Hurricanes Ready For Wolfpack

Feb. 6, 2006

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#16/#15 NC STATE (18-4, 7-2 ACC)

vs.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (14-8, 6-3 ACC)

When: February 8, 2006 – 7:00 PM (ET)

Where: BankUnited Center (7,000) – Coral Gables, Fla.

TV: ESPNU

Radio: WQAM (560 AM), WVUM (90.5 FM)

Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); NCST (www.gopack.com)

Tickets: $20/$30 – Call 1-800-GO-CANES

Up Next: #23/#24 North Carolina, Feb. 12 – 8:00 pm at BankUnited Center

THE MATCHUP:

The Miami-North Carolina State game is a match-up of the top two teams in the ACC in terms of field goal percentage defense.

The North Carolina State Wolfpack (17-4, 6-2 ACC) are ranked 16th by the Associated Press and 15th by ESPN/USA Today and are coming off a 62-58 home win over Maryland on Sunday.

The Wolfpack rank No. 1 in the ACC in field goal percentage defense (.393) but also boast one of the league’s most balanced offensive attacks. North Carolina State has four players averaging in double-figures including senior Cameron Bennerman (12.8 ppg), sophomore Cedric Simmons (12.6 ppg), senior Ilian Evtimov (11.4 ppg) and junior Engin Atsur (10.6 ppg). Senior Tony Bethel is averaging 9.9 points per game overall, but in league play is averaging 12.7 points per game.

Miami (14-8, 6-3 ACC) defeated Georgia Tech, 70-53, on Saturday. Miami, which has won three straight games, has been one of the league’s top defensive teams ranking No. 1 in the ACC in scoring defense (62.5 ppg) and second to only NC State in field goal percentage defense (.404).

Miami is led by its three guard line-up of senior Robert Hite, junior Guillermo Diaz and junior Anthony Harris. Diaz leads the team in scoring at 16.7 points per game. Hite (16.7 ppg) ranks second scoring while Harris (10.9 ppg) is third.

One of the three guards has led the team in scoring in 21 of the Hurricanes’ 22 games this season. Harris missed the first seven games of the season with a fractured bone in his right foot. Since his return against Birmingham-Southern on Dec. 3 the trio has averaged 45.9 points per game, or 66.8 percent (689 of 1031) of the team’s scoring.

In Miami’s three-game win streak, Hite is averaging 22.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and is shooting 22-40 (.550) from the field and 15-26 (.577) from three-point range. In addition, Diaz is averaging 20.3 points and has a 4.66 assist-to-turnover ration (14 ast/3 TO) during the three game win streak.

A WIN AGAINST NC STATE WOULD:

Improve Miami’s record to 15-8, 7-3 in the ACC.Mark Miami’s fourth straight win.Move Miami into a tie for second in the ACC standings.Match Miami’s ACC win total from last season.Mark Miami’s third win this season over a ranked opponent.Improve Miami’s home record to 10-2 this season.

THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Robert Hite needs four points to move into seventh place on UM’s career scoring. Hite enters the game in eighth place with 1,526 points. Dick Hickox (1958-61), Miami’s first All-American, is currently seventh with 1,529.Robert Hite needs three three-point field goals to become just the third player in UM history to record 200 career three-point field goals.Guillermo Diaz needs 29 points to move into 16th place on UM’s career scoring list. Diaz enters the game with 1,259 points. John Salmons (1998-02) is currently 16th with 1,287.

ON THE COACHES:

Miami head coach Frank Haith is in his second season with the Hurricanes. His record career record is 30-21 (.588), including a 14-8 mark this season.

NC State head coach Herb Sendek is in his 10th season at NC State and 13th season overall. His record with the Wolfpack is 187-126 (.597) while his career record is 250-152 (.622).

THE SERIES:

Miami and NC State meet for the second time this season and the fourth time overall. NC State won the first meeting this season and lead the all-time series, 2-1. Miami won last season’s meeting in Coral Gables, 67-66, marking UM’s first ACC victory.

TV/RADIO:

The Miami vs. NC State game will be televised live around the nation on ESPNU. Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Bob Wenzel (analysis) will call the action.

The game can be heard 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.

The game can also be heard on WVUM (90.5 FM), the University of Miami Student Radio Network.

PLAYING HIS BEST AGAINST THE BEST:

Over the last two seasons Miami guard Guillermo Diaz has played some of his best games against ranked teams. Miami has faced 15 ranked teams over the last two seasons and in those games he averaged 20.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He has shot 109-247 (.441) from the field against ranked teams including 41-97 (.423) from three-point range. Diaz scored 20-or-more points in 10 of the 15 games versus ranked opponents.

MIAMI’S LETHAL WEAPON III:

Miami’s three guard line-up of Guillermo Diaz (18.6 ppg), Robert Hite (17.3 ppg) and Anthony Harris (12.4 ppg) combined to average 48.2 points per game, or 67.5 percent (1398 of 2071) of the teams scoring last season.

Harris missed the first seven games of the season with a fractured bone in his right foot. Since his return against Birmingham-Southern on Dec. 3 the trio has averaged 45.9 points per game, or 66.8 percent (689 of 1031) of the team’s scoring.