Hurricanes Try To Stay Unbeaten In Visit To Huskies
Jan. 4, 2002
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP MegaSports Writer
The celebrating might not be over at Miami.
The No. 21 Hurricanes can set a school record for consecutive victoriesSaturday when they visit Connecticut for a Big East game.
While Miami’s football team has ended its season with a nationalchampionship, the basketball team has quietly put together the best start inschool history.
The Hurricanes (14-0, 1-0 Big East) are one of four remaining unbeaten teamsin Division I. They also have matched the school record for consecutivevictories, set in 1947.
“We’re not looking at what we’ve done, we’re looking at what’s ahead of us,”coach Perry Clark said. “We’ve got a lot to look ahead to.”
Miami opened Big East play with a 79-71 victory over No. 24 Georgetown onWednesday night. James Jones scored 22 points to lead all five starters indouble figures.
Jones leads the Hurricanes with 13.4 points per game, two-time reigning BigEast player of the week John Salmons adds 13.1 and Darius Rice averages13.0. All five starters average in double figures.
Wednesday’s contest opened a four-game road trip, but this tough stretchshouldn’t scare Miami.
The Hurricanes are a Big East-best 19-7 in conference road games since the1998-99 season. They even win at Gampel Pavilion, one of the Big East’stoughest places to play for visiting teams.
Miami has won three of the last four meetings with UConn, with two of thevictories coming at Gampel. The Hurricanes won there in 1999 and 2000,becoming the only team to win consecutive trips to Connecticut’s on-campusarena.
UConn is 73-12 at Gampel Pavilion, including 41-8 in Big East play. Miami isone of only two teams to win more than once in Storrs, and with a victorywill tie St. John’s for most wins there by an opponent with three.
The Huskies (7-2, 1-0) opened conference play with an 86-74 victory atVirginia Tech on Wednesday night. Caron Butler tied his career high with 29points and helped the Huskies shoot 57.1 percent from the field.
Butler, averaging 26.5 points and 10 rebounds in his last two games, leadsthe Huskies with 19.2 points per game. The starting frontcourt of Butler,Johnnie Selvie (12.7 ppg) and Emeka Okafor (9.4 rpg) is shooting 52.6percent.
UConn will have to play better perimeter defense against Miami. TheHurricanes make 7.9 3-pointers per game, and the Huskies have surrendered 10or more in a game four times this season.
The Huskies lead the series 12-6.
