Canes Look To Continue Perfect Season Against FAU

Dec. 1, 2002

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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (3-0)vs.FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY (3-3)
Tuesday, December 3, 2002 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
FAU Gymnasium (5,000) – Boca Raton, FL
Radio: Hurricane Radio Network; Website: hurricanesports.com

ON FLORIDA ATLANTIC:
Florida Atlantic enters its game against Miami with a 3-3 record following an 86-60 home win over Nova Southeastern on November 27.

The Owls, who finished 19-12 and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament last season, have been led this season by junior guard Earnest Crumbley who is averaging 17.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

Florida Atlantic has three players averaging in double-figures in scoring including junior guard Jeff Cowans (15.2 ppg) and senior forward Avery Headley (10.7 ppg).

The Owl’s have nine players averaging 10 or more minutes per game and have forced an average of 23.3 turnovers per game. Florida Atlantic is averaging 13.2 steals per game.

THE SERIES:
Miami and Florida Atlantic meet for the 16th time with the Hurricanes holding a 15-0 all-time series lead. Last season Miami recorded a 74-48 win at the Miami Arena. Miami is 5-0 against FAU at FAU Gymnasium.

A WIN AGAINST FLORIDA ATLANTIC WOULD:
***Improve Miami’s record to 4-0 on the season.
***Mark the second consecutive season the Hurricanes opened with four straight wins.
***Mark Miami’s 28th consecutive win against teams from the state of Florida.
***Mark UM’s 21st consecutive non-conference regular-season win.
***Improve Miami’s record against FAU to 16-0.

LAST SEASON AGAINST FAU:
November 26, 2001Miami Arena, Miami, FL
James Jones recorded 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the University of Miami (5-0) to a 74-48 win over Florida Atlantic (1-2) at Miami Arena.

Miami, which improves to 15-0 all-time against the Owls, received 14 points from sophomore Darius Rice and a career-high 13 points from junior guard Michael Simmons. Marcus Barnes added 10 points for the Hurricanes.

Robert Williams led Florida Atlantic with 10 points.

Miami fell behind 7-0 to start the game but grabbed the lead for good, 17-16, on a fast-break dunk by John Salmons. Salmons posted nine points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals.

The Hurricanes closed the first half with a 12-2 run and led 38-25 at the break. Rice led Miami during the run, connecting on two 3-point baskets, and scoring eight points in the stretch.

Miami’s defense held the Owls to just 20-71 (.282) shooting from the field including 2-27 (.074) from three-point range. UM, which entered the game averaging 25.3 points per game off turnovers, scored 26 points off 22 FAU turnovers.

LAST OUTING: MIAMI 91, SAVANNAH STATE 57
James Jones led five Miami players in double figures with 22 points as the Hurricanes defeated Savannah State 91-57 at Miami Arena.

Jones scored Miami’s first six points of the second half as the Hurricanes put the game away outscoring the Tigers 17-3 in the first four minutes after the break to take a 57-28 lead.

Also scoring in double-figures for Miami was Darius Rice (14), Robert Hite (13), Eric Wilkins (10) and Paulo Coelho (10). Savannah State’s Jamal Daniels scored 13 points to lead the Tigers.

The Hurricanes stayed on the perimeter, converting 10 of a season-high 23 3-point attempts. With six minutes remaining, Paulo Coelho hit a 3-pointer and a jumper to give the Hurricanes a 32-point lead.

The Hurricanes had a school-record 21 steals and forced 30 turnovers, 15 coming in the first half. Miami scored 38 points off turnovers.

Miami scored the game’s first 11 points and jumped out to a 16-4 lead seven minutes into the game. The Tigers came back three minutes later with an 8-0 run, cutting the Hurricanes’ lead to 20-16. But Jones scored six points as part of a 20-9 Miami run to end the half.

TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
The Florida Atlantic game will not be televised. The game will be broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network. Joe Zagacki “The Voice of the Hurricanes” will provide the play-by-play with Josh Darrow adding analysis. Brian London will serve as studio host. Fans can also catch the game on web at hurricanesports.com.

ON THE COACHES:
University of Miami head coach Perry Clark is his third season with the Hurricanes and 14th season overall as a collegiate head coach. Clark is 43-21 (.683) at Miami while his career record stands at 228-166 (.579). Last season Clark led the Hurricanes to the NCAA Tournament marking the ninth time in 13 seasons he has guided his team to post season play.

