Miami Meets Wake Forest in ACC Home Opener
Jan. 7, 2010
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team plays host to Wake Forest in its ACC home opener on Sat., Jan. 9, in a nationally-televised game at the BankUnited Center at 6 p.m.
Game 16: Miami (14-1, 0-1 ACC) vs. Wake Forest (11-2, 1-0 ACC)
Date: Sat., Jan. 9, 2010 | Time: 6 p.m. (EST) | Site: BankUnited Center
TV: ESPNU | Radio: 560 WQAM, 1450 ESPN Deportes
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | Wake Forest (www.wakeforestsports.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.) 8.0 4.2 4.5
23 James Dews (G, 6-4, 213, Sr.) 12.7 2.5 1.5
31 DeQuan Jones (G/F, 6-6, 219, So.) 6.7 2.8 0.8^
20 Cyrus McGowan (F, 6-9, 237, Sr.) 5..1 4.0 1.2^
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 241, Sr.) 12.2 8.4 1.4
Projected Wake Forest Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Al-Farouq Aminu (F, 6-9, 215, So.) 17.4 11.5 1.9
10 Ishmael Smith (G, 6-0, 175, Sr.) 12.9 4.2 5.8
11 C.J. Harris (G, 6-2, 175, Fr.) 11.9 2.2 1.4
42 L.D. Williams (G, 6-4, 210, Sr.) 9.3 5.7 2.0*
44 David Weaver (C, 6-11, 250, R-Sr.) 3.6 3.4 0.9^
* steals per game | ^ blocks per game
Miami rides a six-game win streak after returning to the east coast following an 86-63 rout of Pepperdine, while the Demon Deacons — who have won seven straight — hit the road after back-to-back overtime victories at home.
The Hurricanes closed their non-conference slate with a perfect 14-0 mark — going undefeated in non-league play for the first time in school history. Their lone loss in 15 games this season was a one-point defeat in the ACC opener at Boston College on Dec. 6. The Hurricanes have never dropped back-to-back games to open its ACC schedule.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE
With a win over Wake Forest, the Hurricanes will earn their 15th win in the fewest games (16) since the 1959-60 squad picked up its 15th win in 16 attempts.
THE SERIES
Wake Forest leads the all-time series, 7-2, however Miami was victorious in the last meeting between the teams.
Behind 32 points from two-time All-ACC First Team selection Jack McClinton, the Hurricanes rolled to the 79-52 win over the then-No. 6/7 Demon Deacons at the BankUnited Center on Feb. 4, 2009. UM kept Wake Forest to 31.7 percent shooting, including a 3-for-20 effort from long range, and used a 25-8 run over the first 9:10 of the second half to extend what was a three-point halftime lead for the Hurricanes into one of their most noteworthy wins of the season — and the most lopsided loss of 2008-09 for the Demon Deacons.
Miami outscored Wake Forest, 50-26, in the second half. Adrian Thomas went 4-for-5 from beyond the arc to add 14 points to Miami’s winning effort, while Jeff Teague and James Johnson had 19 and 11 points, respectively, for Wake Forest.
Both of the Hurricanes wins over the Demon Deacons occurred at the BankUnited Center (2009, 2006).
UM’s previous three losses at Wake Forest were by an average of 2.7 points per game.
BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
The Hurricanes have played strong basketball both offensively and defensively this season and rank among the nation’s top 25 in 11 of 17 statistical categories: win-loss percentage (5), scoring margin (7), field goal percent defense (10), scoring defense (11), field goal percentage (13), three-point field goals made (13), personal fouls per game (13), rebounding margin (18), three-point field goal percent defense (21), assists (22) and three-point field goal percentage (25).
HOME SWEET HOME
The Hurricanes have won 10 straight at home and 16 of its last 18 in Coral Gables — including an 8-0 mark this season. Miami is 22-18 at home in ACC play, including an 11-5 mark over the last two seasons.
U CAN’T TOUCH THIS
Miami’s eight wins of 20-or-more points this season ties for the most in program history — matching the 1928-29 team.
BULLSEYE
Miami’s 52.6 field goal percentage in Sunday’s win at Pepperdine marked the eighth time this season the Hurricanes have converted at least 50 percent of their field goals. That’s nearly as many as the nine times over the previous two seasons combined (2007-08 and 2008-09) that UM hit its mark so accurately.
THREE-POINT TRIO
The Hurricanes have had strong production from the perimeter this season — averaging an ACC-leading 8.9 made three-pointers per game (13th in the nation) at a 40.4 percent clip (third in the ACC, 25th in the nation), led by three players averaging at least two three-pointers per game at better than a 44 percent clip — James Dews, Malcolm Grant and Adrian Thomas. All three rank among the ACC’s top 10 in both three-pointers per game and three-point field goal percentage.
Thomas’ career-high five-for-six performance (.833) from beyond the arc at Pepperdine ties for the second-best three-point field goal performance in Miami history and the best three-point percentage in a game by an ACC player this season (James Dews also went 5-for-6 on Nov. 25 versus Florida Gulf Coast). Thomas has made at least one three-pointer in 30 of his last 34 games, including 12 games with three-plus treys, and ranks seventh in the ACC in both three-point percentage (.440) and threes per game (2.2). He has made a trey in nine-straight games — the second longest active streak in the ACC.
TICKET INFORMATION
With three of Miami’s first four ACC games on the road, the Hurricanes head out for games at Virginia Tech (Wed., Jan. 13) and Virginia (Sat., Jan. 16) next week, before returning home to host Boston College in a re-match on Tues., Jan. 19, at 9 p.m. at the BankUnited Center.
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.
