Tre Donaldson's Career Night Will's Miami to Victory over Virginia Tech
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — "Are y'all having fun?"
Those words by head coach Jai Lucas are synonymous with the Miami Hurricanes (21-5, 10-3 ACC) as they defeat Virginia Tech in a nail-biting finish, winning their fourth straight game 67-66, thanks to a career-high from star guard Tre Donaldson.
"I mean, they're not going to all be pretty," Donaldson said after scoring a career high 32 points against the Hokies. "You don't know what it's going to take to win a game, so late mid-February like this, you just have to find ways to win a game. And that's why that matters."
Not only was this another great win for the Hurricanes, but they also did it with a team that wasn't 100 percent healthy.
The Hurricanes battled with leading scorer Malik Reneau to start the game, but it was clear something was off. He spent most of the second half in the locker room, where the Canes struggled defensively.
"I think it was a migraine," Lucas said. "I really don't know, but it was a headache or something that was going on that kind of had him a little blurry and just couldn't deal with it. So we'll see. You know, we tried our best to get them back out there, and then you just kind of willed yourself out there again."
However, offensively, it was the Donaldson show. Every cross, shake, and roll was electric in the Watsco Center as the star guard dazzled in the final minutes of the game.
TRE (THE GAMER) DONALDSON 🔥🙌
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) February 18, 2026
32 PTS (career-high)
13/24 FG
3/7 3P pic.twitter.com/G3X9E7zUmI
This game was similar to the battle against NC State. It was a close game, never growing beyond a four-point lead, and late, the Canes were down four until Donaldson willed the team on his back.
In the closing stretches of the game, the senior guard scored Miami's last 15 points. Highlighting why Lucas got him and why he will be so important in March.
"I didn't really have to say anything to him," Lucas said. "You know what I mean? We just reading the game and I felt like he had it going, so I just tried to put him in a bunch of balls and try to find matchups, which we normally don't do and which I'm normally like not a big advocate of, but we had to get to it, and that's what we had to do. We had to find a way to win the game. And he delivered."
That confidence goes from head coach to his starting center.
"I'm sitting there in the dunker, I'm seeing the shots going and for me, it's not a standpoint of, like, oh, wow, like, he just it's Tre. Ernest Udeh Jr. said. "You know, I know what he's capable of, and I'm blessed to be able to call him my point guard, night in and night out.
"So, of course, from my perspective, you know, from [others] perspective, it looks crazy, it looks amazing to me, it's Tre. As you said, he's in the gym, always, first one there, last one out, extra reps all the time. So his making that shot is, of course, Tre shot it."
The Hurricanes now look to extend their win streak against No. 14 Virginia to try and crack the rankings for the first time in two years.
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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.
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