Hurricanes Set To Take On Florida International On Tuesday

Dec. 5, 2004

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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (3-2)
at
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (3-2)When: December 7, 2004 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Pharmed Arena (5,000) – Miami, Fla.
TV: Sunshine (Live)
Radio: WQAM (560 AM)
Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); FIU (www.FIUsports.com)
Up Next: December 12 vs. Massachusetts – 2:00 p.m. at Convocation Center

ON FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL:

Florida International enters its game against Miami with a record of 3-2 following a 99-48 loss at Connecticut on November 30.

The Golden Panthers’ three victories this season have come against Florida Atlantic (65-62), Florida A&M (70-45) and Central Connecticut State (63-61).

FIU has been led this season by senior guard Junior Matias and junior forward Ivan Almonte. Matias is averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game off the bench and has been the Golden Panthers’ top scorer in two of the last three games.

Almonte ranks second on the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and leads the team in both rebounding (7.6 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg). He has connected on 52.8 percent (28-53) of his field goal attempts this season.

ON THE COACHES:

Frank Haith was named Miami’s 11th head men’s basketball coach on April 12, 2004. In his 15 seasons as an assistant at the D-I level, he has helped lead teams that have won an NIT Championship, advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen three times, reached one Elite Eight and one Final Four. Haith, who is in his first season as a head coach, is 3-2 this season with the Hurricanes.

Florida International head coach Sergio Rouco is in his first season a collegiate head coach and is 3-2 this season the Golden Panthers.

TV/RADIO:

The Miami-Florida International game will be televised live by Sunshine. Dave LaMont will call all the action with Mark Wise adding analysis. The game will also be broadcast on the Hurricane Radio Network, WQAM (560 AM). Joe Zagacki “The Voice of the Hurricanes” will call the action with Josh Darrow adding analysis. Brian London will serve as studio host.

LAST GAME – MIAMI 72, #19/#18 FLORIDA 65

December 4, 2004

O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.

Anthony Harris scored 18 of his career-high 23 points in the second half to help Miami upset No. 19 Florida 72-65 Saturday and give first-year coach Frank Haith his biggest victory.

Miami’s three starting guards combined for 55 points and gave the Gators problems all game – on offense and defense. Guillermo Diaz and Robert Hite added 16 apiece for the Hurricanes.

Harris hit a big 3-pointer with less than 4 minutes to play that put Miami ahead for good. His shot hit the front of the rim and bounced off the backboard before falling through the net and giving the Hurricanes a 63-60 lead. He followed with a floater in the lane.

Diaz sank a hanging runner in the lane with 1:30 to play that gave Miami a six-point lead. Harris hit all four of his free throws in the final minute to secure the win

Miami also did a solid job against Florida’s Big Three, especially Matt Walsh.

Anthony Roberson had 20 points and David Lee added 16, but Walsh was 2-of-9 from the floor and 1-of-5 from beyond the arc. He finished with eight points.

LAST SEASON AGAINST FIU:

MIAMI 89, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 72

December 6, 2003

Convocation Center, Coral Gables, FL

Darius Rice recorded a season-high 28 points to lead the University of Miami to an 89-72 win over crosstown rival Florida International at the Convocation Center.

Rice hit 11-of-20 shots, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, to move into seventh-place on UM’s all-time scoring list with 1,500 career points.

Guillermo Diaz came off the bench to hit 5-8 field goals en route to 15 points. Robert Hite added 14 for Miami, which connected on a season-high 57.4 percent of its shots.

Junior Matias scored 20 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for Florida International, which managed just seven assists compared with 21 turnovers. Taurence Johnson and Carlos Morban each scored 19 points for Florida International.

A WIN VERSUS FIU WOULD:

Improve Miami’s record to 4-2 this season.Improve Miami’s record versus FIU to 9-1.Mark Miami’s third consecutive victory.Mark Miami’s second consecutive road win.

THE SERIES:

Miami and Florida International meet for the tenth time with the Hurricanes holding a 8-1 all-time series lead. Miami and FIU met last season at the Convocation Center with the Hurricanes winning 89-72. The Golden Panthers’ lone win in the series was a 72-64 victory on December 1, 1992 at Miami Arena. This will mark the first time that Miami has played the Golden Panthers at FIU.

STARTING GUARDS CARRY SCORING LOAD:

Miami’s three guard line-up of Robert Hite (20.6 ppg), Guillermo Diaz (14.4 ppg) and Anthony Harris (12.2 ppg) have carried the scoring load for the Hurricanes this season. The trio have combined to average 47.2 points per game, or 69 percent (236 of 343) of the teams scoring so far this season.

DEAD-EYE FROM THE LINE:

Miami’s guards have been nearly perfect from the free throw line this season connecting on 35-38 (.921) attempts in Miami’s opening five games. Anthony Harris (8-8) and Eric Wilkins (4-4) are perfect this season while Robert Hite has hit 15-16 from the stripe.

ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT:

In Miami’s opening five games this season the Hurricanes have had four different players lead the team in scoring. Rob Hite has led the team in scoring on two occasions and is the only Hurricane to lead the team in scoring more than once. In the opening three games of the season Miami had a different player led the team each night. Guillermo Diaz scored a team-high 13 against Wofford, William Frisby scored 18 versus South Carolina State and Rob Hite posted 20 against Xavier. The last time UM opened a season with three different players leading the team in scoring was in 1996-97 when Kevin Norris, Clifton Clark and Tim James each led the team in scoring in the opening three games.

