Virginia Completes Season-Sweep Over Miami with 74-71 Win in Coral Gables

Kihei Clark, Jayden Gardner, and Kadin Shedrick came up huge for the Cavaliers in a big-time road victory over the Hurricanes

Don’t count out the Wahoos just yet.

Virginia bounced back from Monday night’s disappointing loss at Virginia Tech with a big-time 74-71 victory over Miami on Saturday night in Coral Gables.

After a slow start, UVA held Miami scoreless for over four minutes and the Cavaliers took their first lead of the game on a Kadin Shedrick putback. Shedrick scored 10 points in the first half to lead the Hoos, who had a 30-29 lead late in the half. Shedrick finished with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double off the bench.

Miami closed the half on a 9-0 run and led 38-30 at halftime. Kameron McGusty scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the first half.

The Canes scored again to start the second half and stretched the lead to ten points, but the Cavaliers stormed back with an 8-0 run, powered by three-pointers from Kihei Clark and Kody Stattmann, who gave the Hoos a huge lift off the bench with eight points. UVA had a 21-6 advantage in bench points due to the production of Stattmann and Shedrick.

After Virginia fell behind 40-30, UVA went on a massive 23-4 run to take a nine-point lead. Kihei Clark knocked down three three-pointers during the run. Clark finished 17 points and five assists and also recorded his 1,000th career point in the contest. 

Jayden Gardner was lights out from the mid-range, scoring 15 of his game-high 23 points in the second half.

Miami responded to the Virginia run with a 7-0 burst to get back to within two points. Jordan Miller kept the Hurricanes close with eight second-half points and finished with 15 points and six rebounds.

In a pivotal sequence with less than two minutes remaining, Gardner stripped Miller on a drive to the basket, then Gardner hit a clutch fadeaway jumper as the shot clock expired to put UVA up by six points. Gardner led Virginia with 23 points on 9/14 shooting, seven rebounds, and three blocks.

Some missed free throws and a few late baskets from Miami made for some late drama, but Virginia eventually put Miami away to complete the season sweep of the Hurricanes with a 74-71 win, which also qualifies as UVA’s third Quad 1 victory of the season.

Virginia has now won five of its last six games, which includes two wins over Miami, and the Cavaliers are now 17-10 and 11-6 in ACC play. UVA returns home for a big-time rematch against Duke on Wednesday at 7pm. 

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