Miami Faces Clemson In ACC Tourney Opener
March 7, 2006
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CLEMSON (18-11, 7-9 ACC) – No. 9 Seed
vs.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (15-14, 7-9 ACC) – No. 8 Seed
ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament – First Round
When: March 9, 2006 – 12:00 PM (ET)
Where: Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, N.C.
TV: ESPN Full Court
Webcast: www.RJPSports.com
Radio: WQAM (560 AM)
Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); CU (www.clemsontigers.com)
| Probable Miami Starters | ||||||||
| No | Name | Pos | Ht | Wt | Cl | Pts | Reb | Ast |
| 50 | Anthony King | F | 6-9 | 230 | Jr. | 8.8 | 6.8 | 0.6 |
| 02 | Gary Hamilton | C | 6-10 | 265 | Sr. | 3.8 | 5.7 | 0.9 |
| 12 | Anthony Harris | G | 6-2 | 187 | Jr. | 10.5 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| 13 | Guillermo Diaz | G | 6-2 | 186 | Jr. | 17.3 | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| 22 | Robert Hite | G | 6-2 | 190 | Sr. | 16.5 | 5.4 | 1.6 |
| Probable Clemson Starters | ||||||||
| No | Name | Pos | Ht | Wt | Cl | Pts | Reb | Ast |
| 01 | K.C. Rivers | F | 6-5 | 210 | Fr. | 7.4 | 4.8 | 1.8 |
| 33 | Akin Akingbala | F | 6-9 | 240 | Sr. | 11.7 | 7.8 | 0.8 |
| 04 | Steve Allen | C | 6-10 | 250 | Sr. | 3.3 | 3.0 | 0.2 |
| 22 | Shawn Robinson | G | 6-2 | 180 | Sr. | 12.6 | 2.2 | 2.8 |
| 25 | Cliff Hammonds | G | 6-3 | 197 | So. | 9.8 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
MIAMI SEEDED EIGHTH:
The University of Miami enters the ACC Men’s basketball Tournament as the eighth seed and will face No. 9 Clemson on Thursday, March 9 at noon at the Greensboro Coliseum. The winner will face top-seeded Duke on Friday, March 10 at noon.
UM IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PLAY:
Miami is 6-13 all-time in conference tournament play including an 0-1 record in the ACC Tournament. From 1992 through 2003 Miami registered a 6-12 record in BIG EAST tournament competition.
| 1992 | 1st Round | #10 MIAMI 83, #7 Pittsburgh 71 |
| Quarterfinal | #2 Georgetown 77, #10 MIAMI 64 | |
| 1993 | 1st Round | #8 Georgetown 67, #9 MIAMI 40 |
| 1994 | 1st Round | #7 Seton Hall 69, #10 MIAMI 51 |
| 1995 | Quarterfinal | #4 Georgetown 69, #5 MIAMI 58 |
| 1996 | 1st Round | #7 MIAMI 77, #10 Rutgers 67 |
| Quarterfinal | #2 Georgetown 92, #7 MIAMI 62 | |
| 1997 | 1st Round | #7 MIAMI 76, #10 St. John’s 68 (OT) |
| Quarterfinal | #2 Georgetown 63, #7 MIAMI 59 | |
| 1998 | 1st Round | #13 Georgetown 62, #4 MIAMI 56 |
| 1999 | Quarterfinal | #2 MIAMI 65, #10 Georgetown 54 |
| Semifinal | #3 St. John’s 62, #2 MIAMI 59 | |
| 2000 | Quarterfinal | #2 MIAMI 61, #7 Notre Dame 58 |
| Semifinal | #3 St. John’s 58, #2 MIAMI 57 | |
| 2001 | 1st Round | #5 Pittsburgh 78, #4 MIAMI 69 |
| 2002 | Quarterfinal | #2 MIAMI 84, #3 Georgetown 76 (OT) |
| Semifinal | #1 Pittsburgh 76, #2 MIAMI 71 | |
| 2003 | Quarterfinal | #3 Seton Hall 67, #6 MIAMI 52 |
| 2004 | Did Not Qualify | |
| 2005 | 1st Round | #11 Virginia 66, #6 MIAMI 65 |
CLEMSON VS MIAMI MATCHUP:
The Clemson Tigers (18-11, 7-9 ACC) enter the ACC Tournament as the No. 9 seed and are riding a three-game winning streak. The Tigers ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in the ACC in steals (11.07 spg) and offensive rebounds (14.38), and are second in turnover margin (+3.41).
Clemson has a balanced offensive attack which includes five players averaging over nine points per game. Shawan Robinson leads the team in scoring averaging 12.6 points per game. Vernon Hamilton ranks second in scoring (12.1 ppg) while Akin Akingbala rounds out the Tigers’ double-figure scorers at 11.7 points per game.
Miami (15-14, 7-9 ACC), the No. 8 seed, 67-64 loss to Florida State on Sunday. The Hurricanes are the ACC’s top denfensive team ranking No. 1 in the league in points allowed (65.1 ppg). The Hurricanes are led by its three guard line-up of senior Robert Hite, junior Guillermo Diaz and junior Anthony Harris. Diaz leads the team in scoring at 17.3 points per game. Hite (16.5 ppg) ranks second scoring while Harris (10.5 ppg) is third. One of the three guards has led the team in scoring in 28 of the Hurricanes’ 29 games this season.
