Miami made a big transfer Sunday, when former Florida State winger Matthew Cleveland announced his commitment to the Hurricanes over Auburn and Missouri. Cleveland is No. 13 in CBS Sports Transfer Ratings And he will be crucial in helping Miami replenish some lost production from a team that won the ACC regular season title before reaching the Final Four for the first time in program history.
The move within the conference and within the state is particularly noteworthy due to the role Cleveland played in handing the Hurricanes a stunning loss in the 2022-23 season. Cleveland hit a opposing three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat Miami on February 25 and hand the Hurricanes their only home loss of the season. The Seminoles rallied from a 25-point deficit in the largest comeback in ACC history thanks to a 20-point run from Cleveland.
Ultimately, the Cleveland Cents at Florida State were marked by more frustrations than wins. FSU missed the NCAA Tournament both seasons and finished just 9-23 (7-13 ACC) in 2022-23. Amidst the Seminoles’ struggles, Cleveland led the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game this past season while also grabbing 7.4 rebounds.
Here are some points from his commitment to Miami…
A big role awaits
Isaiah Wong, the leading scorer from Miami’s quarterfinal sprint, entered the NBA Draft And she has no plans to return for a fifth and final season of eligibility after averaging 16.2 points in 2022-23. Second-place finisher Jordan Miller is disqualified, and teammates Nigel Buck and Norshad O’Meyer are testing the drag waters.
Even if Buck and O’Mere go back to college, there’s still ample opportunity for Cleveland to step in and play a starring role. He’s similar to Miller, who finished second in rebounding for Miami last season with a 6-foot-6 winger.
Cleveland has untapped potential
At 6-foot-7 and with a 3-point shooting percentage that improved to 35% during his sophomore season, Cleveland has some potential. NBA wing. The former five-star needs to improve his defense and show more consistency from the outside if he’s going to get to the next level; However, he is a proven ACC product who can attack the basket or score from midrange. A more flexible offensive system like Miami’s could help Cleveland unlock its potential. Veteran Canes coach Jim Larranaga has had plenty of success with big transfers in recent years, including Miller, Pack and Omier.
Options are dwindling
With Cleveland off the board, only two of the top 20 players in North America CBS Sports Transmission Ratings remain uncommitted. They are Texas Tech Transfer Jaylon Tyson and Penn Transfer Jordan Dingle. Thursday marks the deadline for players to enter the gate and qualify for the 2023-24 season. While there may be the final wave players to hit the college basketball open market before the entry deadline and the movement will continue for weeks after the deadline, the majority of the big-name talent who will move this cycle have announced their destinations.