BLOCK PARTY:

Miami forward Anthony King set a school and ACC record with 13 blocked shots against Florida Atlantic on November 29, 2004. His 13 blocks broke the old ACC mark of 12 held previously by Ralph Sampson (Virginia), Derrick Lewis (Maryland) and Cedrick Lewis (Maryland). His 13 blocks were one shy of the NCAA record and ranks as the fifth most in NCAA history.

King is averaging a league best 5.0 blocks per game. He nearly has as many blocks (25) as points (32) this season.

HOLDING TEAMS UNDER 100:

The University of Miami has always prided itself on playing tough defense. Over the last 14+ seasons the Hurricanes have not allowed an opponent to reach the century mark, a streak of 407 games. The last team to reach the 100-point plateau was Miami (OH) on December 27, 1990 in a 101-99 double-overtime victory over UM at the Eastern Airlines Palm Beach Classic.

The last team to score 100 points against the Hurricanes in a non-overtime game was Providence on February 21, 1990, a 101-67 Friar victory at the Providence Civic Center.

Miami has not allowed a team to score 100 points at home since Kansas defeated Miami 100-73 on January 10, 1990, a current streak of 224 games.

CLEANING THE GLASS:

In the Hurricanes season opener against Wofford, Miami’s frontcourt of sophmore Anthony King and junior Gary Hamilton became the first Hurricane duo since the rebirth of the program in 1985 to each record 15 or more rebounds in the same game. King pulled down 19 rebounds marking the most by a Hurricane since the program’s rebirth, while Hamilton posted a career-high 15 rebounds. King and Hamilton combined for 34 rebounds which bettered the entire Wofford team (32).

DOUBLING UP, AGAIN:

Sophomore Anthony King recorded 10 rebounds against Florida marking his fourth double-figure rebound game of the season. His four double digit rebound games equals Miami’s team total from all of last season. In addition, he has posted three consecutive games of 10-or-more rebounds and is the first UM player to accomplish the feat since Mario Bland duing the 1999-2000 season. The last UM player to record four straight 10 rebound games was Tim James during the 1997-98 season.

MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:

Since UM began conference play in 1991-92, the Hurricanes have compiled an 94-45 (.676) record against non-conference opponents, including a 66-15 (.815) mark at home. Miami was 10-4 against non-conference opponents in 2003-04 and is 3-2 this season.

VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:

Miami is 298-145 (.673) against teams from the state of Florida. Miami has won 33 of its last 37 games against Florida schools dating back to the 1992-93 season.

MIAMI VS. THE SUN BELT:

Miami is 9-17 (.346) all-time against teams currently in the Sun Belt Conference.

KING RECORDS TRIPLE-DOUBLE:

Miami sophomore forward Anthony King recorded the first triple-double in school-history and just the 20th in ACC history with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 blocks against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 29, 2004. The triple-double is actually the third of King’s career. He registered two triple-doubles while playing at Southern Durham High School in Durham, N.C.

GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY:

The Hurricanes roster this season may be one of the most geographically diverse of any team in the nation. Miami’s 14-man roster is represented by 12 different states and Puerto Rico. Each of Miami’s 11 scholarship players hail from different states or country.

HAITH NAMED RECRUITER OF THE YEAR:

Frank Haith was been named the Rivals.com 2004 National Basketball Recruiter of the Year. As an assistant at Texas last season Haith helped the Longhorns land the top recruiting class in the nation during the 2004 recruiting season. Texas signed three McDonald’s All-Americans including LaMarcus Aldridge, Daniel Gibson and Mike Williams, and kept two of the state’s top players close to home including Dion Dowdell and Conner Atchley. Haith has recruited a total of six McDonald’s All-American’s including Rodney Rodgers (Wake Forest, 1990), Jerald Brown (Texas A&M, 1995) and Brad Buckman (Texas, 2002). He also coached six players that are in the NBA including T.J. Ford (Milwaukee Bucks), Joshua Howard (Dallas Mavericks), Chris Owens (Memphis Grizzlies), Darius Songaila (Sacramento Kings), Calvin Booth (Seattle Sonics) and Rodney Rogers (New Jersey Nets).

HURRICANES SIGN THREE:

Head coach Frank Haith signed 6-6 swingman Brian Asbury (South Miami), 6-0 point guard Denis Clemente (Miami Calusa Prep) and 6-7 forward Adrian Thomas (Pembroke Pines Flanagan) to national letters of intent to attend the University of Miami next fall. The three South Florida signees mark the most in one UM recruiting class since the rebirth of the program in 1985-86. All are ranked among the top-100 players in the nation.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES:

Miami guard Rob Hite was one of the most improved players in the BIG EAST last season. He was one of the Hurricanes’ most consistent offensive threats scoring in double-figures in 25 of 30 games. Hite’s numbers were significantly improved in almost every category from his freshman season and have improved even more this season.

HIGH FLYERS:

Miami’s returning guards have an average vertical jump of 38.4 inches. Leading the way is sophomore Guillermo Diaz who has a vertical leap of 41 inches.

PLAYING ABOVE THE RIM:

The Hurricanes recorded 90 dunks (3.00 per game) last season. Miami’s 90 dunks were the most since UM had 111 dunks during the 1988-89 season. Rob Hite led the Hurricanes in dunks last season with 29. This season the Hurricanes have recorded 18 dunks in the opening four games (3.6 per game).

VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS:

The Hurricanes are 20-21 versus ranked opponents since 1996-97 and have defeated at least one ranked team in 10 of the last 11 seasons. Miami is 29-87 (.250) all-time against ranked teams including a 26-73 (.263) record since the rebirth of the program in 1985.