Hurricanes Hosts Florida State on Saturday

Hurricanes Hosts Florida State on Saturday

Jan. 13, 2005

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FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY (9-7, 1-2)
at
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (11-3, 2-1)
When: January 15, 2005 – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Convocation Center (7,000) – Coral Gables, Fla.
TV: WBFS-TV (UPN)
Radio: WQAM (560 AM); WVUM (90.5 FM); WSUA (1260 AM) in Spanish
Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); FSU (www.seminoles.com)
Up Next: vs. #5 Duke – Jan. 19 at 8:30 p.m. at Convocation Center
Tickets: $15, $25, $30 – Call 305-284-CANE in Dade or 1-800-GO-CANES

ON FLORIDA STATE:
The Florida State Seminoles come to the Convocation Center with a record of 9-7, 1-2 in the ACC, following a 56-54 home loss to Clemson on Wednesday. Prior to the Clemson game, the Seminoles had won two straight including victories over Florida (82-69) and Virginia Tech (77-70). Florida State has lost 25-straight ACC road games dating back to the 2001-02 season including a 90-88 overtime loss at Maryland in their ACC opener. Leading the way for Florida State this season has been sophomore guard Van Wafer who is averaging a team-best 12.3 points per game. The only other Seminole averaging in double-figures in scoring this season is senior forward Adam Waleskowski at 10.3 points per game. Florida State has been one of the league’s top field goal percentage teams this season ranking third in the conference, behind North Carolina and Wake Forest, in both field goal percentage (.485) and three-point field goal percentage (.386).

ON THE COACHES:
Frank Haith was named Miami’s 11th head men’s basketball coach on April 12, 2004. In his 15 seasons as an assistant at the D-I level, he has helped lead teams that have won an NIT Championship, advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen three times, reached one Elite Eight and one Final Four. Haith is 11-3 this season with the Hurricanes. Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton is in his third season with the Seminoles and 17th season overall. His record at FSU is 42-36 (.538), including a 9-7 record this season, while his overall mark is 242-246 (.496). Hamilton coached Miami from 1990-2000 registering a 144-147 (.495) record and leading UM to three NCAA Tournament appearances (1998, 1999, 2000).

LAST GAME – MIAMI 91, VIRGINIA 80
January 12, 2005
University Hall, Charlotteville, Va.
Guillermo Diaz scored 26 points and Anthony Harris added 21 as the University of Miami defeated Virginia, 91-80, in Charlottesville marking the Hurricanes’ first ACC road victory. Trailing 55-54 with 14:59 to play, Miami scored 18 of the next 27 points, helped by a stretch early in the run when Virginia turned the ball over on five consecutive possessions without getting off a shot. Diaz had eight points in the run, including a three-point play and then a three-pointer with 7:05 left, giving the Hurricanes a 72-64 lead. Virginia closed within 72-67 on a three-pointer by Devin Smith with 5:32 left, but Robert Hite scored inside and Gary Hamilton followed with a dunk after a Cavaliers turnover and Virginia never got close again. Smith led Virginia with 21 points, and Elton Brown had 20 and 10 rebounds. Brown managed just two points and three rebounds after halftime. Hite added 15 points and William Frisby 12 for the Hurricanes. Frisby had eight in the first 4 minutes of the second half, all putbacks.

LAST SEASON AGAINST FSU:
FLORIDA STATE 67, MIAMI 58
December 14, 2003
Convocation Center, Coral Gables, FL
Anthony Richardson scored a team-high 15 points to lead Florida State to a 67-58 win over the University of Miami at the Convocation Center. The win snapped the Hurricanes’ three-game win streak and was Miami’s first home loss against a non-conference opponent since the 1999-00 season. Miami, which led 56-51 after a layup from Guillermo Diaz with 8:27 left, did not make a field goal the rest of the way as FSU finished the game on a 16-2 run. Miami’s lone points during the stretch were a pair of free throws from Darius Rice with 6:59 remaining. Rice led all scorers with 20 points. UM point guard Armondo Surratt scored a career-high 15 points while Rob Hite added 10 points. Florida State outscored Miami 28-12 in the paint while holding the Hurricanes to just 35.4 percent shooting from the field. FSU shot 50 percent for the game.

A WIN VERSUS FSU WOULD:
Improve Miami’s record to 12-3 overall and 3-1 in the ACC this season.
Improve Miami’s home record to 9-1 this season.
Mark Miami’s third straight conference win.
Mark the Hurricanes’ 11th win in the last 12 games.
Mark Miami’s sixth straight win over Florida schools.

TV/RADIO:
The Miami-Florida State game will be broadcast live in Miami on WBFS-TV (UPN). Bob Rathbun will handle the play-by-play duties with Mike Gminski adding analysis. The game will also be broadcast 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. WVUM (90.5 FM), the University of Miami student radio network, will also broadcast the game. The game will be broadcast in Spanish on WSUA (1260 AM). Roly Martin and Joe Martinez will call the action.

THE SERIES:
Miami and Florida State meet for the 53rd time with the Seminoles leading the all-time series, 24-28. Florida State has won the last three meetings including a 67-58 victory last season at the Convocation Center. UM and FSU have faced eight times since the Hurricanes brought backetball back in 1985 with the Seminoles winning five times. Miami’s last win over FSU was a 101-97 double-overtime thriller on January 18, 1990 at Miami Arena.

DIAZ NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Sophomore guard Guillermo Diaz was been named ACC Player of the Week on January 10th after averaging 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals in two conference games. He connected on 18-of-35 (.514) from the floor, including 8-of-18 (.444) from three-point range as the Hurricanes opened league play with a 1-1 record. Diaz led the Hurricanes to their first ACC win a 67-66 victory over 24th-ranked NC State Sunday, totaling a game-high 26 points, six rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. Earlier in the week he had a game-high 27 points to go with six rebounds and three steals in an 80-69 loss at ninth-ranked Georgia Tech.

MIAMI GETS FIRST ACC ROAD WIN:
Miami defeated Virginia, 91-80, recording its first ACC road win in just its second conference road game. When Miami joined the BIG EAST in 1991-92 the Hurricanes went 0-29 on the road before posting their first road victory against St. John’s, 82-79, on January 11, 1995.

VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
Miami is 300-145 (.674) against teams from the state of Florida. Miami has won 35 of its last 39 games against Florida schools dating back to the 1992-93 season. Miami has won five straight games against in-state opponents.

MIAMI’S LETHAL WEAPON III:
Miami’s three guard line-up of Robert Hite (19.1 ppg), Guillermo Diaz (17.5 ppg) and Anthony Harris (12.9 ppg) have been difficult for Hurricane opponents to contend with this season. The trio have combined to average 49.4 points per game, or 66.8 percent (692 of 1036) of the teams scoring this season.

ACC’S TOP SCORING TRIOS:
The University of Miami trio of Robert Hite, Guillermo Diaz and Anthony Harris has combined to score 692 of UM’s 1036 total points this season. The three have accounted for 66.8 percent of the team’s scoring which is the highest of any trio in the ACC. Duke’s J.J. Redick, Daniel Ewing and Shelden Williams rank second having accounted for 65.2 percent (577 of 885) of the Blue Devils’ scoring this season. In addition UM’s guards are the third highest scoring scoring trio in the ACC averaging 49.4 points per game. Duke (52.5 ppg) and North Carolina (49.5 ppg) rank first and second.

TAKING ADVANTAGE:
This season the Hurricanes have been able to take advantage of opponent turnovers. Miami is averaging 1.01 points per turnover forced (198 points/196 opponent turnovers).