Hurricanes Travel To Louisville

Hurricanes Travel To Louisville

Dec. 22, 2006

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<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (7-5)

At

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE (6-4)

When: December 23, 2006 – 2:00 p.m. (ET)

Where: Freedom Hall (18,865) – Louisville, KY

TV: ESPN

Radio: WQAM (560 AM)

Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); UL (www.UofLSports.com)

Up Next: vs. Nebraska, Dec. 30, 4:00 p.m., BankAtlanticCenter, Sunrise, FL

UM Tickets: Contact the Hurricane Ticket Office at (305) 284-CANE

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THE MATCHUP:

            The University of Miami takes on the University of Louisville in the Hurricane’s first trip to Freedom Hall since December 6, 1961.

            Louisville enters the game with a record of 6-4 following a 71-45 win over SavannahState on Wednesday night.

            The Cardinals have been led this season by 6-8 junior forward Juan Palacios who leads the team in scoring (12.7 ppg), rebounds (7.8 rpg) and steals (1.6 spg).

            Louisville boasts three players averaging in double-figures in scoring including 6-6 sophomore forward Terrence Williams (11.5 ppg) and 6-1 freshman guard Edgar Sosa (11.5 ppg). Williams also ranks second in the team in rebounding and leads the team in assists (4.4 apg).

            Miami enters the game looking to get back-on-track after a 79-74 home loss to Binghamton on Wednesday.

            Miami has been led by sophomore guard Jack McClinton who has scored 20-or-more points in seven games this season and leads the ACC in scoring (19.6 ppg), three-point field goal percentage (.506) and three-point field goals per game (3.33). He has scored in double-figures in all 12 games this season.

            McClinton’s roommate, Brian Asbury has stepped up his game this season and ranks second on the team in scoring (13.0). Asbury and McClinton are the lone UM players averaging in double-figures.

            With senior center Anthony King out until January with a sprained wrist, Asbury is the leading rebounder on the squad (6.0 rpg) and also leads the team in steals (1.3 spg). Asbury is averaging 16.2 points per game over the last five games while shooting 26-49 (.531) from the field.

            Miami point guard duo of sophomore Denis Clemente and senior Anthony Harris combine to average 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game, and have a combined 1.91 assist-to-turnover ratio.

 

LAST SEASON AGAINST LOUISVILLE:

#10/#10 LOUISVILLE 58, MIAMI 43

December 31, 2005

BankAtlanticCenter, Sunrise, Fla.

            Juan Palacios scored 19 points to lead No. 10 Louisville to a 58-43 victory over the University of Miami in the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at the BankAtlanticCenter in Sunrise, Fla.

            Taquan Dean had 13 points and David Padgett added 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Cardinals. Robert Hite scored 15 points and Anthony Harris added 10 for the Hurricanes.

            Guillermo Diaz, the Hurricanes’ leading scorer, was held scoreless for the second time in his career. Diaz was 0-of-10 from the field, including 0-4 from three-point range, and was 0-of-1 from the free throw line.

            Miami, which was down by as many as 15 points in the first half, held Louisville with out a field goal for more than 11 minutes spanning both halves and took a 39-38 following a Hite dunk with 7:28 to play.

            The Cardinals bounced back using a 17-0 run to ice the game. The decisive run was highlighted by Palacios who hit consecutive three-pointers to give the momentum back to the Cardinals.

 

THE SERIES:

            Miami and Louisville meet for the ninth time with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 6-2. Miami and Louisville played last season at the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic with the Cardinals coming away with a 58-43 win. This will mark just the second time the Hurricanes have played at Freedom Hall. Miami last made the trip to Louisville on December 6, 1961.

 

SERIES HISTORY

1-5-51                         UL 73, UM 60             UM

12-29-52                     UL 84, UM 74             UM

1-31-57                       UL 89, UM 60             UM

1-30-61                       UM 71, UL 69             UM

12-6-61                       UL 77, UM 59             UL

2-9-63                         UM 94, UL 84             UM

12-28-65 (OT)            UL 85, UM 84             UM

12-31-05                     UL 58, UM 43             OBC

 

TV/RADIO:

            The Miami-Louisville game will be televised live on ESPN. Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Len Elmore (analysis) will call the action.

