No. 19 Miami Faces Winthrop at Saturday's Orange Bowl Classic
Dec. 28, 2007
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The undefeated and 19th-ranked University of Miami men’s basketball team travels to Sunrise, Fla., to take on Winthrop on Sat., Dec. 29, in the opening game of the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic at 4 p.m. in the BankAtlantic Center.
Game 13: Miami (12-0) vs. Winthrop (6-5)
Date: Sat., Dec. 29, 2007 | Time: 4 p.m. | Site: BankAtlantic Center
TV: FSN-Florida | Radio: 560 WQAM | Internet Video: None
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Winthrop (www.winthropeagles.com)
Tickets: (305) 341-4701 or Ticketmaster.com
Probable Miami StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast00 Jimmy Graham (F, 6-7, 238, Sr.) 5.4 4.3 1.2^33 Jack McClinton (G, 6-1, 185, Jr.) 14.4 2.3 3.023 James Dews (G, 6-3, 203, So.) 11.8 2.5 1.432 Brian Asbury (F, 6-7, 223, Jr.) 9.8 5.5 2.750 Anthony King (C, 6-9, 246, R-Sr.) 8.8 8.3 1.8^
^ blocks per game
Probable Winthrop StartersNo. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast10 Chris Gaynor (G, 5-10, 161, Sr.) 9.4 3.7 4.511 Michael Jenkins (G, 6-3, 195, Sr.) 14.5 3.5 2.921 Antwon Harris (F, 6-3, 204, Sr.) 8.1 3.5 0.531 Taj McCullough (F, 6-7, 227, Sr.) 14.5 5.9 1.642 Charles Corbin (C/F, 6-7, 228, Fr.) 6.9 3.7 0.9
The 12-0 Hurricanes continue their best start under fourth-year head coach Frank Haith and are among just nine teams — out of 328 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs — that remain undefeated. With their 12th win of the season on Sunday versus North Carolina A&T, Miami has tied its total number of wins from last season and has moved up three spots in the polls into 19th place in both the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 Poll.
Miami is led by Jack McClinton, who is averaging 17.8 points, 3.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds over the last four games. He leads the ACC with 2.9 three-pointers per game at a league-high .547 clip. James Dews adds 11.8 points per game, including 2.58 three-pointers per game – third-best in the ACC. He shoots 50 percent from long range, which ranks second best in the league behind McClinton.
Raymond Hicks has also come on strong for the Hurricanes, and is averaging 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds over the last three games — shooting 81 percent from the field. Hicks tied his career high with 16 points, converting all seven field goal attempts, in the win over North Carolina A&T.
The Series
Saturday marks the fourth meeting between Miami and Winthrop, with the Hurricanes owners of the 2-1 all-time series lead. Miami — winners of two straight over the Eagles — defeated Winthrop, 81-56, in their last meeting in Miami on Dec. 16, 1995.
A Look at Winthrop
Winthrop brings an experienced starting lineup to Sunrise. Of the Eagles’ starting five, four are seniors averaging nearly 30 minutes on the court per game — including Michael Jenkins and Taj McCullough, who each add 14.5 points per game. McCullough also pulls down a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game and converts 46.2 percent from long range. Winthrop has advanced to three straight NCAA Tournaments and has earned seven NCAA bids in the last nine years. Just last season, the Eagles knocked off Notre Dame, 74-64, in the NCAA’s first round. Under head coach Randy Peele, in his first season at the helm after four years as an assistant coach with the Eagles, Winthrop has gone 6-5 — including a 2-1 record on neutral courts. Among those wins is a 79-73 victory over Georgia Tech.
