MBB Rematch at NC State Saturday on ACCN
March 1, 2014 | 12 p.m.
PNC Arena | Raleigh, N.C.
TV: ACC Network – My 33 in Miami (all affiliates)
Watch the game on these affiliates in Florida: Gainesville – TV 20, Jacksonville – FOX 30, Miami-Fort Lauderdale – MY 33, Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne – My 65, Panama City – News 13, Tallahassee-Thomasville – FOX 49, Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota) – CW 44, West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce – The CW West Palm.
Radio: 560 WQAM
Web: WQAM.com | Watch ESPN | theACC.com
Miami 14-14 (5-10)
Game Notes | Stats | Record Book | Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results
The Game
Miami faces NC State for the second time this season when the Canes travel to Raleigh on Saturday, March 1. The noon game at PNC Arena is the Canes’ second of three-straight games on the road.
The Series
Miami is 6-10 in the all-time series against NC State, which dates back to the 1939-40 season. The Canes are 3-4 against the Wolfpack at home, 1-0 at neutral sites and 1-6 on the road. Miami has won two of the last three matchups against NC State, but fell to the Wolfpack, 56-55, in the first meeting of the season on Feb. 8.
The Broadcasts
Catch the game on RSN with Tim Brant and Cory Alexander making the call.
Watch the game on these affiliates in Florida: Gainesville – TV 20, Jacksonville – FOX 30, Miami-Fort Lauderdale – MY 33, Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne – My 65, Panama City – News 13, Tallahassee-Thomasville – FOX 49, Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota) – CW 44, West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce – The CW West Palm.
All affiliates are listed here: http://theacc.co/MBB030114ACCNa
Also check out the game on 560 WQAM Radio with Joe Zagacki, the Voice of the Hurricanes.
The Coach
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 533-368 overall record in his 30th season as a head coach. He is 63-34 in his third season at the University of Miami.
The Polls (as of Feb. 26)
KenPom.com: Miami – 79, NC State – 73 NCAA RPI: Miami – 125, NC State – 58. SOS: Miami – 58
The Weather
Projected temperatures on game day: Coral Gables – 83/64. Raleigh, N.C. – 50/36.
Up Next
After Miami’s games at Virginia and NC State, Miami wraps up its ACC road schedule at Clemson on March 4 before returning to Coral Gables for the final game of the regular season, against Wake Forest on March 8.
Miami vs. NC State (6-10)
Since the rebirth of Miami basketball in 1985: 6-9
Since joining the ACC in 2004-05: 6-9
Since the arrival of Jim Larrañaga in 2011-12: 2-3
On this Date – March 1
Overall: 5-5
Since the rebirth of Miami basketball in 1985: 2-4
Since the arrival of Larrañaga in 2011-12: 0-0
Senior Starting Five
Coach Larrañaga has started the oldest, most experienced and strongest lineup the last four games: The seniors. Garrius Adams, who mans the PG position, is flanked by wings Rion Brown and Erik Swoope. Donnavan Kirk and Raphael Akpejiori start in the paint.
Former Man-to-Man Team Gets In the Zone
After playing man-to-man defense 95 percent of the time in his first 40 years of coaching, Jim Larrañaga’s team is now playing a mixture of defenses including: 1-2-2, 2-3, 1-3-1, box-and-one, triangle-and-two, and man-to-man.
Holding Opponents to Less than 70 Points
Miami has held 19 of its last 21 opponents to less than 70 points, and only four teams overall this season have scored more than 70 points on the Canes: 80-Georgia Southern, 71-George Washington, 74-Maryland, 73-Florida State.
Offensive Ups and Downs
Miami has scored 40-49 points four times in ACC play, 50-59 five times, 60-69 a trio of times and 70+ in three games. The Canes have shot as high as 50 percent (at Maryland), but also as low as 25.9 percent at Virginia Tech.
Canes Playing Out of Position
With only one true point guard in freshman Manu Lecomte, the Canes have taken on new roles throughout the season. Garrius Adams is best suited as a three guard, but is manning the point. Rion Brown, also a three, is playing the two-guard position and Erik Swoope is an undersized four man playing the three. In the paint, Raphael Akpejiori and Donnavan Kirk are both fours, but split time at the four and the five. Coming off the bench, Davon Reed, a three, handles the point, as well as the two and three spots.
Akpejiori Receives Postgraduate Scholarship
Raphael Akpejiori received the 2014 Weaver-James-Corrigan Award, the ACC announced Feb. 25. This postgraduate scholarship is awarded to student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate degree. Each recipient will receive $5,000 toward his or her graduate education. Those honored have performed with distinction in both the classroom and their respective sport, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.
