Men's Basketball Travels To Providence

Jan. 15, 2001

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MIAMI HURRICANES (8-7, 0-4 BIG EAST)
at
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (11-4, 2-1 BIG EAST)
Tuesday, January 16, 2001 — 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Providence Civic Center (12,933)
Fox Sports Net Florida, WQAM (560 AM)

TONIGHT’S OPPONENT: Providence College enters tonight’s game with a record of 11-4, 2-1 in the BIG EAST, following an 81-68 win over 13th-ranked Connecticut at the Providence Civic Center on January 13. All five starters scored in double-figures against the Huskies led by John Linehan’s 19 points. The Friars scored 32 points off 21 UConn turnovers. The Friars are 7-1 at home this season with the one loss coming to Maine, 80-71, on November 11. Providence has won six straight at home. After starting the season 2-3, Providence has won nine of its last 10 games. The Friars have been led this season by Abdul Mills who is averaging a team-high 12.4 points per game. Providence forward Erron Maxey (10.9 ppg) is the only other Friar averaging in double-figures.

THE SERIES: Miami and Providence meet for the 22nd time with the Friars leading the all-time series 9-12. Miami has won four of the last six games against Providence. The Hurricanes are 4-6 on the road against the Friars including a 69-65 win at the Providence Civic Center on February 13, 1999. Four of the last five games between Miami and Providence have been decided by four points or less including three two-point games.

UP NEXT: Following tonight’s game Miami returns home to face 13th-ranked Connecticut on January 20 beginning at 4 p.m. at the Miami Arena. The Hurricanes will then travel to New York to face St. John’s on January 22 beginning at 7 p.m. The Connecticut game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net while the St. John’s will be shown around the nation on ESPN.

TV/RADIO COVERAGE: Tonight’s game is being produced by ESPN Regional Television and is airing live in Miami on Fox Sports Net Florida. Dave Sims is handling the play-by-play with Ron Perry adding analysis. The game can be heard on the Hurricane Radio Network (WQAM – 560 AM). Marc Vandermeer is calling the play-by-play with Joe Zagacki providing analysis. The game can be heard live over the internet at the official website for HurricaneAthletics – www.hurricanesports.com.

A HURRICANE WIN WOULD:
***Improve Miami’s record to 9-7, 1-4 BIG EAST.
***Mark Miami’s first conference win this season.
***Mark Miami’s second straight win over the Friars at the Providence Civic Center.

ON THE COACHES: Miami head coach Perry Clark was named the Hurricanes’ head basketball coach on on July 6, 2000. Clark comes to Coral Gables having spent 11 seasons at Tulane University in New Orleans, La. With the Green Wave, Clark compiled a 185-145 (.561) record, had six 20-win seasons, seven postseason appearances (3 NCAA, 4 NIT) and won the Metro Conference championship in 1992. He was the 1992 National Coach of the Year and a two-time Metro Conference Coach of the Year (1991, 1992). Last season Clark finished 20-11 and captured the Conference USA National Division crown. Additionally, Tulane received a bid to the NIT. Clark’s career record stands at 193-152 (.559) including a 8-7 record this season. Providence head coach Tim Welsh is in his third season with the Friars and sixth season overall. Welsh’s record at Providence is 38-37 (.507), including a 11-4 record this season, while his overall record stands at 108-59 (.647).

ONLINE ALL THE TIME: Check out the official University of Miami Athletic Department website at www.hurricanesports.com.

ROAD WARRIORS: Since the 1998-99 season, Miami is 15-5 in BIG EAST road games. The 15-5 mark ranks second behind Syracuse for the best record among BIG EAST schools over that period. Miami, which was 8-1 in BIG EAST road games in 1998-99, was 7-1 in conference road games last season. Miami is 0-3 this season on the road. The Hurricanes have won 16 of their last 21 BIG EAST road games dating back to the 1997-98 season.

