March 3, 2002

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No. 16, 20 (ESPN/USA Today, AP) UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI HURRICANES23-6, 10-6 BIG EAST – East Division Second Seed
2002 ConAgra Foods BIG EAST Championship 2002 ConAgra Foods BIG EAST Championship
March 6-9, 2002
Madison Square Garden (19,763) – New York,
ESPN, ESPN2, Hurricane Radio Network

MIAMI SEEDED SECOND:The University of Miami enters the 2002 ConAgra FoodsBIG EAST Championship as the second seed out of the EastDivision and will receive a first-round bye. Miami will face Georgetown, (thewinner of the Georgetown/Providence) game on Thursday, March 7afternoon at 2 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.

ON HEAD COACH PERRY CLARK:University of Miami head coach Perry Clark is in his secondseason with the Hurricanes and 13th season overall as a collegiatehead coach. Clark is 39-19 (.667) at Miami, including an 23-6 startthis season, while his career record in 13 seasons stands at 224-164 (.576). Last season Clark led the Hurricanes to a berth in theNational Invitation Tournament marking the eighth time in 12seasons he has guided his team to post season play. This seasonhe has guided Miami to 23 victories tying the UM single-seasonrecord. Miami’s 14 consecutive wins to open the season markedthe best start in school history and tied the UM record forconsecutive wins.

TV/RADIO COVERAGE:The ConAgra Foods BIG EAST Championship will becarried live on ESPN and ESPN2. The afternoon games will becalled by the announcing team of Dave Sims (play-by-play) andBill Raftery (analysis) while the evening games will be called byMike Tirico (play-by-play) and Len Elmore (analysis).The Hurricane games will also be broadcast on the Hurri-caneRadio Network (WQAM-560 AM). Marc Vandermeer,entering his third season as the “Voice of the Hurricanes,” willhandle the play-by-play duties while Joe Zagacki will provide in-depthanalysis.

MIAMI VS. GEORGETOWN:Miami and Georgetown have met 27 times with the Hoyasleading the all-time series 16-11. Miami has dominated therecent series winning eight of the last 11 meetings dating back the 1996-97 season including a 79-71 win at the MCI centerearlier this season. Miami and Georgetown have met seventimes in the BIG EAST Tournament with the Hoyas six ofthose meetings.

MIAMI VS. PROVIDENCE:Miami and Providence met 25 times with the Friars leadingthe all-time series 13-12. Miami has won three of the last fourgames against the Friars including both meetings this season.Miami and Providence have never met in the BIG EASTTournament.

SALMONS THE ONE AND ONLY:With his 15 points and 10 assists against Charlotte onDecember 22, John Salmons became the first Hurricane torecord 1000 points, 600 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 stealsduring his career. Salmons currenlty has 1255 points, 667rebounds, 414 assists and 189 steals. Salmons ranks 13th onUM’s career scoring list, third in assists and third in steals.

CLARK COACH OF THE YEAR FINALIST:University of Miami head men’s basketball coach Perry Clarkhas been selected as one of 25 finalists for the Naismith CollegeBasketball Coach of the Year Award. The winner will beannounced on April 5, 2002 at the Cobb Galleria Center inAtlanta.

Now in its 34 th year, the Naismith Awards program honorsthe outstanding college basketball coaches in the United States.The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club,an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements ofexcellence in basketball.

Clark, in his second season at Miami, has guided the 18 th -rankedHurricanes to a 22-6 record, including a school-record 14consecutive wins to open the season. Miami’s 22 victories marksthe most regular-season wins since the Hurricanes joined theBIG EAST in 1991. Miami is one win shy of tying the schoolsingle-season record of 23 victories.

RICE, SALMONS ALL-DISTRICT SELECTIONS:Darius Rice was named first-team All-District 6 and JohnSalmons earned All-District second-team honors by the NationalAssociation of Basketball Coaches.

Rice, a second-team NABC All-District selection last season,is averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.He has recorded 10 games of 20-or-more points this season, andhas connected on a team-high 69 three-point baskets. He joinsJohnny Hemsley (2000), Tim James (1998 and 1999), TitoHorford (1988) and Rick Barry (1965) as the only Hurricanes toearn first-team honors.

Salmons, one of the most versatile players in the BIGEAST Conference, is averaging 13.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.9assists and 1.9 steals per game. Salmons, who has started 103consecutive games for Miami, is the only player in UM history tosurpass 1000 career points (1244), 600 rebounds (663), 300assists (404) and 150 steals (187).

The selections of Rice and Salmons marks the fifth consecu-tiveseason the Hurricanes have had at least one All-Districtselection.

SENIOR SUCCESS:Miami seniors John Salmons, Jerry Schlie and Elton Tylerhave been a part of the most successful stretch in UM basketballhistory.

Tyler and Schlie, both redshirt seniors, have been a part ofteams that gone 103-47 (.687), made five straight post-seasonappearances, including four NCAA tournament berths, won theBIG EAST regular-season title in 1999-00, and reached the

Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Championships for the first timeschool-history in 2000.

