Miami Continues ACC Play at Clemson
Jan. 7, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format 
CORAL GABLES, FLA… The University of Miami men’s basketball team returns to the road to take on Clemson on Sat., Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. in a game to be broadcast live by ESPNU. Both teams are vying for their first ACC wins in the young conference season, having both dropped their openers on the road — Miami at top-ranked Duke on Jan. 2 and Clemson at Florida State on Dec. 12.
Game 16: Miami (11-4, 0-1) at Clemson (11-4, 0-1)Date: Sat., Jan. 8, 2011 | Time: 6 p.m. | Site: Littlejohn ColiseumTV: ESPNU | Radio: 560 WQAM (WQAM.com | Web Video: NoneWebsites: Miami (www.HurricaneSports.com) | Clemson (www.ClemsonTigers.com)
Projected Miami StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast01 Durand Scott (G, 6-3, 200, So.) 13.3 4.3 3.503 Malcolm Grant (G, 6-1, 180, Jr.) 15.5 2.1 3.931 DeQuan Jones (G/F, 6-7, 219, Jr.) 5.5 2.7 0.532 Erik Swoope (F, 6-6, 230, Fr.) 2.6 1.4 0.7*42 Reggie Johnson (C, 6-10, 303, So.) 12.7 9.8 1.3^
Projected Clemson StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast02 Demontez Stitt (G, 6-2, 180, Sr.) 13.0 3.7 2.645 Jerai Grant (F/C, 6-8, 230, Sr.) 12.1 6.6 2.7^11 Andre Young (G, 5-9, 175, Jr.) 10.7 2.3 3.005 Tanner Smith (G, 6-5, 210, Jr.) 8.6 3.7 3.031 Devin Booker (F/C, 6-8, 245, So.) 8.0 5.1 0.5^ blocks per game | * steals per game
The Hurricanes, winners in nine of their last 11 games, are led by three players averaging double-figure points. Malcolm Grant is contributing a team-high 15.5 points per game — seventh-best in the ACC, and also ranks among the league’s leaders in free throw percentage (.905, 2nd/14th in the NCAA), three-point field goal percentage (.452, 3rd/25th in the NCAA), three-point field goals made (2.5, 3rd) and assists (3.9, 9th). Durand Scott adds 13.3 points and 3.5 assists an outing, converting better than 45 percent from the field and shooting a much-improved 85.5 percent from the line (compared to 67.0 percent as a freshman in 2009-10).
Reggie Johnson averages nearly a double-double with 12.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game (second in the ACC, 26th in the NCAA), while shooting 71.0 percent from the charity stripe. Including a career-high tying 22 points at top-ranked Duke last Sunday on 9-of-10 shooting, the 6-10 sophomore center is contributing 18.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game over Miami’s last three contests.
The Tigers, winners of six straight since their ACC-opening loss at FSU, also boast three players averaging double-figure scoring. Demontez Stitt records 13.0 points and 2.6 assists per game, while Jerai Grants adds 12.1 points, 6.6 boards and 2.7 blocks (third in the ACC) an outing. Andre Young, Clemson’s top long-range threat with 2.2 treys per game at a 42.9 percent clip (both ranked among the league’s top 10), averages 10.7 points, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Clemson is 8-1 at home this season, with its lone home loss to Michigan, 69-61, on Nov. 30.
THE SERIES Since joining the ACC in 2004-05, Miami leads the series versus Clemson, 5-4. However, the Tigers lead the all-time series 9-6 over the Hurricanes and have won three straight — including two at Littlejohn Coliseum, with a 74-66 win in their last meeting at Clemson in the midst of a snowstorm on Feb. 13, 2010 (when only two officials could make the game by tip).
In the last meeting between the teams, Trevor Booker scored 18 points and Andre Young had four of the Tigers’ nine 3-pointers to lead Clemson to the 74-66 home victory. Malcolm Grant had 13 points for Miami, while Durand Scott added 10 points. Although Miami shot 52 percent from the field, they turned the ball over 14 times and Clemson shot 25-of-31 from the line (80.6 percent) for the difference. UM managed to hit just 7-of-17 free throws (41.2 percent) on the afternoon.
DID U KNOW?The Hurricanes are ranked No. 23 in the first NCAA Men’s Basketball RPI rankings released on Jan. 3 — the second-highest ranked squad in the ACC, behind Duke at No. 8. Miami has already played three teams ranked among the RPI’s top 25 — losing at undefeated and top-ranked Duke (8), defeating West Virginia (12) at home and falling to still-undefeated UCF (16) on a neutral court.
FROM THE LINE Miami’s starting backcourt of Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant has improved its accuracy from the line. Grant has hit 55 of his last 58 free throws dating back to the Dec. 4 win over West Virginia, going 13-14 versus West Virginia, 5-5 versus Stetson, 6-6 versus UCF, 9-9 versus Oral Roberts, 5-6 versus Rice, 11-12 versus Akron and 6-6 versus Pepperdine. Those 55 free throws made since Dec. 4 are more than all but just three players (Grant, Scott & Reggie Johnson) have taken all season. Grant has increased his free throw percentage from .756 as a redshirt sophomore last season to .905 this season — second-best in the ACC. Scott has also improved tremendously from the line — after shooting just 67 percent as a freshman, he is up to 85.5 percent as a sophomore (fifth in the ACC) and has hit 23 of his last 25 shots from the charity stripe.
Johnson closed 2009-10 as the league’s top big man from the line, converting 78.5 percent of his free throws. After a slow start from the charity stripe this season, he is now hitting 71.0 percent of his free throws and has made 20 of his last 24 attempts from the line.
PAINT POINTSThe Hurricanes scored a season-high 38 points in the paint at top-ranked Duke last Sunday — including 9-of-10 shooting from Reggie Johnson, for the second-most points allowed by Duke in the area in 2010-11 (Marquette had 44 in a neutral site game on Nov. 22). It marked the sixth game this season that UM has scored 30-or-more points in the paint.
OFFENSIVE BALANCEThe Hurricanes are among just two ACC schools — joining No. 1 Duke — to have three players ranked among the league’s top-20 scoring leaders, with Malcolm Grant (15.5 ppg, 7th), Durand Scott (13.3 ppg, 13th) and Reggie Johnson (12.7 ppg, 15th) among the league’s leaders.
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SECURE YOUR SEATS NOWIndividual game tickets for Miami’s ACC games are now on sale to the general public. The Hurricanes will host a regular slate of eight ACC games, welcoming the last two national champions to the BankUnited Center in top-ranked Duke on Sun., Feb. 13, and 2009 champs North Carolina on Wed., Jan. 26. Prices for most ACC games begin as low as $15. For additional information or to order season tickets, please contact the Hurricane Ticket Office online at www.hurricanesports.com or by phone at 1-800-GO-CANES.
