martinez. The junior back finished the game with 179 rushing yards and one touchdown, making him the first Hurricanes running back to hit the 1,000-yard mark since Mark Walton in 2016 (1,117 yards). The team’s 308 rushing yards also set a program bowl game record, a fact that was not lost on Miami’s offensive linemen.

“It would’ve felt better with the win,” said Jalen Rivers, a fifth-year offensive tackle and team captain. “But it means a lot that we were able to rush like we did today.”

Kicker Andres Borregales’ fourth-quarter field goal extended the Hurricane lead to six and also made him Miami’s all-time leading scorer (405 points). But it wouldn’t be enough; the Cyclones went on their game-winning drive on the possession that followed.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Rocco Becht celebrates winning Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP with his teammates in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. Photo Credit: Emily Rice

Becht threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns, with 117 of those yards and one touchdown going to senior receiver Jaylin Noel. Sophomore Carson Hansen rushed for 82 yards and tallied three total touchdowns.

Miami (10-3, 6-2 ACC) ends the season losing three of its last four matchups after a 9-0 start. 2024 marks only the second time a Miami team has won 10 games since the 2003 season.

Williams was underwhelming in relief of Ward, completing just five of 14 passes for 26 yards and an interception. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. finished with 62 yards and one touchdown, and true freshman wide receiver Joshisa Trader finished with three catches for 61 yards and his first career touchdown.

It will be a long offseason for the Hurricanes as they look to reload for the 2025 campaign.

Jim Larrañaga steps down as Miami men’s basketball’s head coach

Shea Mcdonald
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Jim Larrañaga steps down as Miami men’s basketball’s head coach

In the middle of his 14th season as the head coach of the University of Miami men’s basketball team, head coach Jim Larrañaga has decided to step down. In his 14 seasons as Miami’s head coach, he became the winningest in program history, leading the ’Canes to a 274-174 record.

After leading the program to its first Elite Eight and Final Four appearances in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Miami regressed. Last season was rocky, plagued by injuries and ended with a 10-game skid to end the season, and this season seemed to be trending in a similar direction. On Saturday, Miami lost a brutal game in overtime to Mount St. Mary’s to drop them to 4-8 on the season.

With the inconsistencies and constant lineup changes, the 75-year-old Larrañaga had become noticeably frustrated.

“A team I thought would be a great three-point shooting team this year went 5-for-25 from three, and most of the shots were open,” Larrañaga said to reporters after Miami’s loss to Mount St. Mary’s.

In Miami Athletics release, Larrañaga made clear that the struggles of the last two years have taken a toll on him.

“I owe it to our student athletes, our staff, and the University of Miami to make this move when my heart is no longer in the game,” Larrañaga said. “The university needs a new leader of the program, one who is adept at and embracing of the new world of intercollegiate athletics.”

This past offseason, Miami returned just three players from last year’s squad and was forced to retool almost the entire team.

Though his tenure ends on a sour note, he will be remembered for building a culture for what was a less-known program before his time with the Hurricanes.

Before Larrañaga, Miami had only appeared in the NCAA tournament six times and just once in the decade before he arrived. Over Larrañaga’s tenure, the ’Canes made it six times, four times going all the way to the Sweet 16 or further. This includes the Hurricanes’ aforementioned Elite Eight and Final Four runs, the first in program history. He also claimed Miami’s first ACC tournament title in 2013 and the first two regular season crowns in 2013 and 2023. Time and time again, he was recognized for being one of the best coaches in the nation, and he will hold an untouchable legacy at the university.

Miami is expected to turn to associate head coach Bill Courtney for the remainder of the season, as first reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. Miami’s first game without Larrañaga will come on New Year’s Day, as Miami plays Boston College at the Watsco Center. Tip-off is at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Hurricane MBB’s disastrous collapse leads to a 78-74 overtime loss

Zach Cohen
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Hurricane MBB’s disastrous collapse leads to a 78-74 overtime loss

Going into this game, the Miami Hurricanes were 17.5 point favorites against the Mount St. Mary Mountaineers according to CBS Sports. However, Miami fell short, losing 78-74 in overtime. Sports aren’t always about the odds, especially when Miami Men’s basketball steps on the court.

Mount St Mary, a small mid-major university, playing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), would usually have no business playing against a power-four team like Miami, but given Miami’s disappointing season, anything can happen. 

From the opening-tip, there was a sense that it was going to be a long afternoon for Miami. In the first minute, a bad pass from Lynn Kidd led to a turnover and an easy two pointer for the Mountaineers on the other side of the court. Mount St. Mary would go on to take the early 8-2 lead until Matthew Cleveland slammed down an alley–oop dunk from Brandon Johnson, something ‘Canes fans see regularly from the high flying Cleveland. 

The theme of the first half was turnovers and steals, The Mountaineers tallied 12 while Miami had eight. Miami did capitalize off turnovers, scoring 19 first half points. Both teams had eight steals going into the half. All season Miami has been struggling with turnovers, but given the sloppy play from their opponents they had a commanding 38-28 lead. 

As Miami ran out of the locker room for the start of the second half, they were looking to start a win streak, the first time since November 10th. 

Early in the second half Miami would maintain a sizable lead, however as the time kept winding down Mount St Mary’s came back into the game as Miami collapsed on both sides of the ball.

Miami’s defense could not lock up anyone, as Terrell Ard Jr. would go 5-6 from the field and score 12 big second half points for the Mountaineers. 

As Mount St Mary’s kept on rolling, Javon Ervin would tie the game up 62-62. With two minutes to spare in the game Ervin would sink another basket, giving Mount St. Mary’s a 66-64 lead. Luckily for the Hurricanes, Jalil Bethea would knock down a shot to send the game to overtime. 

The Mountaineers would continue their fight in the five minute overtime period, outclassing the Hurricanes. When you shoot 2-8 in overtime it’s hard to win, and that is what Miami did. 5-star Jalil Bethea was visibly frustrated with himself as some boos came from the small crowd inside the Watsco Center. 

When you shoot 41% from the field and 5-25 from beyond the arc it is hard to win basketball games. Each game it seems like a new problem occurs for this Miami Hurricanes basketball team. The way things look, the next few months will be long for this team. 

Miami head coach Jim Larrenaga did let Jalil Bethea get a lot of run today. Seeing 29 minutes on the court and scoring a career-high 17 points. Matthew Cleveland also had a solid performance scoring 19 points. 

With the new year approaching, comes new year resolutions. For the Hurricanes, their resolution should be to win some games and play a meaningful full 40 minutes of basketball. 

Miami will face off against Boston College on New Year’s Day in Chestnut Hill at 12 p.m. for their first game of 2025.

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