As a Sophomore at Florida State (2022-23): Julius Erving Award Preseason Watch List & Top 10 Candidate
Played in 30 of 32 games, starting each contest he appeared in … Averaged 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 33.6 minutes per game … Shot 44.5 percent from the floor and 35.0 percent at the line … Paced the team with 11 double-doubles, including eight in a row … Led the Seminoles in scoring, made field goals (157) and defensive rebounding (6.0) … Placed second in rebounding, offensive rebounding (1.4), blocks per game (0.8), made free throws (8), free-throw attempts (116) and minutes average, as well as third in starts and 3-point percentage, made 3-pointers (21) … Tied a school single-game record by making 10 free throws without a miss … Finished sixth in the ACC in double-doubles, rebounding, defensive rebounding (No. 61 in NCAA) and No. 12 in field-goal percentage … Tied for the third-most made free throws without a miss by an ACC player all season … In ACC-only action, ranked second in defensive rebounding (7.2), co-third in double-doubles (nine), sixth in rebounding (8.7), eighth in blocks (1.1), No. 10 in minutes (35.2) and No. 14 in field-goal percentage (42.6) … Became the 10th ACC player (11th occurrence) in the last 16 seasons, including the fourth in the last five, to average at least 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game on 35.0 percent 3-point shooting (min. one 3PA per game), as well as one of just seven Power Six players to do so in 2022-23 … Scored in double digits a co-team-high 25 times, including 18 in a row, with 15-plus a team-leading 14 times, including six straight, and 20-plus four times … Pulled down five-plus boards in 22 outings, with seven-plus 16 times, 10-plus 11 times (all in a 16-game span) and 12-plus six times, all the most among Seminoles … Tallied multiple assists in 17 contests, with three plus nine times, including eight in a 14-game stretch, and four-plus twice, both within four games … Logged multiple steals in six outings … Blocked multiple shots seven times, including in six of his final 13 appearances, with three on two occasions, in consecutive games … Played at least 30 minutes 25 times, reaching 35-plus 15 times, including five in a row, and 38-plus thrice … Led or co-led the Seminoles in scoring a team-best 19 times and in rebounding a team-high 11 times … Amassed eight of the nine instances of a Seminole grabbing 12-plus rebounds, including both with 13-plus … Registered the second-most single-game free throws made (10) and attempted (10), as well as twice tied for second in single-game made field goals (nine) … Logged the team’s fifth-highest single-game point total (23) … Posted 16 points and seven rebounds, shooting 6-of-11, in 38 minutes against Stetson (11/7) in the season opener … Logged 14 points, seven boards, two assists and a 4-of-4 free-throw clip versus Florida (11/18) … Amassed 18 points, two assists, two blocks and a season-high two steals against Mercer (11/21), finishing 6-of-10 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the line … Scored 17 points on a 6-of-11 field-goal clip and 5-of-6 free throw mark versus Nebraska (11/27) in Kissimmee, Fla., adding six boards … Put up 20 points and six rebounds against fifth-ranked Purdue (11/30), shooting 8-of-12 from the floor and 3-of-3 at the stripe … Notched an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double at third-ranked Virginia (12/3) … Registered 12 points, eight boards and a season-high-tying two steals against Louisville (12/10) … Opened his eight-game double-double streak with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes versus USC Upstate (12/13) … Scored a career-best 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting against St. John’s (12/17) in Sunrise, Fla., adding 13 rebounds, two assists and a co-season-best two steals in 37 minutes … Put up 19 points, 12 boards and three assists versus Notre Dame (12/21), shooting 3-of-4 from deep to set a career high in makes … Tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes at No. 17/14 Duke (12/31), connecting on all 10 of his free throws to set a career high in makes … Compiled 21 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes against Georgia Tech (1/7), shooting 9-of-16 to set a career best in makes … Recorded 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 12 rebounds at Wake Forest (1/11) … Notched 10 points, 10 rebounds two assists and a career-best three blocks versus No. 13/12 Virginia (1/14), playing all 40 minutes for the first time … Ended his double-double streak with 14 points and a career-high 16 boards, all on the defensive end, at Notre Dame (1/17), adding a career-best five assists and co-career-best three blocks in 37 minutes … Finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the win at Pittsburgh (1/21) … Compiled 18 points and four assists in 38 minutes against No. 24/23 Clemson (1/28), making all three of his free throws and tying a career best with three made 3-pointers … Tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and co-season-high two steals at Louisville (2/4), shooting 5-of-6 at the stripe … Produced 19 pints, 12 boards, three assists and two blocks in 37 minutes against Syracuse (2/11), shooting 9-of-19 to tie his career best in makes, in his 18th consecutive double-digit scoring performance … Did not play at Clemson (2/15) and against Boston College (2/18) due to back spasms … Returned with 20 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, and five assists at No. 13/11 Miami (2/25), shooting 8-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-3 at the line … Had 12 points and nine boards versus North Carolina (2/27).
