No. 16/17 Hurricanes Take on No. 2 UConn in Paradise Jam Semifinals
Nov. 22, 2008
ST. THOMAS, VIRGIN ISLANDS – The No. 16/17 University of Miami men’s basketball team faces an early-season challenge on Sunday, taking on No. 2/2 Connecticut in the semifinals of the Paradise Jam. The Hurricanes earned for a date with their former Big East rivals after knocking off Southern Miss, 70-60, in the opening game of the tournament. The second-ranked Huskies join the Hurricanes in the winner’s bracket after defeating La Salle, 89-81, on Friday.
Game 3: No. 16/17 Miami (2-0) vs. No. 2/2 Connecticut (3-0)
Date: Sun., Nov. 23, 2008 | Time: 6 p.m. (EST) | Site: Sports and Fitness Center (at the University of the Virgin Islands)
TV: Fox College Sports | Radio: 880 AM | Internet Video: None
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Connecticut (www.uconnhuskies.com)
Probable Miami Starters
| No. | Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) | Pts | Reb | Ast |
| 5 | Eddie Rios (G, 6-0, 190, So.) | 9.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 33 | Jack McClinton (G, 6-1, 185, Sr.) | 15.5 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| 23 | James Dews (G, 6-4, 209, Jr.) | 6.0 | 2.5 | 1.5 |
| 20 | Cyrus McGowan (F, 6-9, 236, R-Jr.) | 5.5 | 6.5 | 0.5* |
| 21 | Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 238, Jr.) | 16.0 | 12.5 | 0.5 |
Probable Connecticut Starters
| No. | Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) | Pts | Reb | Ast |
| 4 | Jeff Adrien (F, 6-7, 243, Sr.) | 16.0 | 12.0 | 1.7 |
| 11 | Jerome Dyson (G, 6-4, 190, Jr.) | 19.3 | 1.7 | 3.7 |
| 12 | AJ Price (G, 6-2, 181, Sr.) | 6.0 | 4.0 | 2.7 |
| 24 | Craig Austrie (G, 6-3, 176, Sr.) | 12.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 |
| 34 | Hasheem Thabeet (C, 7-3, 263, Jr.) | 13.7 | 10.7 | 4.0* |
* blocks per game
IT’S TOURNAMENT TIME
Sunday’s semifinals will be broadcast live by Fox College Sports, while Monday’s finals and third-place game will be televised by Fox Sports (FSN-Florida in Miami).
With Friday’s win over Southern Miss, the Hurricanes improve to 13-3 in in-season tournament play outside of the continental United States and 4-0 in the Paradise Jam — including a championship run in 2001. Last November, Miami went 3-0 en route to the inaugural Puerto Rico Tip Off title — knocking off Marist, VCU and Providence along the way.
The Paradise Jam continues through Nov. 24. Miami previously won the tournament title in 2001. The talent-laden tournament field in 2008 is considered the strongest in Paradise Jam history. Also advancing to the winner’s bracket along with Miami and UConn is 2008 NCAA Tournament teams No. 22/25 Wisconsin and San Diego. Southern Miss, Valparaiso, La Salle and Iona all picked up tough-fought losses on Friday.
The winners of Sunday’s game advances to Monday’s finals to take on the winner of the San Diego-Wisconsin game at 8:30 p.m. (EST). The losing teams will square off in the 6 p.m. (EST) third-place game.
AND SO WE MEET AGAIN
Sunday’s showdown with UConn marks the 24th meeting between the former Big East rivals — and the first since the Hurricanes’ joined the ACC in 2004-05. Although the Huskies own the 15-8 edge in the all-time series, Miami has beaten UConn in seven of the last 13 meetings since 1997.
Over that span, the Hurricanes and Huskies played twice a season five times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) with the two teams splitting each year’s series. In fact, UM defeated UConn every season from 1997 to 2003, winning five games in Miami and two in Connecticut.
Miami has beat a ranked UConn six times — including a 73-71 win over the then-second ranked Huskies on the road in Storrs on Feb. 20, 1999. To date, that is the highest ranked opponent the Hurricanes have defeated.
Under head coach Frank Haith, the Hurricanes have knocked off 11 ranked teams in the last four years, including No. 5 Duke on Feb. 20, 2008.
BENCH PRESS
Miami has eight players averaging at least five points per game, including five players with at least 9.5 points an outing. As with the Hurricanes’ 2007-08 NCAA Tournament team, Miami looks to its bench to elevate the team. Non-starters account for 37 percent of Miami’s scoring in two games this season, pouring in 61 of its 166 total points.
Brian Asbury leads the Hurricanes off the bench with 9.5 points per game, while Lance Hurdle came in to contribute 13 points and three assists for Miami in Friday’s win over Southern Miss. Jimmy Graham, who plays “starter minutes” like Asbury, is considered a strong spark for the Hurricanes off the bench and is averaging 5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.
CENTURY CLUB
Brian Asbury made his 100th appearance as a Hurricane in Friday’s 70-60 win over Southern Miss. The fourth-year senior has played in all but two games over his career (both as a freshman), including 32-straight starts between the 2006-07 and the 2007-08 seasons. If he plays in every game over the course of the 2008-09 regular season, he will break the school record of 126 appearances set by Anthony King last season. In his fourth season with the `Canes, Jimmy Graham has made 92 appearances for Miami.
