Hurricanes Hit The Road To Take On Friars
Feb. 16, 2003
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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (10-11, 3-7)vs.PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (11-11, 4-7)
Monday, February 17, 2003 – 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Dunkin’ Donuts Center (12,993) – Providence, RI
TV: Fox Sports Net; Radio: WQAM (560 AM)
ON PROVIDENCE:
The Providence Friars (11-11, 4-7 in the BIG EAST) defeated St. John’s, 69-59, Saturday at Alumni Hall in Jamaica, NY. The win snapped the Friars’ three-game losing streak. Sophomore Ryan Gomes led the Providence with 28 points.
Gomes has led the Friars this season averaging 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Providence has also received consistant play from freshman point guard Donnie McGrath. McGrath is averaging 9.5 points and 5.1 assists, and currently leads the BIG EAST in assist-to-turnover ration (2.76). The Friars are 9-4 at home this season.
THE SERIES:
Miami and Providence meet for the 27th time with the all-time series 13-13. Miami has won three straight and four of the last five meetings, including a 60-57 win earlier this season in Coral Gables.
LAST GAME:
GAME 21 – BOSTON COLLEGE 76, MIAMI 65
February 15, 2003
Silvio O. Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, MA
Troy Bell poured in a game-high 34 points, leading four players in double figures, as Boston College recorded a 76-65 victory over Miami at the Silvio O. Conte Forum.
Bell shot 8-of-16 from the field, including 6-of-11 behind the three-point line, and handed out four assists in the win for the Eagles. Craig Smith added 15 points, Ryan Sidney 12 and Louis Hinnant 10 points for the Eagles.
The Hurricanes were paced by James Jones who recorded a double- double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Darius Rice also posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Boston College shot a blistering 58.3 percent from the field in the first half, knocking down 6-of-10 from beyond the arc as well, leading to a 38-31 advantage at the break.
In the second half the Eagles made 46.2 percent of their field goal attempts, but made up for it by converting 11-of-15 at the free-throw line, leading to the 11-point win.
The Eagles overcame 16 turnovers on the day by shooting 52 percent from the field overall and 9-of-16 from long range.
LAST TIME AGAINST PROVIDENCE:
MIAMI 60, PROVIDENCE 57
January 29, 2003
Convocation Center, Coral Gables, FL
Darius Rice scored 21 of his game-high 26 points in the second half to lead the Hurricanes to a 60-57 win over Providence at the Convocation Center.
James Jones added 11 points for Miami while freshman Gary Hamilton recorded a career-high 12 rebounds.
Romuald Augustin paced the Friars with 15 points on 5- of-9 shooting from three-point range. Ryan Gomes turned in a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds. Marcus Douthit also had 12 points for Providence.
Providence led 30-28 at the half but Rice hit consecutive 3-pointers to give Miami a 47-46 lead with 9:51 remaining, their first of the game.
Eric Wilkins’ steal and dunk with 1:42 remaining put Miami ahead 57-55, and the Hurricanes kept the lead the rest of the way.
Miami converted 4-of-9 shots from beyond the arc in the second stanza, helping it capture the three-point victory.
The Hurricanes shot just 25 percent from three-point land, but held the Friars to only 39.3 percent shooting from the floor and forced them into 18 turnovers.
TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
Miami’s game versus Providence is being produced by ESPN Regional Television and will be broadcast in Miami on Fox Sports Net Florida. Bob Picozzi and Doris Burke will call the action.
The game will also be broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network (WQAM – 560 AM). Joe Zagacki “The Voice of the Hurricanes” will handle the play-by-play. Brian London will serve as studio host. Fans can also catch the game on the web at hurricanesports.com.
UP NEXT:
Following the Providence game the Hurricanes return home to face Georgetown on Saturday, February 22 at noon at the Convocation Center.
A WIN AGAINST PROVIDENCE WOULD:
Improve UM’s record to 11-11, 4-7 BIG EAST.Mark Miami’s first BIG EAST road win this season.Mark UM’s fourth straight win over Providence.
UM SINGLE-GAME TICKETS NOW ON SALE:
Single-game tickets for the remaining men’s basaketball season are on sale. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-GO-CANES or by visiting ticketmaster.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 50-32 (.610) at Miami while his career record stands at 235-177 (.570).
Providence head coach Tim Welsh is in his fifth season with the Friars and seventh season overall. His record at PC is 73-70 (.510) while his overall record is 143-92 (.609).
RICE NAMED TO MIDSEASON WOODEN LIST:
Darius Rice is among 30 midseason finalists for the 2002-03 John R. Wooden Award. A national poll was conducted by the Wooden Award Midseason Committee to determine the Top 30 Midseason candidates.
The Wooden Award, which will be presented on April 1 in Los Angeles, is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball and 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 grade point average.
Rice is one of seven BIG EAST players on the list of 30 candidates including Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse), Marcus Hatten (St. John’s), Brandin Knight (Pittsburgh), Emeka Okafor (Connecticut), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) and Chris Thomas (Notre Dame).
COMING ON STRONG:
Miami forward Darius Rice has really heated in the month of February averaging 24.0 points per game. Rice has increased his scoring average each month.
