Hurricanes Close Non-Conference Play at Pepperdine
Jan. 2, 2010
MALIBU, CALIF. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team closes its non-conference schedule with a cross-country contest at Pepperdine on Sun., Jan. 3.
Game 15: Miami (13-1) vs. Pepperdine (4-11)
Date: Sun., Jan. 3, 2010 | Time: 7 p.m. (EST) | Site: Firestone Fieldhouse
TV: None | Radio: 560 WQAM
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Pepperdine (www.pepperdinesports.com)
Tickets: (866) WAVE-TIX
Projected Miami Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Durand Scott (G, 6-3, 195, Fr.) 8.3 4.2 4.6
23 James Dews (G, 6-4, 213, Sr.) 12.1 2.4 1.6
31 DeQuan Jones (G/F, 6-6, 219, So.) 6.7 3.0 0.8^
20 Cyrus McGowan (F, 6-9, 237, Sr.) 4.9 3.9 1.3^
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 241, Sr.) 12.5 8.8 1.4
Projected Pepperdine Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
03 Keion Bell (G, 6-3, 200, So.) 19.7 5.2 3.8
15 Mychel Thompson (F, 6-7, 200, Jr.) 11.1 5.4 1.7
20 Lorne Jackson (G, 6-2, 205, So.) 7.8 2.5 2.6
41 Taylor Darby (F, 6-8, 220 So.) 5.4 6.3 0.4
44 Corbin Moore (C, 6-10, 240, So.) 3.4 3.6 0.5
* steals per game | ^ blocks per game
The Hurricanes bring a perfect 13-0 non-league mark into their first game of 2010 and have won five straight entering Sunday’s contest.
Miami – who has won 20-consecutive non-conference regular-season games – is 5-1 outside of Coral Gables this season, with a perfect 4-0 mark on neutral courts and a 1-1 record on opponents’ home courts.
WEST COAST SWING
Under head coach Frank Haith, Miami is 2-0 versus West Coast Conference opponents, knocking off St. Mary’s, 78-64, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 21, 2008, and then routing San Diego, 80-45, in the Paradise Jam on Nov. 24, 2008, in the Virgin Islands.
Miami is 8-5 all-time versus WCC teams, with 11 of those 13 meetings occurring in the 1960s. The Hurricanes have knocked off a WCC team in each of the last two seasons.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
This is the first west coast trip for the Hurricanes since they opened the 2005-06 season in the BCA Classic in Seattle, Wash. It is UM’s first game in California since Dec. 1, 1990, when the Hurricanes dropped a road game at Southern Cal, 92-71. Assistant coach Jake Morton played on that team.
MIAMI IN THE NEW YEAR
Since 1945-46, the Hurricanes are 34-16 in the first game of a new year. Miami has won eight consecutive games to open the new calendar year, including a 5-0 mark under Coach Haith.
GETTING STRONGER
After averaging 19.8 turnovers per contest over the first five games of the 2009-10 season, Miami has cut that number down drastically in the last six contests — trimming the margin by more than eight turnovers down to 11.5 per game. In addition, UM has also picked up defensively — averaging 6.5 blocks per game over the last six, compared to just 4.0 through the first five outings of the year.
DID U KNOW…
Through 14 games this season, six different Hurricanes have led the team in scoring… Malcolm Grant has converted a three-point basket in all 14 games this season — the second-longest active streak in the ACC and tied for the 10th longest in school history… The Hurricanes are shooting 49.3 percent from the field compared to last year’s 43.6 percent at this point in the year — including 39.9 percent from long range with 232 assists and 112 steals, compared to last year’s 36.8 percent with 187 assists and 84 steals… Defensively, the Hurricanes have allowed an ACC-low 57.1 points per game this season … Offensively, Miami leads all conference teams with 121 made three-point field goals, led by Grant’s 31 (third-most in the ACC)… Nine of 13 Hurricanes are freshmen or sophomores.
NEXT FOR THE HURRICANES
Following Sunday’s game at Pepperdine, the Hurricanes turn their focus to Atlantic Coast Conference play — beginning with a Jan. 9 home contest versus Wake Forest.
Miami five-game ACC packs start as low as $75 and single game tickets start as low as $10. For more information, please contact the Hurricane Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-CANES or visit us online at hurricanesports.com.