STifling D by the Hurricanes
In 11 conference games, Miami has held opponents considerably below their offensive season scoring averages. Those 11 teams entered the game with the Canes averaging a combined 73.6 ppg, but have been held to an average of 56.1 ppg.
Stats Breakdowns
In Miami’s 14 wins:
Six players average 7.1 ppg or better.
Miami scores 68.1 ppg, shooting 46.9% FG.
The Canes average 35.1 rpg, 12.6 apg and 5.6 spg.
Rion Brown shoots 45.6% FG and grabs 7.1 rpg.
Donnavan Kirk averages 10.4 ppg and Manu Lecomte 9.3 ppg.
In Miami’s 14 losses:
Two players average 6.3 ppg or more.
Miami scores 53.8 ppg, shooting 35.1% FG.
The Canes average 34.9 rpg, 8.3 apg and 4.4 spg.
Rion Brown shoots 38.8% FG and grabs 5.4 rpg.
Donnavan Kirk averages 6.2 ppg and Manu Lecomte 6.1 ppg.
In ACC home games:
Miami shoots 38.3% FG and 36.0% 3FG.
UM makes 10.4 FT per game.
The Canes hold opponents to 38.8% 3FG.
In ACC road games:
Miami shoots 39.5% FG and 28.8% 3FG.
UM makes 14.0 FT per game.
The Canes hold opponents to 34.4% 3FG.
Miami’s Top Nine, A Year Ago
A season ago, only four of Miami’s top nine guys were available to play, while another was out with injury. Four of Miami’s current top seven players were scattered across the world.
Garrius Adams – Sitting out while rehabbing a knee injury.
Raphael Akpejiori – 0.6 ppg, 4.5 mpg.
Rion Brown – Miami’s seventh man, averaged 6.3 ppg in 20.3 mpg in ACC.
Tonye Jekiri – At UM, averaging 1.7 ppg in 6.9 ACC minutes.
James Kelly – Owens Community College.
Donnavan Kirk – At DePaul, in the BIG EAST Conference.
Manu Lecomte – An amateur in a professional league in Belgium.
Davon Reed – Princeton Day School (N.J.)
Erik Swoope – 1.6 ppg in 6.0 mpg.
Canes To Take Summer Tour in Spain
Miami will embark on a nine-night, 10-day summer basketball tour of Spain from August 12-22. Beginning the trip in Madrid, Miami will engage in an educational excursion that will also include four games, sightseeing and community service opportunities. The team’s four games will be played against professional club teams in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona.
Before the Canes go on their voyage overseas, the team will have 10 days of practice leading up to the trip, which will include the entire 2014-15 squad, including incoming freshmen and transfers. Per NCAA rules, schools are allowed to take one foreign tour every four years. Miami’s last tour was to Argentina and Uruguay in the summer of 1998.
Cardiac Canes
Miami leads all ACC schools having played 12 games decided by five points-or-less or in overtime. Miami has played five overtime games and seven others that were decided in the final minutes. Miami is 1-4 in overtime this season and 3-4 in close games that ended in regulation.
Record Watching Rion Brown
Rion Brown is currently No. 9 on Miami’s all-time list of 3-point shots made in a career. His 167 trail No. 8 Kevin Presto (170) and No. 7 Guillermo Diaz (174). Jack McClinton holds the record with 286 made from distance.
Brown has played 131 career games, which is the second-most in UM history. Durand Scott played in 132 games.
Coaching Coordinators for Miami
Miami’s assistant coaching staff is set up in a coordinator system, with Eric Konkol as the offensive coordinator, Michael Huger manning the defense and Chris Caputo handling the scout for every opponent.
2013-14 Signing Class
A consensus Top 60 player, Ja’Quan Newton of Neumann-Goretti High in Philadelphia, is a 6-2, 180-pound guard listed as the No. 55 player in ESPN’s Top 100 list. James Palmer, a senior at St. John’s College High, is a 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard from Washington, D.C., who helped his squad to a 20-win season by averaging 12 points, five rebounds and two assists as a junior. Omar Sherman, out of Duncanville, Texas, is a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward who is a four-star prospect, according to ESPN and Scout.com. Ivan Cruz Uceda is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward originally from Madrid, Spain, ranked No. 55 overall by ESPN. Cruz Uceda will be available to play a pair of seasons for Miami following his two years at Harcum College in Pennsylvania.
The four newcomers will join an already talented 2014-15 class, which includes redshirt-freshman Deandre Burnett, who is out this season with an injury, and transfers Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez, who are currently sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.
Seasons of Change
Miami will face back-to-back seasons with roster turnover after losing six players from the 2012-13 ACC Championship season, then six more seniors (5 scholarship) after this 2013-14 campaign.
