Game Day: Miami vs. NC State - Jan. 22

The Game
After playing two Top 15 teams on the road, the Hurricanes return to the BankUnited Center on Jan. 22 to face NC State at 8 p.m.

The Series
Miami is 7-11 in the all-time series against NC State, which dates back to the 1939-40 season. The Canes are 3-4 at home against the Wolfpack, 2-6 on the road and 2-1 at neutral sites. NC State won the last matchup with Miami, defeating the Canes, 67-58, on March 13, 2014 at Greensboro Coliseum.

The Broadcasts
Catch the game on the ACC Network with Bob Rathbun and Cory Alexander making the call. Also check out the game on 560 WQAM Radio with Joe Zagacki, the Voice of the Hurricanes, and WVUM 90.5, Miami’s student station.

The Coach
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 548-375 overall record in his 31st season as a head coach. He is 78-41 in his fourth season at the University of Miami, with a 33-23 mark in ACC play.

The Polls (as of Jan. 20)
AP: Miami -RV; NC State – NR USA TODAY: Miami – RV; NC State – RV
KenPom.com: Miami – 47; NC State – 42 NCAA RPI: Miami – 55; NC State- 36

The Weather
Projected temperatures on game day: Coral Gables – 79/69; Raleigh, N.C. – 55/37.

The Quote
“Well they were terrific. I thought [Angel] Rodriguez was sensational. He not only scored, but he controlled the game. It’s one of the best performances I’ve seen in Cameron from an opposing player. Their whole team played well, but he really set the tone in how well he played. He was great—not good—he was great. “
– Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, following Miami’s 90-74 win on Jan. 13

Canes Faced Three Top 15 Teams in Four Games
Over a 19-day span, Miami faced three teams ranked in the Top 15 and one receiving votes. The Canes started with No. 3 Virginia, a double-overtime loss on Jan. 3. After defeating unranked Boston College, UM downed No. 4 Duke (Jan. 13) by 16 points in Cameron Indoor Stadium, then lost to No. 12 Notre Dame (Jan. 17), after leading for 29 minutes of the game. Miami then hosts RV NC State (Jan. 22). In late February, the Canes will face another tough stretch against ranked teams when Miami plays at No. 10 Louisville (Feb. 21), then comes home to face in-state rival Florida State (Feb. 25) and No. 15 North Carolina (Feb. 28).

Coach L Approaching Win No. 550
Coach Jim Larrañaga is two wins away from 550 career victories and one ACC win away from 300 conference victories. He started the 2014-15 season with a 536-370 overall and 297-185 conference record in 30 years as a head coach.

Newton Breaks Out at Notre Dame
After a dunk at Duke that landed him on ESPN’s Top Plays, Ja’Quan Newton broke out against Notre Dame with career-best marks of 16 points, five assists, two rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in 28 minutes.

Jekiri Impresses in Junior Season
Junior forward Tonye Jekiri has nearly doubled his output in points and rebounds each season as a Hurricane. The 7-footer is averaging 7.9 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, up from 4.2 ppg and 5.5 rpg his sophomore year and 1.4 points and 1.6 rebounds his rookie campaign. Through 17 games, he has already surpassed his 22 assists from last year, posting 28 in 2014-15. He is just two blocks short of his sophomore total of 29.

Jekiri Leads ACC in Rebounding
Junior Tonye Jekiri is atop the conference in rebounds per game at 10.1 and in ACC games only with 12.5. In ACC games, Angel Rodriguez is No. 7 in scoring with 17.5 ppg and Sheldon McClellan is No. 15 in scoring with 14.5 ppg.

Bench Points Key For The Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have recorded 18+ points off the bench in 13 of 17 games this season, led by 34 against South Alabama, 33 at Duke and 32 at Notre Dame. In its last five games, UM has tallied 28 (CofC), 29 (UVa), 7 (BC), 33 (Duke) and 32 (ND).

Miami Downs No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium
Miami defeated No. 4 Duke 90-74 on Jan. 13 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, upsetting the Blue Devils’ 41-game home winning streak, and setting various Canes records. See page seven for a complete listing of postgame notes.

Point Guards Score 47 of 90 Points at Duke
Point guards Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lecomte scored 47 of Miami’s 90 points at Duke. Rodriguez was 8-15 from the field, 4-6 from distance and 4-6 at the line for 24 points while Lecomte, who came off the bench, was 5-10 from the field and 3-4 from three, along with 10-11 at the line for 23 points. The last time two Hurricanes scored 20+ points was in the ACC Tournament in 2013, when Shane Larkin had 28 and Trey McKinney Jones knocked down 20.

Rodriguez at His Best Against the Best
In Miami’s three games against Top 10 teams – No. 3 Virginia, No. 4 Duke and No. 8/7 Florida – Angel Rodriguez has put on a show, averaging 24.3 points and 5.0 assists.
Against Florida, he scored 22 of his 24 points in the final nine minutes, draining five second-half three-pointers to help Miami earn the win.
The junior scored 17 points in the second half against the Cavaliers, knocking down three clutch free throws with 0.9 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. In the two overtimes combined, he scored six points, including 4-4 at the line, and dished out three assists, accounting for 13 of Miami’s 17 overtime points.
At Duke, Rodriguez scored eight-straight points – including two from long distance – to give Miami a decisive lead. He tallied 15 points and four steals in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Rodriguez Shines in the Second Half
Senior guard Angel Rodriguez knows how to finish a game. In seven games, he has scored double-digit points in the second stanza, including 22 at Florida, 17 against Virginia, 15 at Duke and 14 vs. Boston College.

Breaking Down the Stats
Through 17 games, Miami is 12-5 overall, 6-3 at home, and 6-2 away from the BankUnited Center (3-1 on the road and 3-1 at neutral sites).
Despite facing three Top 15 teams on the road – at No. 6/7 Florida, at No. 4 Duke and at No. 12 Notre Dame – Miami averages 5.2 ppg, 5.8 FG% and 9.2 3FG% better on the road than at home.

Swoope Signs Contract with Indianapolis Colts
Erik Swoope, former Hurricane basketball player who never played football prior to walking into an NFL locker room this summer, was on the Colts practice squad this season and on Jan. 20, signed a reserve/future contract.