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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s basketball team is heading to Raleigh to face NC State Thursday at 7 p.m. at historic Reynolds Coliseum.
The No. 6 Canes have won 11 consecutive games – the 10th-best streak in the nation – and have had recent success agaisnt the Wolfpack, winning the last three matchups. However, Miami has never won at Reynolds in six attempts.
Stepping Up
When Miami’s junior forward Morgan Stroman went down with a season-ending achilles injury, a huge void was left for the Canes. Not one member of the team can completely fill that void, but none has done more than Stefanie Yderstrom to help Miami since.
Before the Stroman injury, Yderstrom averaged 9.1 points per game and scored in double figures in nine of 19 games. In the six games since, the Swede has scored in double digits five times, twice setting her career high with 22 points vs. Virginia Tech and 26 at No. 8 Maryland. Over that span, the 5-8 guard has averaged 15.3 points and has connected on 15 three-pointers.
Shenise Dazzles in Scoring 2,000 points
Miami’s versatile senior guard Shenise Johnson became the fourth player in program history to reach the 2,000-point plateau. Needing 15 points to reach the milestone heading into UM’s Jan. 15 contest at Florida State, Johnson started the game on fire, hitting seven of her first 10 shots. Her final bucket of the half, a layup coming off of a Seminole turnover, proved to be her 15th point of the game. Johnson would finish the contest with a game-best 24 points, leading the Canes to victory – the first win in nearly 25 years at Florida State.
Johnson currently has 2,137 points and needs just 47 to pass Frances Savage (1988-92) for third place on the school all-time scoring list.
Riquna Joins the Group
The Canes are treated to a pair of offensively gifted guards. In UM’s last game against Clemson on Feb. 5, Riquna Williams reached the 2,000-point milestone herself. The Pahokee, Fla. native needed six points to reach the mark and she did so quickly, hitting two first-half three-pointers. She ended the game with 15 points. Miami is the only team in the nation with two 2,000-point scorers.
Williams currently ranks fifth in program history with 2,041 points.
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Miami vs. NC State – By the Numbers
2 – Miami’s rank nationally in steals per game, they are averaging 14.7 per game
4 – Hurricanes ranked in the top 30 in the ACC in scoring (Shenise Johnson 2nd, Riquna Williams 4th, Morgan Stroman 15th, Stefanie Yderstrom 27th)
+6 – Rebounding margin for NC State, good for second in the ACC (Miami is 3rdwith +5)
6.4 – 3-pointers made per game by Miami, tops in the ACC
7 – Miami’s rank nationally in points per game and scoring margin, they are averaging 77.6 points per game while outscoring their opponents by 21.3 points per game
11 – consecutive ACC wins for Miami since losing their ACC opener to North Carolina on January 2nd.
18.1 – Offensive rebounds per game for Miami this year, which is the best in the ACC (NC State is second with 17.8 per game)
26 – points for Stefanie Yderstrom in Miami’s win over Maryland on Sunday, her new career high
108 – 3-pointers made between Riquna Williams and Stefanie Yderstrom this season (top 2 in the ACC)
List compiled by Evan Hadrick
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UM Duo Honored on Wooden and USBWA Lists
Miami Hurricanes Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams have been named to the Women’s Midseason Nominee List for the 2011 John R. Wooden Award and the USBWA National Player of the Year Award. The Midseason Lists names the Top 20 candidates for each award.
Canes Match Highest Ranking
The Hurricanes, who finished the 2010-2011 season ranked tenth in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll, moved up three spots in anticipation of their 2011-12 season. The No. 7 ranking in the Coaches’ Poll is the highest rank in program history to begin a season.
The Hurricanes were also ranked No. 7 in the preseason Associated Press Poll.
Miami is currently ranked 6th in both the AP and Coaches Polls – tied for the highest ranking in school history.
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