            The game can be heard on the Hurricane Radio Network, WQAM (560 AM). Joe Zagacki “The Voice of the Hurricanes” will call all the action with Josh Darrow adding analysis.

 

ON THE COACHES:

            Miami head coach Frank Haith is in his third season with the Hurricanes. His record career record is 41-34 (.547) including a 7-5 mark this season.

            Louisville head coach Rick Pitino is in his sixth season with the Cardinals and his 21st season as a collegiate head coach. His record at Louisville is 124-52 (.705) while his overall record is 476-176 (.730).

 

MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:

            Since UM began conference play in 1991-92, the Hurricanes have compiled an 116-57 (.671) record against non-conference opponents, including a 83-19 (.814) mark at home. The Hurricanes are 29-5 (.853) against non-conference opponents at the BankUnitedCenter.

 

A MORE BALANCED ATTACK:

            Miami may only have two players averaging in double-figures but a closer look shows that the Hurricanes’ offense has been more balanced than last season. In nine of Miami’s 12 games this season the Hurricanes have had at least three players in double-figures. Miami is 7-2 this season with multiple players scoring in double-figures.

            Six times this season Miami has at least four players in double figures including two games with five. Miami is 6-0 in games with four or more players scoring in double-figures. In 34 games last season the Hurricanes had a total of six games with four scoring in double-figures including one with five.

 

TAKING IT INSIDE:

            The Hurricanes have made an effort to score in the paint this season. In six games this season Miami has recorded 35-or-more points in the paint, and is 6-0 in those games. Last season Miami scored 35-or-more points in the paint only three times. Miami is averaging 33.25 points per game in the paint so far this season compared to 26.38 points per game last season.

 

BIG OFF THE BENCH:

            In its win over Lafayette Miami received 46 points from its bench marking the most bench points since February 8, 1994 when the Hurricanes scored 47 bench points in a 78-63 loss at St. John’s. Miami averaging 21.1 points per game off the bench this season compared to 12.9 last season.

 

CAN YOU SAY UNSELFISH?:

            In Miami’s win over AlcornState the Hurricanes recorded 28 assists on 34 baskets. The 28 assists were the second highest total in school history and just one shy of the school record of 29 set against Lehigh on January 9, 1991. Overall the Hurricanes’ assists numbers are up from last season. Last season UM assisted on 11.73 baskets compared to 14.75 this season.

 

OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING:

            Since the 1998-99 season the Hurricanes are 48-4 (.923) when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. Miami is 14-0 when shooting 50 percent or better under head coach Frank Haith. Miami’s last loss when shooting over 50 percent was January 10, 2004 against Pittsburgh. That night the Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 84-80 in 2OT despite a 50.8 percent shooting performance by UM.

 

Miami 50% Shooting Performances under Coach Haith

Date                 Team                                        FG %                           Result

12-18-04         Stetson                                     30-60 (.500)                UM 81-50

2-12-05           @ Clemson                              32-55 (.582)                UM 83-77

11-13-05         vs. Texas-Arlington                   23-43 (.535)                UM 76-65

11-15-05         vs. UW-Green Bay                   30-57 (.526)                UM 80-54

11-19-05         Morgan State                           31-59 (.525)                UM 83-51

12-3-05           Birmingham-Southern               30-45 (.667)                UM 82-55

1-29-06           @ Florida State                        32-63 (.508)                UM 84-78

1-31-06           Wake Forest                            25-48 (.521)                UM 78-69

2-22-06           Virginia Tech                            26-51 (.510)                UM 70-59

11-14-06         Alcorn State                             34-65 (.523)                UM 96-57

11-25-06         Lafayette                                  35-68 (.515)                UM 98-66

12-3-06           Georgia Tech                            32-57 (.561)                UM 90-82

12-9-06           Lehigh                                      29-55 (.527)                UM 79-58

12-16-06         Stetson                                     36-61 (.590)                UM 89-64