Hurricanes To Host #14/12 Terrapins On Saturday

Hurricanes To Host #14/12 Terrapins On Saturday

Jan. 5, 2006

#14/#12 MARYLAND (11-2, 1-0 ACC)

At

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (8-6, 0-1 ACC)

When: January 7, 2006 – 12:00 PM (ET)

Where: BankUnited Center (7,000) – Coral Gables, Fla.

TV: WBFS-TV (UPN)

Radio: WQAM (560 AM); WWFE (670 AM) in Spanish

Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); MD (www.umterps.com)

Tickets: $20, $30 – Call 1-800-GO-CANES

Up Next: at #23/#25 North Carolina, January 14 – 12:00 p.m. – ESPN2

Probable Miami Starters

No Name Pos Ht Wt Cl Pts Reb Ast
50 Anthony King F 6-9 230 Jr. 9.8 7.7 0.9
02 Gary Hamilton C 6-10 265 Sr. 4.6 6.5 0.4
12 Anthony Harris G 6-2 187 Jr. 8.7 1.3 2.4
13 Guillermo Diaz G 6-2 186 Jr. 15.9 3.4 2.9
22 Robert Hite G 6-2 190 Sr. 15.1 5.4 1.9

Probable Maryland Starters

No Name Pos Ht Wt Cl Pts Reb Ast
04 Travis Garrison F 6-8 241 Sr. 10.2 6.6 0.6
22 Nik Caner-Medley F 6-8 240 Sr. 12.8 5.7 2.2
25 Ekene Ibekwe C 6-9 220 Jr. 12.6 6.8 0.9
05 D.J. Strawberry G 6-5 201 Jr. 10.5 2.8 4.6
13 Chris McCray G 6-5 192 Sr. 16.3 3.6 3.6

THE MATCHUP:

The Maryland-Miami game marks a matchup of the ACC’s highest scoring team and one of the league’s top defensive teams.

Maryland comes to Coral Gables with an 11-2 record, 1-0 in the ACC, and is currently ranked 14th in the Associated Press College Basketball poll and 12th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll.

The Terrapins rank No. 1 in the ACC in scoring offense averaging 85.2 points per game and are the only team in the conference with all five starters averaging in double-figures. Senior guard Chris McCray leads the team at 16.3 points per contest. Also scoring in double-figures are senior forward Nik Caney-Medley (12.8 ppg), junior center Ekene Ibekwe (12.6 ppg), junior guard D.J. Strawberry (10.5 ppg), and senior forward Travis Garrison (10.2 ppg). Maryland’s trip to Miami will mark its first game on an opponent’s home floor this season. The Terrapins are 9-0 at home this season and 2-2 at neutral sites.

Miami enters the game with a record of 8-6, 0-1 in the ACC, following a 63-57 win over Sacred Heart on January 2. The Hurricanes are one of the ACC’s top defensive teams ranking fourth in scoring defense holding opponents to 61.4 points per game, and fourth in field goal percentage defense holding teams to 39 percent shooting from the field.

The Maryland game will be the fourth ranked opponent the Hurricanes have faced this season. Miami is 0-3 this season against ranked teams having dropped decisions to #21/#19 NC State (81-69), #5/#5 Florida (77-67) and #10/#10 Louisville (58-43).

Miami is once again led by its back court of junior Guillermo Diaz, senior Robert Hite and junior Anthony Harris. Diaz leads the team in scoring at 15.9 points per game while Hite is having a stellar senior season averaging 15.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 88.9 percent from the line. Harris, who missed the first seven games of the season with factured right foot, is averaging 8.7 points per game and is a perfect 15-15 from the line.

A WIN AGAINST MARYLAND WOULD:

Improve Miami’s record to 9-6, 1-1 in the ACC.Mark Miami’s first win over a ranked opponent this season.Mark Miami’s second consecutive win over Maryland.Mark Miami’s fourth win in nine games against ranked teams at the BankUnited Center.Give Miami a win against a ranked team in 11 of the last 12 seasons.

THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Robert Hite needs 14 points to move into 10th place on UM’s career scoring list. Hite enters the game in 11th place with 1,371 points. Ron Godfrey (1958-61) is currently 10th with 1,384 points…Hite needs 22 points to move into ninth place ahead of Steven Edwards who scored 1,393 points from 1992-96.Robert Hite needs two three-point field goals to move into third on UM’s all-time list. Hite enters the game with 169 three-point field goals. Kevin Presto (1985-89) is currently third with 170 three-point field goals.Guillermo Diaz needs 20 points to move into 22nd place on UM’s career scoring list. Diaz enters the game in 23rd place with 1,113 points. Constantin Popa (1991-95) is currently 22nd with 1,132 points.Anthony King needs two blocks to move into fourth-place on UM’s career list. He enters the game with 124 career blocks. Tito Horford (1986-88) is currently fourth with 125 blocks.

THE SERIES:

Miami and Maryland meet the 10th time with the Hurricanes leading the all-time series 5-4. Miami and Maryland met once last season with the Hurricanes winning 75-73 in overtime. The two schools will meet again on March 1 in College Park, MD.

Date – Result – Location

1-28-49 – MD 43, UM 42 – Miami

1-29-49 – UM 58, MD 48 – Miami

2-1-54 – MD 63, UM 57 – Miami

1-22-62 – MD 71, UM 68 – Miami

12-29-64 – UM 80, MD 73 – Miami

1-30-68 – UM 93, MD 73 – Miami

12-21-68 – UM 92, MD 85 – Neutral Site

12-29-70 – MD 111, UM 77 – Miami

2-5-05 – UM 75, MD 73 (OT) – Miami

TV/RADIO:

The Miami vs. Maryland game will air in Miami on WFBS-TV (UPN). Bob Rathbun (play-by-play) and Mike Gminski (analysis) will call all the action.

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

The game can also be broadcast in Spanish on WWFE (670 AM). Roly Martin (play-by-play) and Joe Martinez (analysis) will call the game.

ON THE COACHES:

Miami head coach Frank Haith is in his second season with the Hurricanes. His record career record is 24-19 (.558), including a 8-6 mark this season.

Maryland head coach Gary Williams is in his 17th season with the Terrapins and 28th season overall. His record at Maryland is 345-180 (.657) while his overall mark is 552-308 (.642).

NO DAY AT THE BEACH:

Miami has defeated at least one ranked opponent at home in nine of the last 10 seasons. Since 1994-95 the Hurricanes have knocked off 14 ranked teams at home. Miami is 3-5 against ranked teams in the BankUnited Center.