Feb 11, 2025; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Jalil Bethea (3) celebrates with guard Matthew Cleveland (0) after scoring against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New Found Energy for the Miami Hurricanes

Originally posted on Miami Hurricanes on SI
By Justice Sandle | Last updated Feb 13, 2025 10:28 AM ET

The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team is getting hot at the right time. There is new energy in the locker room as they have won two of their last three games.

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Bill Courtney has worked himself sick to try and figure out the issues with the Hurricanes and now some of the questions are starting to be answered. The first time was to shorten the lineup.

Now the Hurricanes only go about eight deep with the best players they have seeing the floor. This also gives time for a growing star to see the floor more.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Jalil Bethea's confidence was infectious against Syracuse. He finished with a season-high 21 points, played over 30 minutes, and knows all it takes is sticking together.

"I feel like it is I just sticking together like throughout the whole, like 40 minutes," Bethea said. "I feel like that's just what kept us together, this scheme and what made a difference from them."

Senior guard Matthew Cleveland is the leading force of that confidence. Those not paying attention to the Hurricanes have missed out on some of the best play of his career. He has had multiple career games during a seven-game stretch of scoring 20 or more plus points.

He also knows that this team has the capability of winning. it just comes down to the execution in late-game situations.

"I think it's the execution and the trust that we're getting in each other," Cleveland said. "Knowing that we can get stops and we're gonna get good shots and just like our late game execution our effort was always there for the most part, so it was just the little things rebounds and getting good shots."

The Hurricanes have gotten the monkey off their back and now they look to streak together a few wins with a berth in the ACC Tournament being a goal to finish the season.