Hurricanes Primed For Battle With Golden Knights

Dec. 24, 2002

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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (4-4)vs.UCF (7-3)
Friday, December 27, 2002 – 7:30 p.m. (ET)
UCF Arena (5,100) – Orlando, FL
TV: None
Radio: WSRF (1580 AM)
Website: hurricanesports.com

ON UCF:
UCF enters its game with Miami with a record of 7-3 following a 68-63 win over Florida Gulf Coast on December 21. The Golden Knights have been up-and-down this season posting wins over the likes of Tulane and 25th-ranked College of Charleston, yet dropping games to Florida A&M and Tennessee-Martin. UCF is undefeated (3-0) at home this season.

The Golden Knights have been led this season by senior point guard Ray Abellard who is averaging a team-high 18.8 points per game. Abellard sat out the Florida Gulf Coast game with a strained groin muscle and will be a game-time decision for the Miami game. Also averaging in double-figures is senior forward Ed Dotson (13.3 ppg)

THE SERIES:
Miami and Central Florida meet for the sixth time with the Hurricanes winning all five previous match-ups. Miami and UCF last met on December 9, 2000 with the Hurricanes coming away with an 83-72 win at Miami Arena.

UP NEXT:
Following the UCF game the Hurricanes return home to face Lehigh on December 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Miami Arena. The Lehigh game will be the final game at Miami Arena for the Hurricanes. Miami will move into the Convocation Center, its new $48 million on-campus arena, beginning with the Jan. 4 game versus North Carolina.

UNC TICKETS ON SALE:
Single game tickets for Miami’s opening game in the Convocation Center on January 4 against North Carolina are now on sale. Call 1-800-GO-CANES for more information.

LAST GAME:
#13/#13 FLORIDA 94, MIAMI 93 (2OT)
December 21, 2002
AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Justin Hamilton’s free throw with six seconds left in the second overtime period lifted 13th-ranked Florida to a 94-93 win over the University of Miami in the Wachovia Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at American Airlines Arena.

Freshman Matt Walsh scored an Orange Bowl Classic record 33 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and dished out five assists to pace the Gators. Matt Bonner added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Hamilton contributed 15 points for Florida.

Miami rallied from a 43-29 halftime deficit to force overtime. Darius Rice’s three-pointer with 26.4 seconds left in regulation forged a 72-72 tie and sent the game to overtime.

Rice finished with 32 points for the Hurricanes, while James Jones scored 26 and Armondo Surratt added 13. Jones scored five points in the first overtime. His three-pointer with 54.9 seconds left put Miami ahead 81-80. His layup with 3.2 seconds to go forged an 83-83 tie and forced another five-minute extra period.

In the second overtime session, a basket by Jones with 35.9 seconds to go pulled Miami into a 93-93 tie, the ninth deadlock in the two overtimes. Then Hamilton broke the tie at the foul line for Florida by hitting the first of two shots.

Miami’s final shot, a three-point attempt by Surratt from the right wing, missed as time expired.

LAST TIME AGAINST UCF:
MIAMI 83, CENTRAL FLORIDA 72
December 9, 2000
Miami Arena, Miami, FL
Freshman Forward Darius Rice set a Miami freshman record with 35 points to lead the Hurricanes to an 83-72 win over the University of Central Florida at the Miami Arena in Miami, FL.

Rice finished the contest 11-19 from the field, including 6 of 9 from three-point range, and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. His six three-point field goals tied the UM single-game freshman record. John Salmons recorded his fourth career double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds for Miami. Mario Lovett and Paul Reed each tallied 14 points to lead the Golden Knights.

Miami outrebounded Central Florida 41-31 including an 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass.

The Hurricanes shot 17-32 (.531) from the field in the first half in openning a 40-34 lead at the break.

UCF, which trailed by as many as 11 early in the second half, battled back and cut the lead to three (60-57) following a three-point basket by Jason Thornton with 7:35 remaining. But that would be as close as the Golden Knights would get as Rice hit back-to-back three-pointers to halt the UCF run.

TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
Miami’s game versus UCF will not be televised. The game will be broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network (WAXY – 790 AM). Josh Darrow will call all the action. 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 44-25 (.638) at Miami while his career record stands at 229-170 (.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.

UCF head coach Kirk Speraw is in his 10th season with the Golden Knights and 13th season overall. His record at UCF is 132-140 (.485) while his career record is 214-161 (.571).

VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
Miami is 292-144 (.670) against teams from the state of Florida. Miami has won 27 of its last 30 games against Florida schools dating back to the 1992-93 season.

ITS BEEN A WHILE:
Freshmen Robert Hite and Armondo Surratt were both in the starting lineup for the Hurricanes’ game against Charlotte on December 15 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. Hite and Surratt have started the last three games together.

MIAMI VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since joining The BIG EAST Conference beginning with the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 78-39 (.672) record against non-conference opponents, including a 54-13 mark (.806) at home. Miami is 4-4 against non-conference opponents this season and has won 21 of its last 26 games against non-conference teams.

POSITIVE INFLUENCE:
Freshman point guard Armondo Surratt seems to have quite an affect on both James Jones’ and Darius Rice’s numbers since entering the starting line-up against Charlotte.

In the first five games of the season Jones averaged 16.6 points while shooting 31-74 (.419) from the floor including 8-20 (.400) from three-point range. Over the last three games Jones is averaging 22.7 points and has shot 22-36 (.611) from the field and 10-17 (.588) from long distance.

Rice averaged 13.8 points while shooting 23-60 (.383) from the field including 7-23 (.304) from three-point range. With Surratt in the starting line-up the last three games Rice is averaging 23.7 points and has shot 25-51 (.490) from the field and 10-22 (.455) from behind the arc.

As a team the Hurricanes averaged 78.0 points and shot 41.5 percent (140-337) from the field and 27.5 percent (25-91) from behind the arc. Over the last three games the Hurricanes are averaging 78.7 points and have shot 82-186 (.441) from the field including 30-66 (.455) from three-point range.

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.

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:
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 18-18 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in each of the last eight seasons. Miami is 27-83 (.245) all-time against ranked teams including a 24-69 (.258) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985. Miami is 0-1 against ranked teams this season.

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 is 0-2 in overtime games this season. 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 25-23 overall record in overtime contests during their history (5-5 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.

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).

RICE, JONES JOIN 1000-POINT CLUB:
Miami senior James Jones and junior forward Darius Rice both joined the 1,000-point club this season. Jones scored 26 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on December 18 to become the 25th player in UM history to surpass 1,000 career points. Junior Darius Rice scored 32 points against Florida on December 21 to become the 26th player in UM history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. 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 470 of 473 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 181 turnovers in its first eight games (22.6 per game) while scoring 202 points off those turnovers (25.3 points per game). The Hurricanes have recorded 97 steals this season.

JONES MOVES UP CAREER LIST:
James Jones has recorded 14 blocks this season to improve his career total to 156. The 156 blocks ranks third on UM’s all-time career list. The UM single-season record for blocks is 85 set by Constantin Popa in 1992-93.

WATCH YOUR WALLETS:
The University of Miami ranks ninth in the nation in steals having recorded 97 steals (12.3 spg) 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 327 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 four times. 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. Miami held Arkansas-Pine Bluff without a field goal for over five minutes on two occasions

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.