Men's Basketball Meets Virginia Tech in ACC Action Sunday
Jan. 23, 2009
CORAL GABLES, FLA… – The University of Miami men’s basketball team, who has won seven of their last eight games, returns to the hardwood on Sunday versus ACC-foe Virginia Tech at 5:30 p.m. The Hurricanes are fresh off Wednesday’s 75-69 home win over Florida State, while the Hokies return to the court following their upset of top-ranked Wake Forest on the same evening.
Game 19: Miami (14-4, 3-2 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (13-5, 3-1 ACC)
Date: Sun., Jan. 25, 2009 | Time: 5:30 p.m. (EST) | Site: BankUnited Center
TV: FSN (FSN Florida in South Florida) | Radio: 560 WQAM, ACC ISP Sports Network
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) |Virginia Tech (www.hokiesports.com)
Tickets: 1-800-GO-CANES
Projected Miami Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Lance Hurdle (G, 6-2, 183, Sr.) 7.6 1.5 2.6
33 Jack McClinton (G, 6-1, 185, Sr.) 17.8 3.0 3.1
31 DeQuan Jones (G/F, 6-6, 217,Fr.) 3.7 2.2 0.6^
00 Jimmy Graham (F, 6-9, 256, Sr.) 3.4 5.9 1.1^
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 238, Jr.) 11.7 7.8 1.1*
Projected Virginia Tech Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
40 A. D. Vassallo (F/G, 6-6, 216, Sr.) 17.8 6.5 3.1
23 Malcolm Delaney (G, 6-3, 170, So.) 16.9 4.4 3.9
00 Jeff Allen (F, 6-7, 230, So.) 13.9 8.8 1.7^ 29.7
33 J.T. Thompson (F, 6-6, 210, So.) 5.1 3.8 1.2*
14 Victor Davila (F, 6-8, 245, Fr.) 4.5 2.4 0.3
^ blocks per game * steals per game
Miami enters the game with a 3-2 record in ACC play and strives to reach four ACC wins in the shortest amount of time in program history. In UM’s first two seasons in the ACC, it took seven conference games to get to four ACC wins, while it took 13 games in a difficult 2006-07 and 10 games last season.
THE SERIES
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series versus the Hokies, 8-6, but dropped their last meeting, 63-49, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, N.C. on March 14, 2008.
Miami defeated Virginia Tech in their last regular-season meeting — a 74-71 decision in Blacksburg on Feb. 9, 2008. That road victory kick started a crucial four-game win streak — including the win over then-No. 4/5 Duke — that helped propel the Hurricanes towards a 20-win season and an NCAA Tournament berth. Three Hurricanes finished in double-figure scoring in that win, led by Jack McClinton’s 19 points.
WHAT HAVE U DONE FOR ME LATELY
Jack McClinton is averaging 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists over his last two appearances, shooting .438 from long range and .833 from the line. Over the last five games, he has contributed 19.8 points, 4.0 boards and 2.6 assists per game, while scoring 20-plus points three times in that span.
Over the last two games, Dwayne Collins is averaging 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Hurricanes, while Adrian Thomas is contributing 9.8 points (.556 FG%, .474 3FG%), 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game over the last four outings.
DID U KNOW…
Miami has back-to-back opponents whose head coaches used to work for the Hurricanes. Florida’s State Leonard Hamilton helped usher the Hurricanes into the Big East, ending a 10-year run with the Hurricanes with a 144-147 record. Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg served as an assistant coach under Bill Foster at Miami from 1984-87, bringing the Hurricanes basketball program back to fruition for the 1985-86 season after a 14-year hiatus.
HOME SWEET HOME
Miami has gone 9-2 at home this season and 53-21 (.716) at home under fifth-year head coach Frank Haith.
The Hurricanes, who have won five straight and 13 of its last 15 at home, need just one home win to reach double-digit home wins at the BankUnited for the second-straight season and for the fifth time in six full seasons calling the arena home.
PROTECTING THEIR HOME COURT
Miami won its fifth-straight home game (and second straight in ACC play) with a 75-69 victory over Florida State.
With a season-high 28 points, Jack McClinton moved up two spots past Ron Godfrey (1958-61) and Steven Edwards (1992-96) to 11th place all-time on the Miami scoring list. It bested his previous season high of 27 points versus UConn in the semifinals of the Paradise Jam.
Miami had four players in double figures (McClinton 28, Lance Hurdle 16, Dwayne Collins 10 and Adrian Thomas 10) for the eighth time this season.
McClinton has hit a three-pointer in an ACC-long 21 straight games, which also ranks fourth-best in UM history for consecutive games with a three-point field goal. He already sits in second place for a previous streak of 30. McClinton has hit 28 of his 51 three-pointers on the season over the course of the last eight games.
With his eighth 20-plus point performance of the season, McClinton has now scored 20-or more points in a game 29 times — tying Johnny Hemsley (1996-2000) and Joe Wylie (1988-91) for seventh place all-time in UM history for career 20-point games.
McClinton and Hurdle combined for nine assists with just one turnover (McClinton: 6 assists, 0 turnovers; Hurdle: 3 assists, 1 turnover).
Hurdle scored a season-high 16 points, reaching double-digits for the sixth time this year and his third time at home this season.
Thomas has hit 11 of his 16 three-point baskets on the year over the last five games. Wednesday’s 10-point performance versus FSU marked his third double-figure scoring outing of the year — including his third in the last four contests. He also filled out the stat sheet nicely with a career- and game-high five steals, four offensive boards, a career-high tying three assists and a career-high two blocks.
Dwayne Collins collected his third double-double of the year (10 points, 11 rebounds), and the 13th of his career. Seven of his 12 double-digit scoring performances have come at home this season.
The Hurricanes shot .619 in the second half (13-21) versus FSU — their most efficient half since converting .600 (18-30) in the second half in the win over Duke on Feb. 20, 2008.
