Miami Takes On Wake Forest On Saturday

Miami Takes On Wake Forest On Saturday

Jan. 28, 2005

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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (13-5, 4-3)
at
#5/#5 WAKE FOREST (16-3, 4-2)
When: January 29, 2005 – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Lawrence Joel Coliseum (14,665) – Winston-Salem, N.C.
TV: WBFS-TV (UPN33)
Radio: WQAM (560 AM); XM Satellite Radio (Ch. 182)
Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); WF (www.wakeforestsports.com)
Up Next: vs. Virginia Tech – Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Convocation Center
Tickets: $15, $25, $30 – Call 305-284-CANE in Dade or 1-800-GO-CANES

Probable Miami Starters
William Frisby, Anthony King, Anthony Harris, Guillermo Diaz, Robert Hite

Probable Wake Forest Starters
Jamaal Levy, Vytas Danelius, Eric Williams, Justin Gray, Chris Paul

ON WAKE FOREST:
Wake Forest returns home to face the Hurricanes following a 102-101 overtime loss at Georgia Tech on Thursday. The Deamon Deacons enter the Miami game with a record of 16-3, 4-2 in the ACC, and a No. 5 national ranking in both the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls. Wake Forest boasts one of the ACC’s most potent offenses which ranks second in the conference, behind only North Carolina, in scoring (85.7 ppg), field goal percentage (.488) and three-point field goal percentage (.403).

The Deamon Deacons are led by one of the nation’s top backcourt duos in sophomore Chris Paul and junior Justin Gray. Paul is arguably the best all-around point guard in the ACC ranking among the league leaders in scoring (15.7 ppg), assists (6.5 apg), steals (2.1), three-point field goal percentage (.547) and assist/turnover ration (2.38). Gray leads the team in scoring (16.7 ppg) and is one of the ACC leaders in three-point field goal percentage (.417). He has made at least on three-pointer in 39 consecutive games. Down low the Deamon Deacons have junior center Eric Williams who is averaging 16.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. In his last two games Williams poured in 29 points at Cincinnati and 27 points versus Georgia Tech.

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 13-5 this season with the Hurricanes.

Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser is in his fourth season with the Deamon Deacons and 12th season overall. His record at Wake Forest is 83-32 (.722) while his overall mark is 248-110 (.693).

HITE CLOSING IN ON 1,000:
With 24 points against Wake Forest, Robert Hite will become the 27th player in UM history to reach 1,000-point plateau. Hite currently has at 976 career points. Miami’s all-time leading scorer is Rick Barry who recorded 2,298 points from 1962-65.

VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS:
The Hurricanes are 20-23 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in 10 of the last 11 seasons. Miami is 29-89 (.245) all-time against ranked teams including a 26-75 (.257) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985.

MIAMI’S LETHAL WEAPON III:
Miami’s three guard line-up of Guillermo Diaz (18.8 ppg), Robert Hite (17.5 ppg) and Anthony Harris (12.3 ppg) have combined to average 48.5 points per game, or 66.2 percent (873 of 1319) 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 873 of UM’s 1319) total points this season. The three have accounted for 66.2 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 65.9 percent (855 of 1297) of the Blue Devils’ scoring this season. In addition UM’s guards are the second highest scoring scoring trio in the ACC averaging 48.5 points per game. Duke (53.5 ppg) ranks first.

TAKING ADVANTAGE:
This season the Hurricanes have been able to take advantage of opponent turnovers. Miami is averaging 1.01 points per turnover forced (256 points/254 opponent turnovers).

KING MOVES UP BLOCKED SHOT LIST:
Anthony King has already recorded 61 blocked shots this season which ranks seventh on UM’s all-time single-season list. King is on pace to record 95 blocks this season which would set a UM single-season record. King is just the fifth person in school-history to register 60 blocks in a season.