UM to Host Wyndham Miami Thanksgiving Tournament

UM to Host Wyndham Miami Thanksgiving Tournament

Nov. 26, 2009

CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami women’s basketball team will play host to the Fifth Annual Wyndham Miami Thanksgiving Tournament Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27-28 at the BankUnited Center. Joining the Hurricanes this season in the tournament will be Long Beach State (2-2), UMass (2-2) and Rice (0-4).

 

UMass (2-2) vs. Rice (0-4)/Long Beach State (2-2) at Miami (5-0)

Thursday, November 27, 2009 / BankUnited Center / Coral Gables, Fla.  / 5/7 p.m.

 

TV: None

Radio: WVUM FM 90.5

Web/Live Stats: www.hurricanesports.com

Internet Video: None

Internet Audio: wvum.org

 

The opening round will begin Friday at 5 p.m. as UMass will take on Rice.  At 7 p.m. or 20 minutes after the conclusion of the first game, Miami will face Long Beach State of the West Coast Conference. On Saturday, the consolation game will tip-off at 5 p.m. with the championship set for 7 p.m.

 

The Hurricanes are 5-0 for the first time since the 2003-04 season and they have been winning in impressive fashion. Sophomore Riquna Williams is currently the Atlantic Coast Conference’s leading scoring at 27.8 points per game and senior Diane Barnes is also leading the ACC with 11.4 rebounds per contest.

 

Sophomore Shenise Johnson has taken over at the point for Miami this season and she is scoring 17.8 points a game and also leads the team and is third in the conference with 5.6 assists a night.

 

In the ‘Canes last game, sophomore Sylvia Bullock set the early defensive tone with six first-half blocks. The Anchorage, Alaska native added two more after the break and set a new school record with eight in the game. After scoring only seven points is the first half, Williams poured in 21 after the break for a game-high 28. Miami defeated Houston for the first time since 1982.

 

The Hurricanes have never faced their first round opponent in Long Beach State and has only met UMass and Rice a combined three times.  Rice and UM are tied in their all-time series at one win each and Miami has won the only meeting with UMass, back in 1990.

 

For ticket information to the Wyndham Miami Thanksgiving Tournament please call the University of Miami Ticket Office at 1-800 GO-CANES or visit hurricanesports.com.