Canes Grapple With Gators This Saturday
Dec. 19, 2002
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#13/#13 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (7-2) vs. UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (4-3)
Saturday, December 21, 2002 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
American Airlines Arena (16,500) – Miami, FL
TV – Sunshine (Live); Radio – WAXY (790 AM)
Website: hurricanesports.com
ON FLORIDA:
Florida enters the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic with a record of 7-2 and No. 13 national ranking in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. Florida is coming off a 69-64 road win over defending national champion Maryland on December 14th.
The Gators have been led this season by National Player of the Year candidate Matt Bonner. The 6-10 senior is averaging 14.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6 percent (50-95) from the field and 43.2 percent (16-37) from three-point range.
Florida boasts four players averaging in double-figures including freshman Matt Walsh who leads the team in scoring (14.6), freshman Anthony Roberson (14.1) and sophomore David Lee (10.8).
THE SERIES:
Miami and Florida meet for the 64th time with the Gators leading the all-time series 42-21. Florida has won 12 of the last 13 games including a 62-60 win in Gainesville on December 30, 1990.
UP NEXT:
Following the Florida game the Hurricanes hit the road to face Central Florida on December 27 at 7:30 p.m.
TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
The Wachovia Orange Bowl Basketball Classic will be televised on the Sunshine Network. Bill Koss and Larry Vettel will call the action The game will be broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network (WAXY – 790 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.
LAST GAME:
MIAMI 79, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 42
December 18, 2002
Miami Arena, Miami, FL
James Jones scored a career-high 26 points to lead the University of Miami to a 79-42 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Miami Arena snapping the Hurricanes’ three-game losing streak.
Miami began the game on a 20-2 run and led 28-6 with 8:56 left in the first half. The Hurricanes shot 57 percent in the half compared to the Golden Lions’ 27 percent, and won the rebounding battle, 26-10.
Jones, who surpassed the 1,000-point total for his career, scored 10 points as part of a 16-0 Miami run to end the half. The Hurricanes led 57-16, the lowest first half total for a Miami opponent since Lehigh scored 12 on Dec. 30, 1996.
The Hurricanes were outscored in the second half, 26-22, mostly playing with reserves. Arkansas Pine-Bluff sank just 6-of-16 free throws and made only one 3-point shot.
Robert Hite recorded his first career double-double for Miami, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team season-high 13 rebounds. Darius Rice added 18 points. Kory McKee led UAPB with 14.
LAST YEAR’S ORANGE BOWL CLASSIC:
MIAMI 58, No. 21 INDIANA 53
December 15, 2001
American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
James Jones recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and also registered five blocks to lead the University of Miami to a 58-53 win over No. 21 Indiana in the Orange Bowl Classic.
With the win the Hurricanes (9-0) matched the best start in school history. Following the game Jones was named Orange Bowl MVP.
Miami held Indiana to a season-low 33 percent, including 1-for-15 from 3-point range. The Hoosiers also shot themselves in the foot connecting on just 12-for-25 at the free-throw line.
Tom Coverdale scored 16 points and sophomore George Leach had a career-high 10 to lead Indiana. Elton Tyler and John Salmons each scored 12 points for the Hurricanes.
With the score tied at 31-31, the Hurricanes ran off seven consecutive points early in the second half to take their biggest lead. Darius Rice dunked on an alley-oop from Salmons with 14 minutes left to make it 36-31. Salmons was then fouled intentionally on a breakaway by Jeff Newton and made both free throws for a 38-31 lead.
With 30 seconds left, Coverdale missed a 3-point attempt that would have tied the game at 54. Barnes then made three free throws and Jones added one to clinch the win.
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 44-24 (.647) at Miami while his career record stands at 229-169 (.575). 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 head coach Billy Donovan is in his seventh season with the Gators and ninth season overall. His record at Florida is 131-67 (.662) while his career record is 166-87 (.656).
A WIN AGAINST FLORIDA WOULD:
Improve Miami’s record to 5-3 on the season.Mark the ninth consecutive season in which UM has defeated a ranked opponent.Mark UM’s second straight win at the OB Classic.
IN THE ORANGE BOWL CLASSIC:
The Hurricanes are making their ninth appearance in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. Miami is 3-5 in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic including a 58-53 win over eventual NCAA runner-up Indiana in last season’s Classic.
MIAMI VS. THE SEC:
Miami is 36-57 (.380) all-time against SEC teams. Miami has faced Florida 63 times, more than any other SEC school. Not counting Florida the Hurricanes are 15-15 against the SEC.
ITS BEEN A WHILE:
Freshmen Robert Hite and Armondo Surratt were both in the starting lineup for the Hurricanes’ game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff marking the first time since the 1993-94 season that two freshmen started for the Hurricanes. That season freshmen Alex Fraser and Torey McCormick started the final 14 games of the season.
MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since joining The BIG EAST Conference beginning with the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 78-38 (.672) record against non-conference opponents, including a 54-13 mark (.806) at home. Miami is 4-3 against non-conference opponents this season and has won 21 of its last 25 games against non-conference teams.
MIAMI DOMINATES AT HOME:
Since 1994-95 the Hurricanes have compiled a 97-26 (.789) overall home record, including a 4-0 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 18 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
