Hurricanes Prepare For Bout With Golden Lions
Dec. 17, 2002
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ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF (0-7)vs.UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (3-3)
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 – 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Miami Arena (15,388) – Miami, FL
TV – None; Radio – WSRS (1580 AM)
ON ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF:
Arkansas-Pine Bluff enters Wednesday night’s game with a record of 0-7 following a 92-49 loss at Arkansas State on December 16. The Golden Lions have dropped 14 consecutive games dating back to last season.
The Miami game will mark the third in five days for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who will be playing its seventh road game of the season.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff has been led in scoring this season by sophomore guard Lamarquis Blake who is averaging a team-high 7.4 points per game.
THE SERIES:
First Meeting
UP NEXT:
Following the Arkansas-Pine Bluff game the Hurricanes will take on intra-state rival Florida at the Wachovia Orange Bowl Basketball Classic on Saturday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the American Airlines Arena.
TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
The Arkansas-Pine Bluff game will not be televised. The game will be broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network. (WSRS – 1580 AM). Joe Zagacki “The Voice of the Hurricanes” will call all the action with Josh Darrow adding analysis. Brian London will serve as studio host. Fans can also catch the game on the 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 43-24 (.642) at Miami while his career record stands at 228-169 (.574). 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.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Van Holt is in his first season as a collegiate head coach. The Golden Lions are 0-7 this season.
A WIN AGAINST ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF WOULD:
***Improve Miami’s record to 4-3 on the season.
***Snap the Hurricanes’ three-game losing streak.
***Mark Miami’s 18th consecutive non-conference win at Miami Arena.
LAST OUTING: CHARLOTTE 69, MAIMI 64
Decmeber 15, 2002Halton Arena, Charlotte, NC
Demon Brown scored 15 points and hit a last-mintue 3-pointer as Charlotte held on to beat Miami 69-64 at Halton Arena in Charlotte, NC.
Curtis Nash added 12 points and Chris Sager scored 11 for the 49ers, who improved to 3-0 at home. Darius Rice had 21 points and eight rebounds and James Jones scored 16 for the Hurricanes, who shot just 38 percent as they dropped their third-straight game.
Brown’s fourth 3-pointer with 42.9 seconds gave Charlotte a 65-58 lead and ended the Hurricanes’ final comeback attempt.
Miami cut a 20-point deficit to 44-42 on Ismael N’Diaye’s steal and layup with 12:40 remaining. But a 3-pointer by Sager started an 11-0 run to put the 49ers ahead 53-42 with 7:19 left.
Charlotte used a 22-3 run to lead 31-11 with 8:15 left in the first half. But Hurricanes held the 49ers to just two field goals over the final eight minutes of the first half and cut the lead to 36-29 when Eric Wilkins hit a 3-pointer with under a minute left before halftime.
MIAMI VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since joining The BIG EAST Conference beginning with the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 77-38 (.670) record against non-conference opponents, including a 53-13 mark (.803) at home. Miami is 3-3 against non-conference opponents this season and has won 20 of its last 24 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. Miami has won 17 straight non-conference games at Miami Arena. Miami’s last home loss to a non-conference opponent was on January 29, 2000 versus Kentucky (60-57).
ITS BEEN A WHILE:
University of Miami freshman Robert Hite has scored in double-figures in the first four games of the season. He is the first freshman since Steven Edwards in 1992 to open the season with four straight double-figure scoring games. Edwards went on to score in double-figures in 26 straight games that season.
VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
Miami is 292-143 (.671) against teams from the state of Florida. Miami has won 27 of its last 29 games against Florida schools dating back to the 1992-93 season.
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 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.
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).
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.
MIAMI IN THE 2002-03 POLLS:
Miami is unranked. 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.
HURRICANE DOUBLE-DOUBLES:
James Jones and Darius Rice are the only players on the Hurricanes’ roster that have recorded double-doubles during their careers. Jones has two double-doubles this season and nine for his career, while Rice has three career double-doubles.
WORKING OVERTIME:
Miami’s loss to Florida Atlantic snapped the Hurricanes three-game win streak in over time games. Miami was 3-0 last season in overtime games. Miami has played at least one overtime contest in each of the last five seasons. UM has amassed a 9-5 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; 0-3 in 1990-91 and 3-0 in 2001-02), own a 25-22 overall record in overtime contests during their history (5-4 in double-overtime games and a 20-18 mark in single-overtime contests).
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 983 career points while Rice is right behind hime with 977 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 468 of 471 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 134 turnovers in its first six games (22.3 per game) while scoring 145 points off those turnovers (24.1 points per game). The Hurricanes have recorded 74 steals in the first five games.
JONES MOVES UP CAREER LIST:
James Jones has recorded 12 blocks this season to improve his career total to 154. The 154 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.
WATCH YOUR WALLETS:
The University of Miami has recorded 74 steals (12.3 spg) in its opening six 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). Miami is on pace to record 386 steals this season.
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.
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.