In the four seasons in which Tyler has competed, heredshirted the 2000-01 season, the Hurricanes have registered an87-34 (.719) record. With an NCAA tournament berth thisseason he will become the first player in UM history to competein four NCAA Championships.

Salmons, a four-year starter, has helped lead Miami to an85-37 (.697) record marking the most wins in a four-year periodin UM history. Included in those four seasons will be four post-seasonappearances, including three NCAA Tournamentappearances, the 1999-00 BIG EAST Regular Season title and atrip to the Sweet 16 in the 2000 NCAA Championships.

MIAMI IN THE 2001-02 POLLS:Miami is ranked 18th in the current ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll,and 22nd in latest Associated Press poll. Miami’s highest ranking came onMarch 1, 1960 when the Hurricanes jumped to No. 8 in the AssociatedPress poll. Miami’s highest ranking since the rebirth of the program in 1985is ninth by the Associated Press on March 1, 1999. The Hurricanes highestranking in the Coaches poll came on March 1, 1999 (10th).

JONES SELECTED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT:Junior forward James Jones has been selected to the 2002 VerizonAcademic All-District II Men’s Basketball team. Jones is now eligible for thenational Verizon Academic All-America Team, which will be announced onMarch 7.

Joining Jones as All-District selections are Matt Bonner (Florida), TimLyle (James Madison), Mike Dunleavy (Duke) and Jobey Thomas (Char-lotte).Jones is a three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star and carries a 3.371cumulative GPA in finance. He was named a 2001 Arthur Ashe ScholarAthlete and was runner-up for the 2001-02 BIG EAST Basketball Scholar-AthleteAward.

COMEBACK KIDS:In Miami’s 102-96 overtime win against Providence on January 19, theHurricanes came back from a 13-point second half deficit tying the UMrecord for the largest second-half comeback in a BIG EAST game. Miamialso came from 13 points down in the second half to defeat Georgetown onJanuary 18, 1997. The game also marked the second straight in which Miamiovercame a double-figure second-half deficit to win. Miami was down 11 inthe second-half to Pittsburgh before rallying for a 76-69 double-overtimewin. Overall the Hurricanes have rallied eight times from second-half deficitsto win games.

BALANCED ATTACK:The University of Miami is arguably one of the mostbalanced team in the nation offensively. All five UM starters areaveraging in double-figures in scoring. Darius Rice leads UM inscoring at 15.3 points per game followed by John Salmons (13.3ppg), James Jones (13.2 ppg), Marcus Barnes (11.5 ppg) andElton Tyler (11.2 ppg). Miami is the only team ranked amongthe AP or ESPN/USA Today polls that have five playersaveraging in double-figures.

All five starters have led the team in scoring this season.Rice has led the team in scoring 10 times, followed by Salmonseight times, Jones six times, Tyler three and Barnes twice.ROAD WARRIORS:

Since the 1998-99 season, Miami is 21-11 (.667) in BIGEAST road games. The 21-11 mark is the best record amongBIG EAST schools over that period. The Hurricanes have won23 of their last 34 BIG EAST road games dating back to the1997-98 season.

WHAT’S YOUR 20:With its 65-56 win over Villanova on February 5 Miamirecorded its 20th win of the season. The 20-win season is theninth overall for the Hurricanes and third in the last fourseasons. Miami’s win over Virginia Tech in the regular seasonfinale marked the Hurricanes 23rd win of the season tying theschool single-season record set in 1959-60 and later matched in1962-63, 1998-99 and 1999-00.

TAKING OVER:This season the Hurricanes have had several players put theteam on their shoulders and lead them to victory. In 17 gamesthis season the Hurricane player that has either led or tied for theteam lead in scoring has also led or tied for the team lead inrebounding.

WORKING OVERTIME:The Hurricanes’ back-to-back overtime wins againstPittsburgh 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 lastfour seasons. UM has amassed a 8-5 record (including tourna-mentgames) in BIG EAST overtime contests (5-3 at home).

The ‘Canes, who have never had more than three overtimegames in any season (3-0 in 1986-87 and 0-3 in 1990-91), own a24-21 overall record in overtime contests during their history (5-4 in double-overtime games and a 19-17 mark in single-overtimecontests). Miami is 8-4 in overtime games since 1995.

FAMILIAR STARTERS:Miami junior James Jones and senior John Salmons havestarted each of the last 58 games together. Salmons currently hasthe second longest streak in UM history having started 104straight games. Kevin Norris (1994-98) holds the UM record forconsecutive starts with 108.

MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:Since joining The BIG EAST Conference beginning withthe 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 74-35 (.679)record against non-conference opponents, including a 50-13mark (.794) at the Miami Arena.

WINNING WAYS:With its win over Pittsburgh (1-15-02) the Hurricanesensured its eighth consecutive winning season. The last timeMiami recorded at least eight straight winning seasons was the1968-69 campaign when the ‘Canes registered their 10th straightwinning season.