Hurricanes Host Lehigh Saturday At 1 p.m.
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Dec. 7, 2006
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY (4-7)
vs.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (5-3)
When: December 9, 2006 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Where: BankUnited Center (7,000) – Coral Gables, Fla.
TV: None
Webcast: ACC Select – miami.playonsports.tv
Radio: WQAM (560 AM); WVUM (90.5 FM)
Websites: UM (www.hurricanesports.com); Lehigh (www.lehighsports.com)
Tickets: $15, $20, $25 – For tickets call (305) 284-CANE
Up Next: vs. Mississippi State, Dec. 11 at 7:00 p.m. at BankUnited Center
THE MATCHUP:
The University of Miami (5-3) takes on Lehigh University (4-7) in the seventh meeting all-time between the two schools.
Lehigh, a member of the Patriot League, is coming off of a heartbreaking 44-43 road loss to Princeton on Wednesday night.
The Mountain Hawks have been led this season by the senior trio of guard Jose Olivero, forward Kyle Neptune and center Jason Mgebroff.
Olivero has led the team in scoring in 11 of 12 games this season and is averaging a team high 19.0 points per game. He has scored in double-figures in 17 straight games dating back to last season including a 32-point outburst at Notre Dame earlier this season.
Neptune and Mgebroff rank second and third in scoring at 11.9 and 11.6 points per game. Mgebroff (6.5 rpg) and Neptune (5.6 rpg) are the top-2 rebounders on a team that leads the Patriot League in the category (34.8 rpg).
The Hurricanes enter the contest with a 5-3 record following a 90-82 win over No. 21 Georgia Tech on Sunday at the BankUnited Center. With the win the Hurricanes improved to 4-0 at home this season.
Miami has been led by sophomore guard Jack McClinton who leads the ACC in scoring (21.0 ppg), three-point field goal percentage (.558) and three-point field goals per game (3.63).
McClinton was honored as the ACC Player of the Week on Monday after posting 22 points in Miami’s upset of Georgia Tech.
Also averaging in double-figures for the Hurricanes is sophomore Brian Asbury. Asbury ranks second on the team in both scoring (11.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg), and leads the team is steals (1.38 spg).
Miami will be without senior center Anthony King who injured his right wrist against Georgia Tech and will miss Saturday’s game. Moving into the starting lineup will be junior Raymond Hicks who matched a season-high with 11 points, on 5-5 shooting, against Georgia Tech.
LAST MEETING WITH LEHIGH:
MIAMI 68, LEHIGH 62
December 30, 2002
Miami Arena, Miami, FL
James Jones scored 21 points and Darius Rice added 18 as Miami closed out its 14-year run at Miami Arena with a 68-62 win over Lehigh.
Miami moves into its new on-campus arena, the $48 million Convocation Center, on January 4th against North Carolina.
Miami looked to have the game in hand when Jones nailed a three-pointer to to close a 13-3 run which put the Hurricanes up 59-47 with 4:33 to play.
But Miami, which missed only one free throw until the final 1:19, missed seven of 14 free throws down the stretch, letting Lehigh get within four points with 22 seconds left.
Matt Logie led Lehigh with a game-high 24 points while Zlatko Savovic added 11 points for the Mountain Hawks.
Miami and Lehigh came out firing in the first half as both teams shot over 55 percent. Miami hit seven of 10 three-point attempts and was 13-of-22 overall. Lehigh connected on three 3-pointers while shooting 56 percent from the field in the half.
With Miami trailing 25-24, Rice hit two three-pointers in a 13-0 Miami run as the Hurricanes took a 37-25 lead. The Mountain Hawks answered with a 10-0 run in the last 3:33 of the half, cutting Miami’s lead to 37-35 at halftime.
A WIN OVER LEHIGH WOULD:
Improve Miami’s record to 6-3 this season.Improve Miami’s home record to 5-0 this season.Mark Miami’s fifth straight win over the Mountain Hawks.Improve Miami’s record to 28-3 (.903) against non-conference opponents at the BankUnited Center.
THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
Anthony Harris needs two assists to move into eighth on UM’s career assist list. Harris is currently in ninth with 262. Michael Simmons (1998-03) is currently eighth with 263.With 20 points Jack McClinton would become the first Hurricane since Eric Brown in 1988-89 to record six straight 20-point games.
THE SERIES:
Miami and Lehigh meet for the seventh time with the Hurricanes holding a 5-1 series lead. Miami and Lehigh last met on December 30, 2002 in the Hurricanes final game at Miami Arena before moving into the BankUnited Center. Miami closed out it’s 14-year run at Miami Arena with a 68-62 win.
TV/RADIO:
The Miami-Lehigh game is not being televised. The game is being produced by ACC Select and will be available on a pay-per-view basis on the internet. Go to www.theacc.org and click on ACC Select to sign up. The game can be heard on the Hurricane Radio Network, WQAM (560 AM). Joe Zagacki “The Voice of the Hurricanes” will call all the action with Josh Darrow adding analysis. Brian London will serve as studio host. The game can also be heard on the University of Miami Student Radio Network, WVUM (90.5 FM).
ON THE COACHES:
Miami head coach Frank Haith is in his third season with the Hurricanes. His record career record is 39-32 (.549) including a 5-3 mark this season. Lehigh head coach Billy Taylor is in his fifth season as a collegiate head coach, all with the Mountain Hawks. His record at Lehigh is 73-57 (.562).
MIAMI VERSUS THE PATRIOT LEAGUE:
Miami is 18-4 all-time against Patriot League opponents including a 10-3 mark since the rebirth of the program in 1985. Miami has won its last six games against Patriot League teams including a 98-66 win over Lafayette earlier this season.
MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since UM began conference play in 1991-92, the Hurricanes have compiled an 114-55 (.675) record against non-conference opponents, including a 81-17 (.826) mark at home. The Hurricanes are 27-3 (.900) against non-conference opponents at the BankUnited Center.
HOT START:
Jack McClinton is off to one of the best offensive starts in recent memory. The sophomore has scored 165 points in the first eight games of the season marking the fifth highest total since UM reinstated its basketball program in 1985.
ANYONE GOT A DIME:
Senior Anthony Harris has recorded 262 career assists which ranks 9th all-time at Miami. Harris needs two assists to move into 8th-place.
A MORE BALANCED ATTACK:
Miami may only have two players averaging in double-figures but a closer look shows that the Hurricanes’ offense has been more balanced than last season. In five of Miami’s eight games this season the Hurricanes have had at least four players in double-figures including one game with five scoring 10-or-more. In 34 games last season the Hurricanes had a total of six games with four scoring in double-figures including one with five.
TAKING IT INSIDE:
The Hurricanes have made an effort to score in the paint this season. In five of eight games this season Miami has recorded 38-or-more points in the paint, and are 5-0 in those games. Last season Miami scored 35-or-more points in the paint only three times. Miami is averaging 34.63 points per game in the paint so far this season compared to 26.38 points per game last season.
BIG OFF THE BENCH:
In its won over Lafayette Miami received 46 points from its bench marking the most bench points since February 8, 1994 when the Hurricanes scored 47 bench points in a 78-63 loss at St. John’s. Miami averaging 20.3 points per game off the bench this season compared to 12.9 last season.
CAN YOU SAY UNSELFISH:
In Miami’s win over Alcorn State the Hurricanes recorded 28 assists on 34 baskets. The 28 assists are the second highest total in school history and just one shy of the school record of 29 set against Lehigh on January 9, 1991. Overall the Hurricanes’ assists numbers are up from last season. Last season UM assisted on 11.73 baskets compared to 14.75 this season.
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING:
Since the 1998-99 season the Hurricanes are 46-4 (.920) when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. Miami is 12-0 when shooting 50 percent or better under head coach Frank Haith. Miami’s last loss when shooting over 50 percent was January 10, 2004 against Pittsburgh. That night the Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 84-80 in 2OT despite a 50.8 percent shooting performance by UM.