Florida Atlantic head coach Sidney Green is in his fourth season with the with the Owls and seventh season overall. His record at Florida Atlantic is 31-67 (.316) while his overall record is 80-127 (.386).

VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
With its win over Florida A&M last season, 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.

STREAKING:
Miami’s current 15-game winning streak over Florida Atlantic ranks as the fourth longest over one opponent in UM history.

MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since joining The BIG EAST Conference beginning with the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 77-35 (.685) record against non-conference opponents, including a 53-13 mark (.803) at home. Miami is 3-0 against non-conference opponents this season and has won 20 straight regular-season games against non-conference teams.

MIAMI DOMINATES AT HOME:
Since 1994-95 the Hurricanes have compiled a 96-26 (.788) overall home record, including a 3-0 mark this season. UM is 50-19 (.725) in its last 69 BIG EAST home games dating back to the 1994-95 season.

ITS BEEN A WHILE:
University of Miami freshman Robert Hite has scored 13 points in all three of the Hurricanes’ games to open the season. He is the first freshman since Steven Edwards in 1992 to open the season with three straight double-figure scoring games. Edwards went on to score in double-figures in 26 straight games.

RICE NAMED TO NAISMITH, WOODEN LISTS:
University of Miami junior forward Darius Rice has been named one of 30 preseason candidates for the 2002-03 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award, and one of 50 preseason candidates for the John Wooden Player of the Year Award.

The Naismith Awards program, now in its 35th year, honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball.

The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists and basketball analysts. Members of the board were asked to name top male and female players who are most likely to be in contention for the award.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his university that he is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

MIAMI IN THE 2002-03 POLLS:
The Hurricanes received three votes in the November 25th ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll placing them 50th in the nation. Miami’s highest ranking ever came on March 1, 1960 when the Hurricanes jumped to No. 8 in the Associated Press poll. Miami’s highest ranking since the rebirth of the program in 1985 is ninth by the Associated Press on March 1, 1999. The Hurricanes highest ranking in the Coaches poll came on March 1, 1999 (10th).

SUCCESS IN THE SUNSHINE STATE:
Entering the 2002-03 season the Hurricanes are the only team in the state of Florida to register a winning record in each of the last eight seasons. The Hurricanes’ 150-89 (.628) mark since the 1994-95 season is the top winning percentage over the last eight seasons while the 150 wins ranks second among the state’s 11 Division I programs.

HURRICANES SIGN FOUR:
Head men’s basketball coach Perry Clark signed four recruits during the early signing period including 6-6 forward Karron Clarke (Brooklyn, NY/The Winchendon School), 6-9 forward/center Leonard Harden III (Detroit, MI/Garden City Community College), 6-11 center Yankuba Camara (Gambia, West Africa/Moberly Area Community College) and 6-3 combo guard Guillermo Diaz (Miami Christian Academy).

MIAMI GRADUATION RATE RANKS THIRD:
According to a report released by The Chronicle of Higher Education, the University of Miami men’s basketball program ranks third in the nation among the 115 Division I-A institutions with an 82 percent graduation rate for student-athletes who entered school from 1992-93 to 1995-96.

The national average for men’s basketball players over that four-year period was 34 percent. Graduation rates were tabulated and released by the NCAA in its 2002 NCAA Graduation Rates Report.

Miami’s 1993-94 to 1995-96 classes registered a perfect 100 percent graduation rate.

VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS:
UM went 3-1 versus ranked teams last season. The Hurricanes are 18-17 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in each of the last eight seasons. Miami is 27-82 (.248) all-time against ranked teams including a 24-68 (.261) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985.

COMEBACK KIDS:
Miami rallied nine times from second-half deficits to win games last season. 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.

NO DAY AT THE BEACH:
Miami’s 68-66 win over No. 17 Connecticut last season marked the eighth consecutive season that the Hurricanes defeated a ranked opponent at home.

RICE, JONES NEAR 1000-POINT CLUB:
Miami junior Darius Rice and senior James Jones are both closing in on the 1,000-point platuea at the University of Miami. Jones has 934 career points while Rice is right behind hime with 933 points. Twenty-four UM players have scored 1,000 or more career points led by Rick Barry who holds the Miami career scoring record with 2,298 points.

