Men's Basketball Travels To Boston College
Feb. 7, 2002
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#12/#11 MIAMI HURRICANES (20-3, 7-3)
vs.
BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (15-7, 4-5)
February 10, 2002 – 2:30 p.m. (ET)
Silvio O. Conte Forum (8,606) – Chestnut Hill, MA
TV:ABC
Radio: WQAM (560 AM)
ON THE EAGLES:
Boston College enters the Miami game with a record of 15-7, 4-5 in the BIG EAST, following a 76-73 road loss to Virginia Tech on February 6.
Boston College, which opened the season 12-1, has struggled of late losing six of its last nine games. The Eagles had been ranking as high as 10th by the Associated Press on December 17 but are currently in the also receiving votes sections of the ESPN/USA Today poll (as of February 4).
Boston College is led by All-American guard Troy Bell. The 6-1 junior leads the BIG EAST and ranks 11th in the nation in scoring at 21.7 points per game. Bell also leads the team in assists (4.0 apg), steals (2.1 spg) and free throw percentage (.882).
Overall the Eagles have four players averaging in double-figures including Kenny Walls (14.5), Ryan Sidney (14.0) and Uka Agbai (11.1). Sidney also leads the team in rebounding from the guard position at 7.4 rebounds per game.
THE SERIES:
Miami and Boston College meet for the 21st time with the Eagles leading the all-time series 12-8. Boston College swept both games last season and won the first meeting this season at Miami Arena. Miami is 4-5 all-time against the Eagles at Chestnut Hill.
EARLIER THIS SEASON VS. BOSTON COLLEGE:
January 29, 2002
Miami Arena, Miami, FL
Troy Bell scored a game-high 25 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:47 left, to lift Boston College to a 7065 win over No. 15 Miami at Miami Arena.
James Jones led Miami with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Darius Rice added 16 points for the Hurricanes. Ryan Sidney added 18 points and 10 rebounds for Boston College.
The loss marks the Hurricanes first at home this season and snaps Miami’s 13-game home winning streak.
The Hurricanes, who made their first 25 free throws, rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half with a 15-2 run to lead 56-51. The margin reached 64-57 with 5:46 to go before the Eagles staged their own comeback.
The Eagles defense led the charge. Miami shot just 29.8 percent from the field and missed 13 of its final 14 shots as Boston College closed the game with 13-1 run.
Bell scored 11 points early, including a four-point play, to help Boston College take a 15-5 lead. Miami spent the rest of the half trying to catch up and trailed 36-33 at halftime.
The Eagles matched their biggest lead at 49-39 before Miami rallied. Jones hit back-to-back 3-pointers, Rice’s two free throws made the score 51-51, and John Salmons’ three-point play put the Hurricanes ahead 54-51 with 10 minutes left.
A WIN AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE WOULD:
Improve Miami’s record to 21-3, 8-3 in the BIG EAST.Match the 1998-99 team for most regular-season wins (21) since joining the BIG EAST in 1991.Mark Miami’s best start since the 1959-60 season (23-3).Snap Miami’s three game losing streak against Boston College.Improve Miami’s BIG EAST road record to 22-9 (.710) since the 1998-99 season.
TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
The Boston College game is being produced is being broadcast live on ABC. Brent Musburger will handle the play-by-play duties with Dick Vitale adding analysis.
The game is also being broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network (WQAM-560 AM). Marc Vandermeer, entering his third season as the “Voice of the Hurricanes,” will handle the play-by-play duties while Joe Zagacki will provide in-depth analysis.
UP NEXT:
Following the Boston College game the Hurricanes return home to face St. John’s on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Miami Arena.
ON THE COACHES:
University of Miami head coach Perry Clark is in his second season with the Hurricanes and 13th season overall as a collegiate head coach. Clark is 36-16 (.692) at Miami, including an 20-3 start this season, while his career record in 13 seasons stands at 221-161 (.579). Last season Clark led the Hurricanes to a berth in the National Invitation Tournament marking the eighth time in 12 seasons he has guided his team to post season play.
