Men's Basketball Takes on North Carolina Tuesday
March 1, 2010
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team heads north to Chapel Hill for its final ACC road game of the 2009-10 regular season, taking on 2009 national champions North Carolina on Tues., March 2, at 8 p.m. in the Dean E. Smith Center. The game will be broadcast regionally, with WBFS carrying the action live in South Florida.
Game 29: Miami (18-10, 4-10 ACC) vs. North Carolina (15-14, 4-10 ACC)
Date: Tues., Mar. 2, 2010 | Time: 8 p.m. (EST) | Site: Dean E. Smith Center
TV: Raycom; WBFS (South Florida) | Radio: 560 WQAM
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) | North Carolina (www.tarheelblue.com)
Projected Miami Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
01 Durand Scott (G, 6-3, 195, Fr.) 9.0 3.8 3.6
23 James Dews (G, 6-4, 213, Sr.) 12.2 2.8 1.6
25 Garrius Adams (G, 6-6, 193, Fr.) 4.3 2.3 0.8*
21 Dwayne Collins (F, 6-8, 241, Sr.) 12.3 8.0 1.1^
45 Julian Gamble (F, 6-9, 255, So.) 3.1 2.4 0.6^
Projected North Carolina Starters
No. Name (Pos/Ht/Wt/Cl) Pts Reb Ast
1 Marcus Ginyard (G/F, 6-5, 210, Sr.) 8.0 4.4 2.8
11 Larry Drew II (G, 6-2, 180, So.) 8.9 2.6 6.0
13 Will Graves (G/F, 6-6, 240, Jr.) 9.6 4.9 1.0
21 Deon Thompson (F, 6-9, 245, Sr.) 13.8 6.2 0.9^
31 John Henson (F, 6-10, 195, Fr.) 4.8 3.6 1.5^
* steals per game | ^ blocks per game
With three North Carolina natives on the squad, Tuesday’s game marks a homecoming for Garrius Adams (Apex), Julian Gamble (Durham) and Reggie Johnson (Winston-Salem) — as well as for head coach Frank Haith, who grew up in Burlington.
ON TARGET
Entering Tuesday’s game, Dwayne Collins is shooting a 56.7 percent from the field over his career — including a school-record 61.4 percent (127-207) of his field goals this season. Over the last three games, the senior forward is converting 73.9 percent from the field (17-23) and 80.0 percent from the line (20-25).
WHAT HAVE U DONE FOR ME LATELY
Over the last three ACC games, Miami is shooting 49.7 percent from the floor and 76.8 percent from the charity stripe, while out-rebounding opponents by an average of 4.0 boards per game.
Over those three outings, Dwayne Collins is averaging a team-high 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 block per game, while converting 73.9 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the line. Durand Scott has contributed 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals an outing on 48.6 percent shooting, while James Dews added 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Julian Gamble is also coming on strong down the stretch, averaging 7.7 points on 71.4 percent shooting and 5.7 rebounds over those three games.
BIG TIME
Miami’s big men — Dwayne Collins, Julian Gamble and Reggie Johnson — shot a combined 78.6 percent from the field versus NC State, combining for 27 points. In last Tuesday’s win over Virginia, Miami’s starting bigs — Collins & Gamble — combined for 31 points, 18 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks on 68.4 percent shooting as the Hurricanes owned the 36-16 advantage in points in the paint.
THE SERIES
North Carolina leads the all-time series versus Miami, 13-2, including the 69-65 win over the Hurricanes in the last meeting between the programs on Feb. 15, 2009, in Coral Gables. In that game, Ty Lawson scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half — including a three-pointer with 10.6 seconds remaining — to hold the Hurricanes and Jack McClinton’s 35 points at bay.
In the teams’ last game in Chapel Hill on Jan. 17, 2009, Miami led by as many as nine points before Wayne Ellington got hot from long range and hit seven three-pointers to power the then-No. 5/6 Tar Heels to the 82-65 win.
Miami last won at North Carolina, 81-70, on Jan. 14, 2006. A combined two players on both teams saw action in that game — Adrian Thomas registered a pair of rebounds for Miami in four minutes of action, while North Carolina’s Marcus Ginyard grabbed three boards in 16 minutes on the court. The Hurricanes dominated the glass in that game, taking the 43-34 advantage — including the 21-11 lead in offensive rebounds.
DURAND THE (FRESH)MAN
With five assists versus NC State, Durand Scott became just the second Miami freshman and fifth Hurricane ever to record 100 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season. He joins Bryan Hughes (1985-87) as the only UM freshmen to achieve this, while other non-freshmen to accomplish this are: John Salmons (2000-01, 01-02), Vernon Jennings (1999-2000) and Jerome Scott (1990-91).
Scott is the only freshman in the league to have at least one game with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists — having done so twice this season to tie for eighth-best among all ACC players.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Miami’s rookie backcourt of Malcolm Grant (96) and Durand Scott (102) are on the verge of becoming the first UM duo since 1992-93 to collect 100 assists in the same season. With four more assists from Grant, the duo would become the fourth pair of teammates to do so in UM history. Thomas Hocker and Kevin Presto achieved the feat twice — in 1987-88 and 1988-89.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following Tuesday’s contest at North Carolina, the Hurricanes return home to the BankUnited Center to close the regular season versus Florida State on Sat., March 6, at Noon in an ESPN2 televised game. Miami will honor its three seniors — Dwayne Collins, James Dews and Cyrus McGowan — before the game.
Miami 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.
