'Canes Put Home Win-Streak on Line Against No. 12 Maryland
Feb. 9, 2011
By: Rob Dunning
Click here for Miami’s game Notes
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Arguably the biggest game of the season awaits the 20th-ranked University of Miami basketball team as a 12th-ranked Maryland team is set to visit the BankUnited Center Thursday night.
Both teams are 20-3. Both are 6-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play and most importantly, looking to stay in the hunt for the regular season ACC crown with Duke (7-1), North Carolina (7-2) and Florida State (7-2).
There is still a lot of season ahead, but this game – which tips off at 7 p.m. – will likely go a long way in how the rest of the second half of the season plays out for the `Canes.
The Terps come in as one of the hottest teams in the country, having won seven straight by an average of 22 points per game. Miami is coming off a road loss at No. 3 Duke but had won 19 of 20 prior to that and is still a perfect 17-0 at the BUC this season.
Here are some other storylines around the program…
`Canes Stealing the Show
One hundred and forty-nine student-athletes have logged minutes this season for an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball team.
The three most productive in terms of stealing the basketball? All Miami Hurricanes.
Shenise Johnson, Riquna Williams and Morgan Stroman currently rank one, two and three on the ACC’s individual steal leader rankings. Yeah, you read that right. The `Canes boast the top three stealers in the conference.
Few statistics or rankings have ever jumped off a page like this….
ACC STEAL LEADERS (per game)
1. Shenise Johnson, MIAMI – 3.5
2. Riquna Williams, MIAMI – 3.3
3. Morgan Stroman, MIAMI – 3.2
4. Cetera DeGraffenreid, UNC – 3.0
5. Jasmine Thomas, DUKE – 2.6
Miami easily owns the best mark in the ACC in steals per game as a team (15.2) and turnover margin (+9.22), while Maryland ranks third in the ACC in assists and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Certainly something to keep an eye on Thursday…
Scoring Title Coming Back to Coral Gables?
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that either Riquna Williams or Shenise Johnson will end the 2010-11 season as the ACC’s scoring champion. Williams currently leads the lead by averaging 21.6 points per game, while Johnson sits in second at 19.0 points per contest.
Next closest behind those two?
Boston College’s Carolyn Swords at 17.5 ppg. Seems pretty unlikely Swords could even catch and pass one, let alone both.
If that is the case, it will mark the fourth time in the last seven years a `Cane was the ACC’s scoring champ as Tamara James (2005 & 2006) and Renee Taylor (2007) previously brought the crown back to Coral Gables three straight seasons from 2005-07.
Calling All Students
The first 200 UM students to register for this promotion and attend Thursday night’s game against Maryland will have the opportunity to take part in unprecedented access to the women’s basketball program.
Those who register are invited to attend a free halftime party at the arena with food and drinks, join the team on the court after the game for the signing of the Alma Mater, as well as attend a private party with the team at the end of the season.
Students who sign up will also be registered for a number of prizes, including being named an honorary starter against Florida State on Feb. 24, joining the team on the court for player introductions.
Visit the team’s blog for more information.
