Hurricanes Return to ACC Play at Boston College
Jan. 9, 2009
BOSTON, MASS… – With its non-conference scheduled completed, the University of Miami men’s basketball team turns its focus to Atlantic Coast Conference play and takes to the road to face No. 17/24 Boston College on Saturday.
Game 15: Miami (11-3, 0-1 ACC) vs. Boston College (13-3, 1-0 ACC)
Date: Sat., Jan. 10, 2009 | Time: 7 p.m. (EST) | Site: Silvio O. Conte Forum
TV: ESPNU | Radio: 560 WQAM
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Boston College (www.bceagles.com)
Projected Miami Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Lance Hurdle (G, 6-2, 183, Sr.) 7.3 1.7 2.5
33 Jack McClinton (G, 6-1, 185, Sr.) 17.3 2.8 3.1
32 Brian Asbury (G/F, 6-7, 221,Sr.) 6.4 5.0 1.3
20 Cyrus McGowan (F, 6-9, 236, R-Jr.) 7.16 6.3 0.9^
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 238, Jr.) 12.0 7.9 1.1*
Projected Boston College Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
04 Tyrese Rice (G, 6-1, 190, Sr.) 17.1 4.0 6.3
12 Joe Trapani (F, 6-8, 218, So.) 13.6 6.8 1.9
11 Corey Raji (F, 6-6, 214, So.) 12.6 7.1 2.1
15 Rakim Sanders (G/F, 6-5, 225, So.) 11.6 4.4 1.7*
52 Josh Southern (C, 6-10, 242, So.) 6.1 5.9 0.9^
^ blocks per game * steals per game
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Miami rides a four-game win streak into Saturday’s ACC showdown at long time rival Boston College. The Hurricanes, who dropped their ACC opener at home to Clemson on Dec. 21, face the No. 17/24 Eagles — who upset top-ranked North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Sunday and then fell to Harvard on Wednesday at home, snapping a 10-game win streak.
With their 70-56 win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 27, the Hurricanes improved to 4-1 in games away from the BankUnited Center this season, and have won three straight off their home court.
THE SERIES
Conference foes in both the Big East and ACC, Boston College has proved a tough contender for Miami over the years. The Eagles lead the all-time series 22-9 — including a 10-4 advantage in Chestnut Hill, however the Hurricanes claimed the 74-61 win in their last meeting (March 5, 2008 in Coral Gables), snapping a 13-game skid versus BC.
Miami’s Jack McClinton considers BC’s Tyrese Rice – the reigning ACC Player of the Week – his best friend on another college team. The two guards were both named to the Preseason All-ACC Team and are among the league’s most prolific scorers and most accurate free throw shooters.
DID U KNOW…
The Hurricanes are 5-0 on Saturdays this season — including road wins at Kentucky and St. John’s.
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
Miami won its fourth-straight game to close its non-conference slate with an 85-69 win over Florida Atlantic on Monday at the BankUnited Center. Miami finishes its 2008-09 non-conference schedule 11-2, with a 4-1 mark away from the BankUnited Center – including wins at Kentucky and St. John’s.
WHAT HAVE U DONE FOR ME LATELY
Jack McClinton is averaging 19.3 points, 4.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game over his last six appearances, shooting .522 from the field, .528 from long range and .833 from the line. Over his last four outings, Dwayne Collins is averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, while converting .700 from the field and a slightly-better than season average .652 from the charity stripe — including an .833 free throw percentage in the second half of those games (20-24). Over his last three games, Cyrus McGowan is averaging 9.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Hurricanes.
WINNING BIG
Miami has defeated four-straight opponents by an average of 29.3 points per game, while outscoring its opponents by an average of 15.4 points per game over the entire season.
The Hurricanes have defeated nine opponents this season by double-figures, including three wins of 35-plus points and five wins of 25-plus points.
In Miami’s 73-67 win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Dec. 6, the Hurricanes built a 46-26 halftime advantage. That 20-point halftime lead was the largest by an opponent at Rupp Arena since Alabama led Kentucky, 41-20, at the break on Jan. 12, 1980.
ARC SUPPORT
In just his third season with the Hurricanes, sharpshooter Jack McClinton ranks fourth in career three-pointers with 223 to date. He is just five treys out of third place, and with 2.7 three-pointers per game — second best in the ACC — he is on pace to wrap up the regular season with 263 three-pointers — within fighting distance of the school-record 265 treys hit by Steven Edwards (1992-96).
McClinton, who went 4-of-7 from long range in Monday’s win over Florida Atlantic, has hit at least three three-pointers in four consecutive games and has hit a trey in 17-straight games, the second-longest active streak in the ACC.
The Hurricanes lead the ACC and are ranked second in the nation in three-point field goal percent defense, limiting opponents to just .273 from beyond the arc.
CLEANING THE GLASS
The Hurricanes have out-rebounded their opponents 11 times this season — including in seven-straight games. In addition, Miami has built a 10-plus rebounding margin in four straight.
For the season, Miami is out-rebounding its opponents by an average of 11.0 boards per game — tops in the ACC and third in the nation — including a +16 rebounding advantage over St. John’s (12/27), a +36.0 rebounding differential over North Florida (12/31), a +19.0 rebounding advantage over North Carolina Central (1/3) and a +18.0 rebounding lead over Florida Atlantic (1/5).
Dwayne Collins averages a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game to rank 10th in the ACC and 93rd in the country. In addition, his 3.0 offensive boards per game rank fifth in the conference. He has pulled down double-figure rebounds three times this season — a career-high 16 in the season-opening win over Florida Southern, 14 versus then-No. 2/2 UConn and 11 versus Ohio State.
Three other Hurricanes average at least five boards per game — Cyrus McGowan (6.3 rpg), Jimmy Graham (5.7 rpg) and Brian Asbury (5.0 rpg).