Boston College head coach Al Skinner is in his fifth season with the Eagles and 14th season overall. His record at Boston College is 74-67 (.525), including a 15-7 record this season, while his overall record stands at 212-194 (.522).
DID YOU KNOW?:
The University of Miami has registered a league best 43-17 (.717) conference mark since the 1998-99 season.
WHAT’S YOUR 20:
With its 65-56 win over Villanova on February 5 Miami recorded its 20th win of the season. The 20-win season is the ninth overall for the Hurricanes and third in the last four seasons. Miami is three wins shy of the school single-season record of 23 set in 1959-60 and later matched in 1962-63, 1998-99 and 1999-00.
BALANCED ATTACK:
The University of Miami is arguably one of the most balanced team in the nation offensively. All five UM starters are averaging in double-figures in scoring. Darius Rice leads UM in scoring at 14.5 points per game followed by John Salmons (14.0 ppg), James Jones (13.4 ppg), Marcus Barnes (11.3 ppg) and Elton Tyler (11.1 ppg). Miami joins Arizona as the only teams ranked among the AP or ESPN/USA Today polls that have five players averaging in double-figures.
All five starters have led the team in scoring at least once this season. Rice and Salmons have each led the team seven times, Jones six times, Tyler twice and Barnes once.
COMEBACK KIDS:
In Miami’s 102-96 overtime win against Providence on January 19, the Hurricanes came back from a 13-point second half deficit tying the UM record for the largest second-half comeback in a BIG EAST game. Miami also came from 13 points down in the second half to defeat Georgetown on January 18, 1997. The game also marked the second straight in which Miami overcame a double-figure second-half deficit to win. Miami was down 11 in the second-half to Pittsburgh before rallying for a 76-69 double-overtime win. Overall the Hurricanes have rallied eight times from second-half deficits to win games.
SALMONS THE ONE AND ONLY:
With his 15 points and 10 assists against Charlotte on December 22, John Salmons became the first Hurricane to record 1000 points, 600 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 steals during his career. Salmons currenlty has 1189 points, 633 rebounds, 363 assists and 179 steals.
UM TIES WIN STREAK RECORD:
Miami’s 14-0 start set a school-record for consecutive wins to open a season, and tied the school-record for the most consecutive victories which was originally set in 1947.
LATE SEASON HEAT WAVE:
Over the last three seasons Miami has played well in the month of February registering a 22-3 (.880) record.
WHO WILL TAKE CHARGE TONIGHT?:
This season the Hurricanes have had several players put the team on their shoulders and lead them to victory. In 15 games this season the Hurricane player that has either led or tied for the team lead in scoring has also led or tied for the team lead in rebounding.
MIAMI GOES PERFECT OUT OF CONFERENCE:
With its 71-48 win over St. Francis (PA) on December 30, the University of Miami completed its non-conference schedule with a perfect 13-0 record marking the first time in school-history the Hurricanes have gone undefeated in non-conference play.
FAMILIAR STARTERS:
Miami sophomore Darius Rice, junior James Jones and senior John Salmons have started each of the last 52 games together. Salmons currently has the second longest streak in UM history having started 98 straight games. Kevin Norris (1994-98) holds the UM record for consecutive starts with 108.
TALKING RPI:
As of February 7 the Hurricanes were No. 11 in the RPI rankings according to CollegeRPI.com. Miami’s ranking is the highest among BIG EAST schools. The BIG EAST Conference currently has 11 teams ranked among the top-75 in the RPI which is the most of any conference in the nation. The SEC is second with 10 while the Big Twelve and Big 10 are next with seven each. The Pac-10 and Conference USA follow with six appeace. The ACC and Atlantic 10 currently have five teams each.
WORKING OVERTIME:
The Hurricanes’ back-to-back overtime wins against Pittsburgh and Providence marked the first time since the 1994-95 season that UM has played consecutive overtime games. Miami has played at least one overtime contest in each of the last four seasons. UM has amassed a 8-5 record (including tournament games) in BIG EAST overtime contests (5-3 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 24-21 overall record in overtime contests during their history (5-4 in double-overtime games and a 19-17 mark in single-overtime contests). Miami is 8-4 in overtime games since 1995. Below is a list of UM’s overtime games since 1990:
MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since joining The BIG EAST Conference beginning with the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 74-35 (.679) record against non-conference opponents, including a 50-13 mark (.794) at the Miami Arena.
VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS:
UM has won its last six games against ranked teams including a 3-0 record this season. The Hurricanes are 18-16 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in each of the last eight seasons. Miami is 27-81 (.250) all-time against ranked teams including a 24-67 (.264) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985.
MIAMI WINS PARADISE JAM TOURNAMENT:
Miami’s victory over Clemson in the championship game of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam marked UM’s first tournament title since the 1988 season when the Hurricanes took home the title at the Eastern Airlines Palm Beach Classic. That season UM defeated Penn, 102-69, in the opening round, then knocked off Wichita State, 81-59, in the championships game.
SALMONS NAMED PARADISE JAM MVP:
Miami senior guard John Salmons was named MVP of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam after leading Miami to three victories and the tournament title. Salmons averaged 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals during the three-game tournament, including an 18 point, 10 rebound performance in the title game.
WINNING WAYS:
With its win over Pittsburgh (1-15-02) the Hurricanes ensured its eighth consecutive winning season. The last time Miami recorded at least eight straight winning seasons was the 1968-69 campaign when the ‘Canes registered their 10th straight winning season.
VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
With its win over Florida A&M on December 18, Miami improved its record against teams from the state of Florida to 292-141 (.674). Miami has won 27 consecutive games against teams from the state of Florida. Miami has not lost to a Florida school since a 72-64 season opening loss to Florida International on Dec. 1, 1992.
NO DAY AT THE BEACH:
Miami’s 68-66 win over No. 17 Connecticut on February 2 marked the eighth consecutive season that the Hurricanes defeated a ranked opponent in the Miami Arena.
HURRICANES SIGN THREE:
Head coach Perry Clark signed three players during the early signing period. Joining UM next season will be 6-2, 185 pound guard Robert Hite (Cincinnati, OH/Winton Woods HS), 6-3, 185 pound guard Eric Wilkins (Piscataway, NJ/Oak Hill [VA] Academy), and 6-6, 190 pound swingman Ismael N’Diaye (Abidjan, Ivory Coast/Berkshire [FL] School).
STREAKING:
Miami’s loss to Connecticut on January 5th ended a very unusual winning streak. Including baseball, football and basketball the Hurricanes had recorded 43 consecutive victories.
The UM baseball team won its final 17 games in winning the 2001 NCAA National Championship. The UM football team followed with a perfect 12-0 record including a Rose Bowl victory over Nebraska for the 2001 national title. The UM basketball opened the season with 14 straight wins.
MIAMI DOMINATES IN THE ARENA:
In 13 seasons at the Miami Arena the Hurricanes have compiled a 142-66 (.683) overall record, including a 11-1 mark this season, UM defeated Indiana earlier this season at the American Airlines Arena. UM has posted a 81-20 (.802) record at Miami Arena since 1995. UM is 42-15 (.737) in its last 57 BIG EAST home games dating back to the 1995-96 season.
RICE FOR NAISMITH:
University of Miami sophomore Darius Rice (Jackson, MS) has been selected as one of 30 preseason candidates for the 2001-02 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award.
Rice averaged 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season while posting 20 double-figure scoring games including a UM freshman record 35 points against Central Florida. Rice recorded a team-high 62 three-point baskets in 2000-01 and registered 31 steals and 14 blocks.
Rice is one of three BIG EAST athletes recognized as a preseason candidate for the Naismith Award. Joining Rice on the list are Troy Bell (Boston College) and Caron Butler (Connecticut).
The Naismith Awards program, now in its 34th year, honors the outstanding college basketball player in the UnitedStates.
MIAMI REACHES POST-SEASON, AGAIN:
The Hurricanes have advanced to the post-season in five straight seasons and six times in the last seven years. Miami has gone to the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four seasons including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2000.
ONLINE ALL THE TIME:
Check out the official University of Miami Athletic Department website for up to the minute information on Hurricane Athletics at www.hurricanesports.com.
