UM Hosts Wake Forest This Saturday

Jan. 4, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>WAKEFORESTUNIVERSITY (8-5, 0-1 ACC)

vs.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (8-7, 1-0 ACC)

When: January 6, 2007 – 7:30 p.m. (ET)

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

TV: ESPNU

Radio: WQAM (560 AM); WVUM (90.5 FM); WRCH (1550 AM) in Spanish

Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); WF (www.wakeforestsports.com)

Tickets: $20, $25, $30 – Call (305) 284-CANE

Up Next: @ Maryland, January 10 at 9:00 p.m. – FSN Florida

<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

THE MATCHUP:

            The University of Miami hosts WakeForestUniversity this Saturday at the BankUnitedCenter. Miami looks to improve to 2-0 in ACC play and remain in first-place in the conference standings. WakeForest is looking for its first league win.

            The Demon Deacons (8-5, 0-1 ACC) have won three of their last four games including an 81-65 win over East Carolina on January 1.

            WakeForest has been led this season by 6-11 senior center Kyle Visser. Visser may be the league’s most improved player ranking second in the league in both scoring (19.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.2 rpg). Last season Visser averaged just 5.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

            The Demon Deacons are one of the youngest teams in the league with freshmen making a combined 34 starts this season, including point guard Ishmael Smith who is averaging 10.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and league best 6.7 assists per game.

            Miami (8-7, 1-0 ACC) is coming off of a 72-71 win at Massachusetts on Tuesday. The Hurricanes were led by senior guard Anthony Harris who posted a career-high 33 points. Miami also welcomed back leading scorer Jack McClinton, who missed the Louisville game with a sprained left knee. McClinton came off the bench to score 15 points, including 12 in the second half.

            McClinton currently ranks fourth in the ACC in scoring (18.4 ppg) and leads the conference in both three-point field goal percentage (.500) and three-point field goals per game (3.07).

            McClinton’s roommate, Brian Asbury has stepped up his game this season and ranks second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg). Asbury and McClinton are the lone UM players averaging in double-figures.

            Miami is still without senior center Anthony King (wrist). With King out of the line-up Asbury is the team’s leading rebounder (5.7 rpg) and also leads the team in steals (1.40 spg).

THE SERIES:

            Miami and WakeForest meet for sixth time with the Demon Deacons leading the all-time series 4-1. Miami won last season’s lone meeting, 78-69, at the BankUnitedCenter.

Date     Result   Location

2-5-40 Wake 46, UM 17         Wake

1-28-91           Wake 72, UM 66         Wake

1-29-05           Wake 94, UM 82         Wake

2-15-05           Wake 68, UM 63         UM

1-31-06           UM, 78, Wake 69        UM

TV/RADIO:

            The Miami-WakeForest game is being produced by Raycom/Lincoln Financial Sports and will be broadcast in Miami on FSN Florida. Sam Gore will handle the play-by-play duties with Mike Glenn adding analysis.

            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. Brian London will serve as studio host.

            The game will also be broadcast on the University of Miami student radio network WVUM (90.5 FM).

            The WakeForest game will also be broadcast in Spanish on WRCH (1550 AM). Roly Martin (play-by-play) and Joe Martinez (analysis) will call the action.

ON THE COACHES:

            Miami head coach Frank Haith is in his third season with the Hurricanes. His career record is 42-36 (.538). Haith served as an assistant at WakeForest for four seasons (1997-01) under Dave Odom.

            WakeForest head coach Skip Prosser is in his sixth season with the Demon Deacons and his 14th season overall. His record at WakeForest is 119-57 (.676) while his overall record is 284-135 (.678).

FOR STARTERS:

            This season against Stetson head coach Frank Haith started sophomore Denis Clemente (Miami Calusa Prep), sophomore Brian Asbury (South Miami) and freshman Dwayne Collins (Miami Senior) marking the first time since the program’s rebirth in 1985 that three players from Dade County high schools have been in the same starting line-up.

            In Miami’s win over Massachusetts Haith also started senior Keaton Copeland (Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) marking the first time that four south Florida players have been in the same starting line-up.