Men's Basketball Receives Votes In Preseason Poll
Oct. 28, 2005
Coral Gables, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami men’s basketball team received six votes in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Poll released Friday. The six votes places the Hurricanes 41st in the nation.
The Hurricanes return 10 lettermen including four starters from last season’s squad that finished 16-13 overall, 7-9 in the ACC, defeated three ranked opponents and reached the post season for the first time since 2002.
Miami is led by the backcourt of junior Guillermo Diaz (Carolina, Puerto Rico), senior Robert Hite (Cincinnati, Ohio) and junior Anthony Harris (Chicago, Ill.), which is ranked fourth in the nation by The Sporting News.
Diaz, a preseason first-team All-ACC selection, ranked second in the ACC in scoring last season averaging 18.6 points per game. In addition, the native of Puerto Rico averaged 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He has scored in double-figures in 27 consecutive games marking the longest active streak in the ACC.
Hite, an , ranked fourth in the league in scoring at 17.3 points per game, and was one of the top rebounders in the conference at the guard position pulling down 5.0 rebounds per contest.
Harris was one of the league’s biggest surprises last season ranking fifth in the league in assists (4.59) and eight in assist to turnover ration (1.53). Harris is rated as the ACC’s Best Passer by Street & Smith’s.
Miami’s front court is anchored by junior Anthony King (Durham, N.C.) who averaged 6.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.97 blocks per game. He ranked fifth in the ACC in rebounding, second in blocked shots, and was selected to the 2004-05 ACC All-Defensive team.
Head coach Frank Haith also brought in a recruiting class that ranks as high as 13th in the nation by Scout.com. The class features 6-7 swingman Brian Asbury (South Miami), 6-0 point guard Denis Clemente (Miami Calusa Prep), 6-8 forward Jimmy Graham (Goldboro, N.C.), and 6-7 forward Adrian Thomas (Pembroke Pines Flanagan).
2005-06 USA Today/ESPN Preseason Poll
Record Points PW1. Duke (28) 27-6 767 72. Connecticut 23-8 692 173. Texas (2) 20-11 683 NR4. Villanova (1) 24-8 644 135. Michigan State 26-7 632 46. Oklahoma 25-8 617 207. Gonzaga 26-5 540 188. Louisville 33-5 536 39. Arizona 30-7 532 610. Kentucky 28-6 511 511. Boston College 25-5 484 1912. Memphis 22-16 354 NR13. Stanford 18-13 331 NR14. Alabama 24-8 295 NR15. West Virginia 24-11 265 1216. Syracuse 27-7 210 2117. Illinois 37-2 201 218. UCLA 18-11 190 NR18. Wake Forest 27-6 190 1120. Iowa 21-12 176 NR21. Maryland 19-13 167 NR22. Indiana 15-14 153 NR23. Iowa State 19-12 118 NR24. George Washington 22-8 109 NR25. Nevada 25-7 88 NROTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: North Carolina State (21-14) 76; Ohio State (20-12) 72;
Washington (29-6) 57; Kansas (23-7) 56; Wisconsin (25-9) 52;
Texas Tech (22-11) 51; LSU (20-10) 45; Michigan (13-18) 35; Charlotte (21-8) 34;
Oklahoma State (26-7) 34; North Carolina (33-4) 16; Old Dominion (28-6) 13;
Georgetown (19-13) 10; Florida (24-8) 7; Northern Iowa (21-11) 7;
Miami (Fla.) (16-13) 6; Vanderbilt (20-14) 3; Western Kentucky (22-9) 3;
California (13-16) 2; UNLV (17-14) 2; Ohio (21-11) 2; Oral Roberts (25-8) 2;
Utah State (24-8) 2; Bucknell (23-10) 1; Temple (16-14) 1; Texas A&M (21-10) 1.