BOMBS AWAY:
Last season against Florida A&M (12-18-01) and Virginia Tech (1-12-02) the Hurricanes connected on 13 three-point baskets tying for the second highest single-game total in school-history.

Miami connected on 236 of 684 three-point field goals last season establishing single-season records in three-point field goals and three-point field goals attempted. The Hurricanes averaged 7.4 three-point field goals per game. Miami connected on 10 or more three-point field goals eight times last season.

EASY AS 1, 2, 3:
Miami failed to hit a three-point basket against Indiana last season marking just the third time in school-history that UM failed to connect on at least one three-pointer. Miami has hit at least one trey in 465 of 468 games since the NCAA adopted the three-point shot in 1986.

The only other games in which UM failed to hit a three-pointer were versus St. John’s on March 5, 2000 (0-13) and against Howard University on December 6, 1991 (0-15). Miami is 2-1 all-time when failing to hit a three-pointer.

OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING:
Miami shot a 35-70 (.500) from the field in its season opener against New Hampshire. Since the 1998-99 season the Hurricanes are 24-1 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. Miami has won its last 10 games when shooting 50 percent or better.

GETTING DEFENSIVE:
Last season Miami’s defense was been adept at forcing its opponents into turnovers. The Hurricanes forced 554 turnovers (17.3 per game) including 285 steals (8.9 per game). UM averaged 19.1 points per game off turnovers.

This season Miami has forced 83 turnovers in its first three games (27.7 per game) while scoring 99 points off those turnovers (33.0 points per game). The Hurricanes have recorded 51 steals in the first three games.

WATCH YOUR WALLETS:
The University of Miami recorded 51 steals in its opening three games this season including a school-record 21 against Savannah State on Dec. 30. Miami recorded 285 steals last season, an average of 8.9 steals per game. The Hurricanes ended the season two steals shy of tying the UM single-season record of 287 set in 1988-89 (31 games).

JONES MOVES UP CAREER LIST:
James Jones has recorded seven blocks this season to improve his career total to 149. The 149 blocks ranks third on UM’s all-time career list. His 78 blocks last season ranked third on UM’s all-time single-season list. The UM single-season record for blocks is 85 set by Constantin Popa in 1992-93.

LOCKING UP:
Last season Miami made a habit of holding teams without a field goal for long stretches. The Hurricanes held teams without a field goal for five minutes or more a total of 27 times while holding teams scoreless for five or more minutes five times.

This season the Hurricanes have held team without a field goal for 5 or minutes twice. In its opener against New Hampshire, Miami went on an 11-0 run in the first half, holding the Wildcats scoreless for 6:52. Against Savannah State the Hurricanes went on a 10-0 run holding the Tigers scoreless for 5:02.

BIG EAST COACHES LIKE RICE, JONES:
Darius Rice was named preseason first-team All-BIG EAST while James Jones was named preseason second-team All-BIG EAST by a vote of the league’s coaches.

MIAMI PICKED FIFTH IN EAST DIVISION:
The men’s basketball team was selected to finish fifth in the BIG EAST East Division by a vote of the conference coaches.

MIAMI SETS BIG EAST FREE THROW RECORD:
Miami shot 77.0 percent from the line last season to rank 10th in the nation. In BIG EAST games however the Hurricanes connected on a lead best 81.8 percent (275-336) from the charity stripe establishing a BIG EAST single-season record. The Hurricanes broke the old mark of 79.6 percent (234-294) set by Connecticut in 1980-81.

DID YOU KNOW?:
The University of Miami has registered a 46-20 (.697) conference mark since the 1998-99 season. UM’s record ranks second among BIG EAST teams over that period.

A SWEEPING SUCCESS:
With its win over Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale, Miami recorded a two-game season sweep over the Hokies. Miami registered season sweeps over three opponents this season and has registered 17 BIG EAST regular season two-game sweeps since joining the league in the 1991-92 season. The Hurricanes have recorded at least one series sweep in each of the last eight seasons.

ROAD WARRIORS:
Since the 1998-99 season, Miami is 22-11 (.667) in BIG EAST road games. The 22-11 mark is the best record among BIG EAST schools over that period. The Hurricanes have won 23 of their last 34 BIG EAST road games dating back to the 1997-98 season.