Men's Basketball Returns to Action Saturday
Dec. 11, 2009
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team takes a break from final exams, returning to the hardwood to play host to South Carolina State on Sat., Dec. 12.
Game 10: Miami (8-1) vs. South Carolina State (5-1)
Date: Sat., Dec. 12, 2009 | Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST) | Site: BankUnited Center
TV: None | Radio: 560 WQAM
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | South Carolina State (www.scsuathletics.com)
Tickets: 1-800-GO-CANES
Projected Miami Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Durand Scott (G, 6-3, 195, Fr.) 8.1 5.1 4.2
23 James Dews (G, 6-4, 213, Sr.) 11.9 2.1 1.6
31 DeQuan Jones (G/F, 6-6, 219, So.) 6.4 3.3 0.9
20 Cyrus McGowan (F, 6-9, 237, Sr.) 5.0 4.8 1.6^
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 241, Sr.) 11.9 7.9 1.3
Projected South Carolina State Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Khalif Toombs (G, 5-9, Fr.) 9.3 1.8 3.3
04 Darnell Porter (G, 6-4, Jr.) 13.5 5.0 1.3
12 Rio Pitt (F, 6-7, So.) 5.5 5.5 2.0^
15 Jason Flagler (G/F, 6-4, Sr.) 11.8 5.8 1.5
22 Carrio Bennett (G, 6-1, Jr.) 6.0 2.2 3.2
* steals per game | ^ blocks per game
The Hurricanes look to bounce back from a 61-60 setback at Boston College on Sunday. Miami has won 15-straight non-conference regular season games, including its last 10 at the BankUnited Center. UM has six non-conference contests remaining on its regular-season slate, including three at home, before turning its focus solely on the Atlantic Coast Conference.
THE SERIES
Saturday marks the second meeting between these programs, with the Bulldogs leading the series 1-0. South Carolina State — who rides a two-game win streak into Coral Gables — claimed the 60-50 win over Miami on Nov. 23, 2004, just two games into Frank Haith’s head coaching career.
South Carolina State is the third opponent from the Palmetto State for the Hurricanes this season. Miami knocked off South Carolina, 85-70, to win the Charleston Classic Championship on Nov. 22, and then defeated USC Upstate, 70-41, at home on Nov. 28. UM will travel to the Palmetto State to take on Clemson in ACC play on Feb. 13.
FROM DOWNTOWN
In his first season competing in the ACC, redshirt-sophomore Malcolm Grant leads the league averaging 2.6 three-pointers per game — converting 50 percent from beyond the arc, which ranks third-best in the ACC and 19th in the nation. He has hit a three-pointer in all nine games this season, tying for the fourth-longest active streak in the conference.
DID U KNOW…
Miami assistant coach Michael Schwartz served as an assistant on current South Carolina State head coach Tim Carter’s staff in 2004-05 when Carter was in charge of the men’s basketball program at UT San Antonio… Carter served as an assistant at Florida State for one season in 2006-07 before taking over the Bulldogs.
IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND
Despite all of the success head coach Frank Haith’s teams have seen on the court at Miami, what could be considered his greatest asset to the program is his emphasis for achievement in the classroom. In his first five years, Haith has graduated 18 players — including current Hurricane Adrian Thomas in 2009, and has had 17 of 18 players who exhausted eligibility earned a degree from UM.
Cyrus McGowan is expected to graduate in December, while fellow seniors Dwayne Collins and James Dews are on track to graduate this spring.
THROW YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR
The Hurricanes continue to be long and lean this season, and have seven players with wing spans of 6-10 or greater — including Dwayne Collins’ 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan. In addition, 6-3 freshman point guard Durand Scott also uses his 6-8 wingspan to his advantage on both offense and defense.