CARRYING THE LOAD:
Darius Rice (19.9 ppg) and James Jones (17.1 ppg) have shouldered the scoring load for the Hurricanes this season. The two are accounting for half (52.0%) of Miami’s points. During the month of February the tandem has accounted for 56.4 percent of the Hurricanes’ scoring. Here is a month-by-month breakdown.
PLAYING THEIR BEST AGAINST THE BEST:
The UM forward combination of Darius Rice and James Jones have both shined this season in the big games. Against ranked teams Rice is averaging 34.3 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 35-69 (.507) from the floor and 15-33 (.455) from three-point range. Jones is averaging 21.0 points against those teams while shooting 21-39 (.538) from the field.
RICE SEEING 20-20:
With his 32 points against Virginia Tech, Darius Rice recorded his fourth consecutive game of 20 or more points. It marked the first time in his UM career he had posted four consecutive games of 20 or more points. The last player to record four straight 20-point games was Tim James who posted five straight during the 1998-99 season. Rice has recorded eight games of 20 or more points this season which leads the team.
NO DAY AT THE BEACH:
Miami’s 73-72 win over No. 11 Connecticut this season marked the ninth consecutive season that the Hurricanes defeated a ranked opponent at home.
WORKING OVERTIME:
Miami played its fifth overtime of the season against Villanova on February 8. Miami is 1-4 in overtime games this season. The five overtime games establishes a school single-season record. 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 9-6 record (including tournament games) in BIG EAST overtime contests (5-3 at home). The ‘Canes own a 25-24 overall record in overtime contests during their history (5-5 in double-overtime games and a 20-19 mark in single-overtime contests).
VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS:
Miami is 1-2 against ranked teams this season. The Hurricanes are 19-19 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in each of the last nine seasons. Miami is 28-84 (.250) all-time against ranked teams including a 25-70 (.263) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985.
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.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
The University of Miami has been nearly unbeatable at home this season recording a 8-2 record while struggling on the road posting a 1-8 mark.
MR. CLUTCH:
Darius Rice’s three-point basket with 0.5 seconds left to defeat Connecticut on January 20th marked the fourth time this season the junior forward has hit a three-pointer at the end of regulation to either win the game or send the game to overtime.
With the Hurricanes’ down 72-69 to Florida , Rice connected on a three-pointer from the right corner with 26 seconds remaining to tie the score. Florida went on to win the game 94-93 in double-overtime.
On January 4th against North Carolina, Rice hit a three-pointer, again from the right corner, to tie the score at 60-60 with three seconds left. Miami went on to win the game 64-61.
In Miami’s first meeting with Connecticut on January 11, Rice sent the game to overtime with a three-pointer from the tip of the key tying the score at 71-71 with two seconds left. Connecticut won the game 83-80.
ROAD WARRIORS:
Since the 1998-99 season, Miami is 22-15 (.595) in BIG EAST road games. The 22-15 mark ranks No. 1 in league play over that period.
MIAMI CHRISTENS CONVOCATION CENTER:
The Hurricanes christened the Convocation Center, the new on-campus home of men’s and women’s basketball, and the University’s first large-capacity venue for other educational, cultural and community events with a 64-61 overtime win over North Carolina on January 4.
The $48 million facility, totally funded through private donations, seats 7,000 for basketball and will provide the University and the Coral Gables community with a facility designed for a wide array of uses.
UM LEAVES MIAMI ARENA IN STYLE:
Miami ended its 14-year run at Miami Arena with a 68-62 victory over Lehigh on December 30. Miami began playing its home games at the Miami Arena in 1988 and registered a 135-66 (.672) record including a 5-0 record this season. Since 1994-95 the Hurricanes had compiled a 98-26 (.790) overall home record at the Arena.
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 an 81-39 (.672) record against non-conference opponents, including a 56-13 mark (.809) at home. Miami finished 7-4 against non-conference opponents this season and has won 24 of its last 29 games against non-conference teams. Miami has won 20 consecutive home games against non-conference opponents.
RICE NAMED TO PRESEASON NAISMITH LIST:
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.
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.
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).
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.
RICE MOVES UP 3-POINT LIST:
Darius Rice has recorded 56 three-point baskets this season giving him 194 for his career which places him second on UM’s all-time career list behind Steven Edwards who connected on 265 three-point baskets from 1992-96.
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 483 of 486 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.
RICE’S NIGHT:
Darius Rice poured in a career-high 43 points against Connecticut on Jan. 20 tying him for third on the BIG EAST all-time single-game scoring list. The point total was the most in a BIG EAST game since Feb. 20, 1996 when UM forward Steve Rich posted 43 points against St. John’s.
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING:
Miami shot a 31-60 (.517) from the field against Virginia Tech on February 11 marking the second time thiss season the Hurricanes have shot 50 percent or better from the field. Since the 1998-99 season the Hurricanes are 25-1 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. Miami has won its last 11 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 389 turnovers (18.5 per game) while scoring 410 points off those turnovers (19.5 points per game). Miami has recorded 27.5 percent (410 of 1493) of its total points this season off turnovers.
JONES MOVES UP CAREER LIST:
James Jones has recorded 38 blocks this season to improve his career total to 180. The 180 blocks ranks third on UM’s all-time career list.
WATCH YOUR WALLETS:
The University of Miami ranks No.1 in the BIG EAST and 6th in the nation in steals. UM has recorded 216 steals (10.3 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 288 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 teams without a field goal for 5 or minutes 13 times.
