Cleveland Named ACC Sixth Man Of The Year

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) – Florida State freshman Matthew Cleveland, the only player in the ACC to average in double figure scoring while starting fewer than 10 games, has been named the ACC Men’s Basketball Sixth Man of the Year by a blue ribbon voting panel and announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Cleveland becomes the fourth consecutive Seminole to win the award as he follows in footsteps of NBA first round draft picks Mfiondu Kabengele (2019), Patrick Williams (2020) and Scottie Barnes (2021).

The ACC Sixth Man of the Year Award was established in 2014 and has been won by a Seminole player in four of the nine years it has been awarded.

Cleveland and Florida State will play Syracuse in the second round of the ACC Tournament at the Barclay’s Center on Wednesday, March 9 at 12 Noon.

Cleveland has come off the bench in 20 of 28 games, with eight starting assignments.  He was moved into Florida State’s starting lineup on February 2 because of injuries to each member of the Seminoles’ starting five.  Injuries and illnesses have caused eight different Seminole players to miss a total of 50 games.

Cleveland, who averages 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, has been named the ACC Freshman of the Week twice during his first season as a Seminole (January 3 and February 28).  He is Florida State’s leader in field goals made (127), free throws made (60), offensive rebounds (41), and total rebounds (129).

Cleveland’s game-winning 3-point shot against Virginia on February 26 has come to be known as one of the top pass and shot connections in ACC history.  His shot at the buzzer gave the Seminoles a 64-63 win on the road in Charlottesville.

Cleveland has earned two double doubles including a 13-point, 10-rebound performance in the first ACC road game of his career at NC State.  His performance helped the Seminoles gain an 83-81 win over the Wolfpack.  He has scored in double figure scoring 17 times including 10 times as Florida State’s Sixth Man.

Cleveland enters the ACC Tournament with a career-best eight game double figure scoring streak during which he is averaging 14.3 points scored per game.

ACC Sixth Man of The Year Award Winners
2022-Matthew Cleveland, Florida State
2021-Scottie Barnes, Florida State
2020-Patrick Williams, Florida State
2019-Mfiondu Kabengele, Florida State
2018-De’Andre Hunter, Virginia
2017-Seth Allen, Virginia Tech
2016-Isaiah Hicks, North Carolina
2015-BeeJay Anya, NC State
2014-Justin Anderson, Virginia