WINNING WAYS: With its 63-57 win over Connecticut on February 19, the University of Miami clinched its six consecutive winning season. The last time Miami recorded at least six straight winning seasons was the 1968-69 campaign when the `Canes registered their 10th straight winning season.

NO DAY AT THE BEACH: Miami’s win over No. 18 St. John’s in last season’s regular season finale marked the sixth consecutive season that the Hurricanes have defeated a ranked opponent in the Miami Arena.

RECORD SETTING NIGHTS: Freshman forward Darius Rice recorded 35 points in the Hurricanes’ win over Central Florida (12-9-00) setting a Miami freshman single-game scoring record. Rice broke the old mark of 30 set by Tito Horford on February 25, 1987. On January 10, 2001 vs. Virginia Tech, Rice hit seven three-point field goals establishing a new UM freshman record. Rice totalled 31 points vs. the Hokies becoming the first player in UM history to record two 30-point scoring games as a frosh. In his debut against Florida Atlantic on November 18, Rice poured in a game-high 26 points marking the most by a freshman in a season-opener.Rice has now recorded three of the top eight freshman scoring totals in UM history.

IN THEIR FIRST SEASON: New Hurricane head coach Perry Clark opened his first season at Miami with a 3-0 record. The three straight wins to open the season tied the UM record for consecutive wins to open a season by a coach in his first season at Miami. Bill Foster (1985-86), Hart Morris (1938-39) and Art Webb (1926-27) all opened their inaugural season at Miami 3-0.

WORKING OVERTIME: Miami has played at least one overtime contest in each of the last two seasons. Last season the Hurricanes defeated St. John’s in the regular-season finale while in 1998-99 the Hurricanes’ lost a heartbreaking overtime game against No. 1 ranked. UM has amassed a 6-2 record (including tournament games) in BIG EAST overtime contests (4-2 at home). The ‘Canes, who have never had more than three overtime games in any season (3-0 in 1986-87 and 0-3 in 1990-91), own a 22-19 overall record in overtime contests during their history (4-3 in double-overtime games and a 18-16 mark in single-overtime contests). Miami is 6-2 in overtime games since 1995. Below is a list of UM’s overtime games since 1990:

MIAMI DOMINATES IN THE ARENA: In 11 seasons at the Miami Arena the Hurricanes have compiled a 122-63 (.659) overall record, including a 7-1 mark this season. One of Miami’s home losses this season was at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, FL. UM has posted a 75-23 (.765) home record since 1994. UM is 39-15 (.722) in its last 54 BIG EAST home games dating back to the 1994-95 season.

A NEW HOME COURT: The University of Miami will play on new floor at the Miami Arena this season. The floor was donated by Dr. Eddie Dauer and Sam Burstyn and is adorned in the Hurricanes’ colors of orange, green and white.

MIAMI REACHES SWEET 16: With its 75-62 win over Ohio State in the second round of last season’s NCAA tournament, the University of Miami advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history. Miami has advanced to post-season play in five of the last six seasons including three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

UM TIES SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS: Miami won 23 games last season tying the school single season record for victories. Miami’s single season record of 23 victories was set during the 1959-60 season and later tied during 1962-63 and 1998-99 seasons.

VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS: UM is 0-1 against ranked teams this season. Miami was 3-5 versus ranked teams last season . The Hurricanes are 12-16 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in each of the last six seasons. Miami is 21-81 (.206) all-time against ranked teams including an 18-67 (.212) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985.

MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS: Since becoming the 10th member of The BIG EAST Conference beginning with the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 63-34 (.649) record against non-conference opponents, including a 45-13 mark (.776) at the Miami Arena.

SAY CHEESE: Tonight’s game is Miami’s first appearance on ESPN2 this season and the seventh appearance overall. Miami is 4-2 in games televised on ESPN2. The Hurricanes have made another 20 appearances on ESPN recording a 7-13 record. Miami defeated Seton Hall 78-65 on Dec. 31 in a ESPN nationaly televised game. The Hurricanes are 10-22 in nationaly televised broadcasts. Miami has won four of the last five games it has played on national television.