Three takeaways from Miami’s win over Virginia Tech

Miami’s NCAA Tournament hopes seemed to be dwindling when Miami trailed by ten points in the second half of its matchup with Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon. The Hurricanes rallied to beat the Hokies to notch a Quad 2 win but still face a tough road to make the tourney for the third straight year.

Miami remains outside of the Tournament according to ESPN’s Bracketology, but will have a significant opportunity to boost its resume if it can pull out a road win over Virginia Monday night. Tip is scheduled for 7 PM Eastern

Here are three thoughts from Miami’s home win over Virginia Tech.

Freshman Kyshawn George’s versatility is becoming more and more valuable to the team’s success. George tied for a game-high 16 points (5-8 from the field, 2-2 from three) and added five rebounds.

What is most impressive about George is his ability to defend, which was apparent against Virginia Tech. George notched four steals and a block and held Hokie shot-maker Sean Pedulla to 8-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-10 from three-point range.

His length at 6’8″ makes him one of the most versatile guards in college basketball. His ability to run the floor, make big shots, and play defense has been critical to Miami’s success. A steal by George on an inbound with 3:42 left led to an easy two points and a three-point play on a drive to the basket with 1:55 remaining, put the Hurricanes up for good against the Hokies.

He’s scored double-digits in four of his last five games, with Miami winning three of those contests. He arguably played his best all-around game against the Hokies, and it seems the best is yet to come for the freshman this season.

Matthew Cleveland returned from a two-game absence due to a hip injury and contributed in a big way to Miami’s Saturday afternoon victory. His 15 points and team-leading 13 rebounds were crucial, with Norchad Omier in foul trouble for most of the game.

His alley-oop dunk with 58 seconds left put the nail in the coffin for the Hurricanes. His health, as well as the health of Omier, Wooga Poplar, and Nijel Pack (who have all missed at least two games this season due to injury), loom large to Miami’s chances of dancing in March.

If Bensley Joseph did not provide much-needed energy from the bench in the second half against the Hokies, Miami could have suffered its second straight loss.

Joseph was subbed in at 15:39 left in the game down ten points, and a layup and three-pointer by the junior gave the Hurricanes a spark. Joseph would add another layup, a block, and another three in transition to continue the rally.

It was the first time in the last three games that Joseph finished with double-digit points (14). He essentially has been jumped by George on the depth chart but his energy off the bench can be the difference between winning and losing for the Hurricanes.