Men's Basketball Returns Home to Face Florida Gulf Coast
Nov. 24, 2009
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – Following its Charleston Classic championship run, the University of Miami men’s basketball team returns home to the BankUnited Center to kick off a three-game homestand versus Florida Gulf Coast on Wed., Nov. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Game 6: Miami (5-0) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (0-3)
Date: Wed., Nov. 25, 2009 | Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST) | Site: BankUnited Center
TV: None | Radio: 560 WQAM
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Florida Gulf Coast (www.fgcuathletics.com)
Tickets: 1-800-GO-CANES
Projected Miami Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Durand Scott (G, 6-3, 195, Fr.) 7.6 5.4 5.6
23 James Dews (G, 6-4, 213, Sr.) 14.0 2.4 1.2
31 DeQuan Jones (G/F, 6-6, 219, So.) 6.0 3.4 0.8*
20 Cyrus McGowan (F, 6-9, 237, Sr.) 6.4 5.0 1.8^
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 241, Sr.) 13.8 9.8 1.2
Projected FGCU Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
03 Reed Baker (G, 6-1, 180, Jr.) 9.0 2.0 1.0
05 Reggie Chambers (G, 5-9, 155, So.) 12.3 1.7 2.0
12 Kyle Marks (F, 6-7, 230, Sr.) 5.7 4.7 0.7^
24 Derrick O’Neil (F, 6-5, 185, Sr.) 7.0 3.7 2.0
32 Anthony Banks (F, 6-6, 210, R-Fr.) 7.0 4.7 0.7^
* steals per game | ^ blocks per game
Following Miami’s championship performance at the Charleston Classic, the Hurricanes are receiving votes in both polls this week for the first time since Feb. 16, 2009. UM received 16 votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll this week — good for 35th in the nation, and 24 votes in the AP Poll — placing them 40th in the nation.
THE SERIES
This marks the first meeting on the hardwood between these two programs. The Hurricanes have won all five games this season by an average of 24.4 points an outing, while the Eagles have are 0-3 and have lost their games by an average of 23.7 points per game. FGCU has yet to play a game at home.
50-50
The Hurricanes have converted at least 50 percent of their field goals in all five games this season and are hitting 52.9 percent of their shots. Not only is it the first time Miami has shot 50 percent from the field in its first five games in a season, but its the only time UM has put together five-straight 50 percent shooting games at any point in a season since at least the return of the program in 1985-86 — and possibly in its history.
UM previously shot at least 50 percent in four-straight games, from Feb. 6-16, during the 1998-99 season. The Hurricanes knocked off Georgetown (.500), Syracuse (.500), Providence (.510) and Villanova (.606) en route to an NCAA berth.
The Hurricanes have converted least 50 percent of their field goals in seven of 10 halves this season. Miami shot at least 50 percent in both halves in the season-opening victory over North Carolina Central and in Friday’s Charleston Classic second-round win over UNC Wilmington.
Miami has shot better than 60 percent in a half twice this season — in the first half three-point barrage versus Nova Southeastern and a season-best 63 percent in the second half of the title-game win over South Carolina.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Miami claimed the Charleston Classic championship crown with a resounding 85-70 win over South Carolina on Sunday. It marked the second tournament title for the Hurricanes in three years. Dwayne Collins averaged a double-double of 16 points and 11.3 rebounds per game en route to MVP honors, while James Dews and Malcolm Grant also averaged double-figure scoring and were crucial to the Hurricanes’ title run.
DID U KNOW…
Dwayne Collins — who converted a school-record 8-of-8 field goals in Thursday’s win over Tulane en route to a season-high 22 points — needs just 33 points to become the 30th Hurricane with 1,000 career points… He posted his 16th career double-double (17 pts, 15 reb) — and second of the season — in the championship win over South Carolina, which ranks fourth among active ACC players and sixth-best in Miami history… Collins also ranks seventh in scoring among active ACC players… After going 3-of-3 from long range versus the Gamecocks, senior James Dews ranks No. 10 among UM career three-point shooters with 126 treys.
With 15 rebounds by Dwayne Collins and a season-high 10 from Durand Scott, the Hurricanes had two players with double-figure rebounds versus South Carolina for the first time since March 4, 2009, when Collins and Brian Asbury grabbed 15 apiece at Georgia Tech.