As a Freshman at Florida State (2021-22): ACC Sixth Man of the Year … All-ACC Academic Team … Julius Erving Award Preseason Watch List … Two-time ACC Freshman of the Week (1/3 & 2/26) … Golden Nole Male Rookie of the Year Award
Appeared in 29 of 31 contests and made eight starts … Averaged 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26.2 minutes per game … Logged two double-doubles … Paced the team in made field goals (133), made free throws (61) and free-throw attempts (110) … Finished second in scoring, plus third in rebounding (4.6) and defensive rebounding (3.1) … Fifth-leading scorer among ACC freshmen … Scored in double figures a team-best 19 times, including in each of his last nine outings, with 15-plus seven times and 20-plus twice … Grabbed at least five rebounds on 14 occasions, with at least seven nine times and 10 a co-team-best twice … Dished out multiple assists in nine affairs, including five times in a six-game stretch, and posted three-plus four times, including thrice in a four-game span … Collected multiple steals in four contests, with three twice … Blocked multiple shots twice … Played 30-plus minutes on nine occasions, including in seven of the final 11 games, and reached 35 in four outings, all in a six-game stretch … Led or co-led the team in scoring nine times and in rebounding six times … Tied for the fourth-most points (21) and for the second-best field-goal percentage (87.5) in a single game by a Seminole all season … Debuted with nine points and five boards against Penn (11/10) … Posted 11 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes at Florida (11/14) … Scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting versus Loyola Marymount (11/21) in the Jacksonville Classic … Logged 10 points against Missouri (11/22) in the Jacksonville Classic … Amassed 17 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including the game-winning overtime buzzer-beater, versus Boston University (11/24), adding seven rebounds, three assists and a season-high two blocks … Recorded his first double-double with a 13-point, 10-rebound showing at NC State (1/1), chipping in two assists … Did not play against Lipscomb (12/15) due to COVID protocols … Posted 13 points and a season-high three steals at Wake Forest (1/4), shooting 7-of-11 at the line to set season bests in both marks … Scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting against Louisville (1/8), pulling down five boards … Logged 15 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 4-of-5 at the line, versus Miami (1/11) … Tallied eight points and six boards in the overtime win over No. 6/5 Duke (1/18) … Totaled a season-high 21 points, a co-season-high 10 rebounds and a season-best four assists against North Florida (1/20), shooting 8-of-16 to tie his top mark in makes … Recorded 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes versus Virginia Tech (1/29), hitting all four of his free throws … Compiled 11 points, nine boards, two assists and a season-high-tying three blocks in a season-best 38 minutes against Wake Forest (2/5) … Put up 12 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes versus Pittsburgh (2/9) … Had 13 points and two steals at North Carolina (2/12) … Scored 13 points in 30 minutes against Clemson (2/15) … Logged 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting in 38 minutes at No. 9/5 Duke (2/19), adding three steals … Finished with 18 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes at Boston College (2/21) … Scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, in 37 minutes at Virginia (2/26) … Did not play against Notre Dame (3/2) due to illness … Returned with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting and a season-high-tying two blocks versus NC State (3/5) … Notched 13 points against Syracuse (3/9) in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
High School: Graduated from Pace Academy … Listed as a top-30 prospect by all major outlets … Finished as a five-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite, placing No. 25 overall, seventh among small forwards and third in Georgia … Named a five-star player and the nation’s No. 18 prospect by Rivals, good for sixth at the small forward spot and second in Georgia … McDonald’s All-American Game nominee and Allen Iverson Roundball Classic participant … Led Pace to a state title as both a senior (Class 2A) and junior (Class 3A) after it had just two previously … Put up 22.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.3 steals per game as a senior, finishing top-25 in the state in scoring (No. 15), rebounding (No. 17), made free throws (No. 19) and steals (No. 22) … Logged 18 double-doubles, including four with 30-plus points … Named a MaxPreps Second Team All-American, as well as the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) 2A Player of the Year and Metro-Atlanta/South Fulton Player of the Year … Led team to a 28-game winning streak during a 28-2 season in which it placed as high as No. 16 in the MaxPreps national rankings … Put up 24 points, seven assists and five blocks in the state title win … Logged 30 points and eight rebounds against Oak Hill Academy (Va.) in the school’s first GEICO Nationals appearance … Averaged 22.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a junior … Tabbed a MaxPreps Junior All-America Honorable Mention, as well as the AJC 3A Player of the Year and a First Team All-Metro-Atlanta/South Fulton honoree … Wendell Carter Jr., of the Orlando Magic and Andrew Thomas of the New York Giants both attended Pace.
Personal: Full name is Matthew Nathaniel Cleveland … Born Sept. 15, 2002 … Parents are Ralph and Sandra Cleveland … Both parents graduated from Georgia Tech, where his mother was a member of the dance team … Father is in business consulting and mother is a school math coach … Has three older sisters, Veronica, Bryana and Alyssa, the latter of whom was a cheerleader at Duke … Majoring in criminology with a minor in sport administration… Member of National Honor Society in high school and graduated with a 3.9 GPA … Favorite athlete is LeBron James … Best sports memory is his game-winning buzzer-beater at Virginia as a freshman … Also played baseball growing up before stopping at age 12 to focus on basketball … Committed to Miami over Auburn and Missouri … Chose Miami because it is a program that wins and has had success with transfers.
