The Miami Hurricanes Seized the Moment and Snap its 10 Game Losing Streak
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team (5-17, 1-10 ACC) picked up their first conference win of the season and the first Power Five win in nearly a full calendar year as they defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-11, 4-6 ACC) in one of its best defensive performances of the year.
The Hurricanes and the Fighting Irish started the first 10 minutes of the game jocking for a position on who would take the first swing at each other.
The fighting Irish started to pull away during the closing minutes of the first half holding a lead of nine as Bill Courtney continued to try and play around with his lineups during the half. The Hurricanes went down 11 and went into the locker room similar to all the other times, however coming out was a different team.
The Hurricanes continue its season storyline of not being able to get over the hump. In the second half, the Hurricanes always had the juice to get over any team and they started too with 12:40 remaining in the game. The Hurricanes went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead back down to six and something was beginning to brew in the Watsco Center.
In a shocking twist, the defense of the Canes bullied the Fighting Irish in the second half as they only scored 21 points and locked them down as they did not make a single field goal for the final closing minutes.
Then it happened. The Hurricanes got over the hump. They took a lead with less than six minutes remaining and never let it go. The efforts of Notre Dame's Markus Burton were there but the Hurricanes were not letting this one slip away.
Freshman guard Divine Ugochukwu had the trust of Courtney and was left in the game even with three early fouls in the second half. He proceeded to play the best defensive games of his life against the star Fighting Irish guard. Still, the Irish had a chance to cut the lead to one score game but Notre Dame guard Matt Allocco missed every single free throw to cut the lead to a one-point game.
The Hurricanes prevail 63-57 and their head coach took in the moment and kept the message simple.
"The struggles this year, we kept just trying to keep the group together and preach to them keep fighting," interim head coach Bill Courtney said after the victory. "Stick together, fight through adversity, and everything is going to work out if we stick to the course."
Thankfully, the Hurricanes also have Matthew Cleveland playing the best basketball of his career. The senior continues to raise his potential draft stocks with great performances. Despite the losing, the Hurricanes faithful have someone they can root on as Cleveland continues giving his all for Coral Gables.
The Atalanta, Ga native finished the game with 21 points and seven rebounds as he continued to be the main energy source this season.
It just feels very good," Cleveland said post game. "Knowing we show up day in and day out, give it our best, and to try and win and to finally get one it feels really really good."
Now the Hurricanes look to continue their momentum with this win and head to Louisville to take on the Cardinals but they have some time to rest as they won't travel for another week.
READ MORE FROM MIAMI HURRICANES ON SI:
Matthew Cleveland's Advice is to 'Just Smile'
REPORT: No Time Table for the Return of Nijel Pack
Everything Bill Courtney said After Tenth Straight Loss
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.