Men's Basketball Heads to Mississippi State
Dec. 11, 2007
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The undefeated University of Miami men’s basketball team travels to Starkville, Miss., for its second-straight road game to take on Mississippi State on Thurs., Dec. 13. The game will be broadcast locally on FSN-Florida.
Game 9: Miami (8-0) at Mississippi State (5-3)
Date: Thurs., Dec. 13, 2007 | Time: 8 p.m. (EST) | Site: Humphrey Coliseum
TV: FSNS/FSN-FL/CSN | Radio: 560 WQAM | Internet Video: None
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Mississippi State (www.mstateathletics.com)
Tickets: 1-888-463-2947
Probable Miami StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast33 Jack McClinton (G, 6-1, 185, Jr.) 12.2 2.0 2.523 James Dews (G, 6-3, 203, So.) 11.4 2.9 1.532 Brian Asbury (F, 6-7, 223, Jr.) 9.4 5.3 2.100 Jimmy Graham (F, 6-8, 251, Jr.) 5.5 4.4 0.550 Anthony King (C, 6-9, 246, R-Sr.) 10.8 9.1 1.8
Probable MSU StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast11 Ben Hansbrough (G, 6-3, 205, So.) 10.0 3.0 2.522 Barry Stewart (G, 6-2, 170, So.) 10.8 4.9 2.823 Charles Rhodes (F/C, 6-8, 245, Sr.) 15.9 7.1 1.132 Jarvis Varnado (F/C, 6-9, 210, So.) 4.9 7.8 0.444 Jamont Gordon (G/F, 6-4, 230, Jr.) 18.4 6.0 3.8
At 8-0, the Hurricanes continue their best start under fourth-year head coach Frank Haith and enter the week ranked No. 26 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Polls.
Miami is among an elite group of 14 teams — out of 328 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs — that remain undefeated. After Saturday’s road win at Florida International, the Hurricanes top a pair of RPI polls with the nation’s 14th toughest schedule to date.
Miami has three players averaging double-figure points, led by Jack McClinton with 12.2 points per game – including 2.67 three-pointers per game, which ranks second in the ACC, at a conference-best 55.2 success rate – eighth best in the NCAA. James Dews adds 11.4 points per game, converting 46.8 percent from the field, 51.5 percent from beyond the arc and 84.2 percent from the line, while Anthony King adds nearly a double-double of 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, fifth best in the league.
As a squad, the Hurricanes also rank among the ACC’s top-five in 10 statistical categories, including leading the conference in scoring defense (58.5 ppg), field goal percent defense (.362) and three-point field goal percentage (.447), and ranking second in three-point field goal percent defense (.276) and defensive rebounds (28.50 rpg).
The Series
Thursday’s contest between Miami and Mississippi State marks the fourth meeting between the teams, with the Bulldogs owning the 2-1 all-time series lead. The teams faced each other last season in Coral Gables, with Mississippi State claiming the 70-52 decision.
A Look at Mississippi State
Mississippi State rides a two-game win streak into Thursday’s meeting and is 5-3 overall, including a 4-1 mark at home in Humphrey Coliseum — with its only home loss to Clemson, 84-82, on Nov. 15. The Bulldogs return five players, including three starters, that saw time versus Miami last season. Four Bulldogs average double-figure scoring, led by Jamont Gordon with 18.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and a team-high 3.8 assists per game. Charles Rhodes adds 15.9 points per game, converting 56 percent from the field, while Barry Stewart and Ben Hansbrough — brother of UNC’s Tyler — average 10.8 and 10.0 points per game, respectively. Sophomore Jarvis Varnado grabs a team-high 7.8 boards and 3.9 blocked shots per game — sixth best in the NCAA. Head Coach Rick Stansbury is just one win shy from tying the top spot on the school’s career wins list.
Although Mississippi State has already sold out its men’s basketball season, with the students out for the winter break, the University will have $10 tickets available for purchase on game-day only, beginning at 5 p.m. (CT).