Harris missed the first seven games of the season with a fractured bone in his right foot. Since his return the trio has averaged 45.4 points per game, or 66.7 percent (999 of 1498) of the team’s scoring. In ACC play this season the trio is averaging 47.0 ppg, or 67.9 percent of the teams scoring. Diaz has been on fire over the last four games averaging 21.3 points while shooting 30-64 (.469) from the field. Over the last 10 games sophomore forward Raymond Hicks has give Miami a boost off the bench averaging 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 23-41 (.561) from the field.
THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
***Robert Hite needs three three-point field goals to move into fourth on UM’s all-time single season list….he needs six steals to move into fourth on UM’s all-time list.
***Guillermo Diaz needs two points to move into 10th on UM’s career scoring list…needs one three-point field goal to move into fifth on UM’s all-time career list.
ON THE COACHES:
Miami head coach Frank Haith is in his second season with the Hurricanes. His record career record is 31-27 (.534), including a 15-14 mark this season.
Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell is in his third season with the Tigers and 18th season overall. His record at Clemson in 44-45 (.494) while his overall record is 300-236 (.560).
THE SERIES:
Miami and Clemson meet for the ninth time with the Tigers leading the all-time series, 5-4. Miami has won the last four meeting including an earlier match-up this season.
SERIES RESULTS:
| Date | Result | Location |
| 1-5-56 | CU 98, UM 96 | Neutral |
| 12-13-58 | CU 66, UM 61 | Neutral |
| 12-16-66 | CU 73, UM 64 | Neutral |
| 12-20-94 | CU 75, UM 55 | Clemson |
| 12-23-95 | CU 66, UM 52 (OT) | Miami |
| 11-20-01 | UM 67, CU 65 | Neutral |
| 1-26-05 | UM 69, CU 65 | Miami |
| 2-12-05 | UM 83, CU 77 | Clemson |
| 1-18-06 | UM 62, CU 38 | Miami |
MOVING ON UP:
Guillermo Diaz scored 21 points against Michigan on November 29, 2005 to become the 28th player in UM history to reach the 1000-point plateau. Rob Hite reached the 1,000-point plateau last season and currently ranks 6th on UM’s career scoring list with 1,637 points. Diaz ranks 11th with 1,392 points.
| UM Career Scoring List: | ||
| 1. | Rick Barry (1962-65) | 2,298 |
| 2. | Eric Brown (1985-89) | 2,270 |
| 3. | Don Curnutt (1967-70) | 2,006 |
| 4. | Darius Rice (2000-04) | 1,865 |
| 5. | Tim James (1995-99) | 1,713 |
| 6. | Robert Hite (2002-2006) | 1,637 |
| 7. | Dennis Burns (1985-89) | 1,594 |
| 8. | Dick Hickox (1958-61) | 1,529 |
| 9. | Johnny Hemsley (1996-00) | 1,497 |
| 10. | Steven Edwards (1992-96) | 1,393 |
| 11. | Guillermo Diaz (2003-06) | 1,392 |
| 12. | Ron Godfrey (1958-61) | 1,384 |
| 13. | James Jones (1999-03) | 1,356 |
| 14. | Mike Wittman (1964-67) | 1,319 |
| 15. | Joe Wylie (1988-91) | 1,297 |
HITE HITS 70 FOR SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON:
Robert Hite recorded four three-point field goals against Florida State giving him 70 on the season. Hite, who had 72 three-point field goals last season, is the first Hurricane in school history to record 70-or-more three-point field goals in consecutive seasons.
DIAZ REACHES 500 AGAIN:
Guillermo Diaz scored 16 points against Florida State giving him 501 points on the season. Diaz is just the fourth player since 1985 to score 500 or more points in consecutive seasons.
| Guillermo Diaz | Total | Avg. |
| 2005-06 | 501 | 17.3 |
| 2004-05 | 538 | 18.6 |
| Johnny Hemsley | ||
| 1999-00 | 542 | 18.1 |
| 1998-99 | 534 | 17.8 |
| Joe Wylie | ||
| 1990-91 | 515 | 18.4 |
| 1989-90 | 514 | 18.4 |
| Eric Brown | ||
| 1988-89 | 765 | 24.7 |
| 1987-88 | 551 | 18.4 |
MR. WINDEX:
Robert Hite is not only one the ACC’s best shooters but he also one of the leagues top rebounding guards. Hite ranks second in the league among players under 6-5 (as of March 5).
| ACC Rebound Leaders (Players under 6-5) | ||
| Player | Ht. | RPG |
| Jamon Gordon, Virginia Tech | 6-3 | 6.0 |
| Robert Hite, Miami | 6-2 | 5.4 |
| Sean Singletary, Virginia | 6-0 | 4.1 |
| Justin Gray, Wake Forest | 6-2 | 3.6 |
| Tony Bethel, North Carolina State | 6-1 | 3.3 |
