Men's Basketball Takes on Florida International
Dec. 7, 2007
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The undefeated University of Miami men’s basketball team takes on cross-town rival Florida International on Sat., Dec. 8, at Pharmed Arena at 7 p.m.
Game 8: Miami (7-0) at Florida International (3-3)
Date: Sat., Dec. 8, 2007 | Time: 7 p.m. (EST) | Site: Pharmed Arena
TV: None | Radio: 560 WQAM | Internet Video: None
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Florida International (www.fiusports.com)
Tickets: 1-866-FIU-GAME
Probable Miami StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast5 Eddie Rios (G, 6-0, 193, Fr.) 5.4 3.0 3.723 James Dews (G, 6-3, 203, So.) 11.0 3.1 1.632 Brian Asbury (F, 6-7, 223, Jr.) 9.6 4.7 2.100 Jimmy Graham (F, 6-8, 251, Jr.) 4.9 4.1 0.450 Anthony King (C, 6-9, 246, R-Sr.) 11.7 9.4 1.9
Probable FIU StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast1 Kenneth White (G, 6-1, 185, Jr.) 11.7 2.3 2.22 Alex Galindo (F, 6-6, 225, Jr.) 12.3 6.0 1.55 Michael James (G, 5-9, 160, Sr.) 4.2 2.0 3.211 Erick Nsangou (G, 6-0, 195, So.) 11.5 3.7 2.232 Russell Hicks (C, 7-0, 250, Jr.) 11.3 6.7 0.7
At 7-0, the Hurricanes are off to their best start under fourth-year head coach Frank Haith and have put together their best start since winning 14 straight to open the 2001-02 season. It marks just the fourth time Miami has won its first seven games of the season.
Miami, who tops a pair of RPI polls playing the nation’s fourth-toughest schedule to date, is among an elite group of 17 teams — out of 328 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs — that remain undefeated in the second month of competition.
The Hurricanes are led by Jack McClinton, averaging 13.0 points per game – including 2.4 three-pointers per game at a 51.9 percent clip, while Anthony King averages nearly a double-double of 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. James Dews adds 11.0 points and 3.1 rebounds an outing, converting 82.4 percent of his free throws and 50 percent of his three-point attempts.
With seven games under their belt, the Hurricanes are holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game to rank second in the ACC in scoring defense– a 13.6 point improvement on where they ended last season. Miami leads the league in field goal percent defense (.368) after ranking 11th in field goal percent defense last season (.463), and is second in three-point field goal percent defense (.279) after ranking 12th in three-point field goal percent defense (.383) last season.
The Series
Saturday’s contest between Miami and Florida International marks the 12th game between the cross-town rivals, and just the second meeting at Pharmed Arena. Miami owns the 10-1 all-time series lead — winning by an average of 17 points per game, and has won four straight over the Golden Panthers, including a 73-50 rout in the 2006-07 season opener for both teams.
A Look at FIU
FIU enters Saturday’s game with a 3-3 record — all at home, and snapped a three-game losing streak with Wednesday’s 76-63 win over Buffalo. Four Golden Panthers scored in double figures versus Buffalo, led by Kenneth White’s career-high 19 points and Erick Nsangou’s first career double-double (15 pts, 10 rebs) in his first start of the season. FIU has four players averaging double-figure points — led by Alex Galindo’s 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Russell Hicks, a 7-0 junior center in his first season on the hardwood for FIU, adds 11.3 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game, and is shooting 65 percent from the floor — but just 50 percent from the line. Nsangou adds 11.5 points, while White, a junior transfer out of Texas A&M, adds 11.7 points an outing.
