Men's Basketball Travels To Villanova Tuesday
Feb. 23, 2003
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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (10-13, 3-9)
vs.
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY (14-10, 7-4)
Tuesday, February 25, 2003 – 7:30 p.m. (ET)
The Pavilion (6,500) – Villanova, PA
TV: Fox Sports Net; Radio: WQAM (560 AM)
Website: hurricanesports.com
ON VILLANOVA:
Villanova (14-10, 7-4 BIG EAST) is coming off a 70-60 loss at Providence on Saturday. The Wildcats, who rank No. 2 in the league in scoring offense averaging 80.8 points per game in league play, and are the top team in the league in three-point shooting connecting on 87-214 (.407) from long range.
The Wildcats have been led this season by senior guard Gary Buchanon. Buchanon leads the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game as well as three-point field goal percentage (.419) and free throw percentage (.878).
Overall the Wildcats boast four players averaging in double-figures including senior forward Ricky Wright (12.7 ppg), and freshmen guards Randy Foye (10.6 ppg) and Allan Ray (10.0 ppg).
THE SERIES:
Miami and Villanova meet for the 21st time with the Wildcats leading the all-time series 11-9. The Hurricanes have won six of the last seven games. Villanova won the first meeting this season, 72-67, in overtime at the Convocation Center. The Hurricanes have won the last three games against Villanova at the Pavilion.
LAST OUTING:
GEORGETOWN 74, MIAMI 72
February 22, 2003
Convocation Center, Coral Gables, FL
Mike Sweetney poured in 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Georgetown Hoyas to a 74-72 win over the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL.
Gerald Riley netted 19 points, Tony Bethel had 12 and Victor Samnick chipped in 10 points for the Hoyas.
The Hurricanes were led by James Jones who finished with 18 points and Robert Hite who netted 15 points. Darius Rice tallied 12 points, Armondo Surrat had 11, and Rodrigue Djahue 10 points in the losing effort.
Miami, which led 31-27 at the half, were outscored 47-41 in the second half resulting in the two-point loss. Miami falls to 3-9 this season in games decided by five points or less.
Miami (46.4 percent) outshot the Hoyas (45.3 percent) and outrebounded Georgetown, 37-34, but could not overcome 24 costly turnovers. The Hurricanes bench outscored the Hoyas’ bench 36-2.
LAST TIME AGAINST VILLANOVA:
VILLANOVA 72, MIAMI 67 (OT)
February 8, 2003
Convocation Center, Coral Gables, FL
Gary Buchanan scored 23 points to lead the Villanova Wildcats to a 72-67 overtime victory against the University of Miami at the Convocation Center in Coral Gables, FL.
Ricky Wright scored 14 points and knocked in the final six points for Villanova in overtime. Allan Ray scored 12 points off the bench, while Derrick Snowden chipped in 10 points for the Wildcats.
Darius Rice had a game-high 26 points and collected eight rebounds, in a losing effort for Miami. James Jones was the only other Hurricane in double figures, scoring 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field.
The Hurricanes were held to just 29.2 percent shooting from the field in the first half of action, as they trailed 38-26 going into the locker rooms.
Snowden sent the game into overtime for the Wildcats, hitting a free throw with 6.6 seconds left in regulation. Villanova made 4-of-6 shots from the floor and all four of its free throws in the overtime period, helping it record the five-point victory.
The Wildcats shot 54.5 percent from the field and 81 percent from the charity stripe, while holding the Hurricanes to only 38.6 percent shooting on their field goal attempts.
TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
Miami’s game versus Villanova is being produced by ESPN Regional Television and will be broadcast in Miami on Fox Sports Net Florida. Dave Sims and Jim Spanarkel 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 call all the action. Brian London will serve as studio host. Fans can also catch the game on the web at hurricanesports.com.
UP NEXT:
Following the Villanova game the Hurricanes return home to face Boston College on Saturday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. at the Convocation Center. The game will broadcast in Miami on Fox Sports Net Florida.
A WIN AGAINST VILLANOVA WOULD:
***Improve UM’s record to 11-13, 4-9 BIG EAST.
***Snap the Hurricanes’ three-game losing streak.
***Mark UM’s fourth straight win over the Wildcats at the Pavilion.
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 50-34 (.595) at Miami while his career record stands at 235-179 (.568).
Villanova head coach Jay Wright is in his second season at the helm of the Wildcats and ninth season overall. His record at Villanova is 33-23 (.589) while his overall record stands at 155-108 (589).
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).
JONES NAMES TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM:
James Jones has been selected to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-District II Men’s Basketball team. Jones is now eligible for the national Verizon Academic All-America Team, which will be announced on March 6. This marks the second consecutive season Jones has earned Verizon Academic All-District honors.
Joining Jones as All-District selections are Matt Bonner (Florida), Adam Hess (William & Mary), Jon Larranaga (George Mason) and Brad McKeiver (Campbell).
Jones is a three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star and carries a 3.405 cumulative GPA in finance. He was named a 2001 Arthur Ashe Scholar Athlete and was runner-up for the 2001-02 BIG EAST Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award.
COMING ON STRONG:
Miami forward Darius Rice has really heated up in the new year averaging 21.6 points per game in the months of January and February.
CARRYING THE LOAD:
Darius Rice (19.3 ppg) and James Jones (16.9 ppg) have shouldered the scoring load for the Hurricanes this season. The two are accounting for half (51.2%) of Miami’s points. During the month of February the tandem has accounted for 51.9 percent of the Hurricanes’ scoring.
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 enjoyed playing at home this season recording a 9-3 record while struggling on the road posting a 1-9 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.
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.
