Game Day: Miami vs. Virginia Tech - Feb. 18

The Game
Miami returns to the BankUnited Center on Feb. 18 to face Virginia Tech at 7 p.m., in the first of two matchups against the Hokies this season.

The Series
Miami is 14-12 in the all-time series against Virginia Tech, which dates back to the 2000-01 season. The Canes are 7-4 at home against the Hokies, 5-6 on the road and 2-2 at neutral sites. Miami won the last matchup against Virginia Tech, defeating the Hokies, 57-53, on March 12, 2014 at the ACC Tournament.

The Broadcasts
Catch the game on RSN with Wes Durham and Dave Odom making the call. Affiliates include: FOX Sports Carolinas, FOX Sports South, SUN Sports, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, New England Sports Network, FOX Sports Indiana, FOX Sports San Diego, FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports Southwest Plus, FOX Sports Wisconsin, FOX Sports Prime Ticket, ESPN3, FOX Sports Detroit Plus, ROOT Sports Pittsburgh, SportsTime Ohio, ROOT Sports Rocky Mtn.Delay Broadcast, ROOT Sports Northwest, MSG Plus. Also check out the game on 560 WQAM Radio with Joe Zagacki, the Voice of the Hurricanes, and on 90.5 WVUM Radio, Miami’s student station.

The Coach
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 552-379 overall record in his 31st season as a head coach. He is 82-45 in his fourth season at the University of Miami, with a 37-27 mark in ACC play.

The Polls (as of Feb. 16)
AP: Miami -NR; Virginia Tech – NR
USA TODAY: Miami – NR; Virginia Tech – NR
KenPom.com: Miami – 60; Virginia Tech – 167
NCAA RPI: Miami – 64; Virginia Tech – 220

The Weather
Projected temperatures on game day: Coral Gables – 71/48; Blacksburg, Va. – 20/-5.

Tough Stretch Ahead for Miami
Miami will face a ranked opponent in two of the next three outings when the Canes travel to Kentucky to face No. 12 Louisville, then host No. 15/16 North Carolina. Sandwiched between the two games is in-state rival Florida State at home.

In ACC games, Miami has …
* Hit 10+ 3-pointers in four games – at Duke, Clemson, at Syracuse, at Boston College – while only Virginia and Wake Forest have hit 10+ against the Canes.
* 10+ assists in 10 games.
* Less than 13 turnovers in every game.
* Led at the half in only three games: vs. BC, at Notre Dame, at Florida State.
* Hit 15+ freethrows in five games.

What’s Trending in ACC Games Only …
Davon Reed: 10+ points in six of the past eight games … Hit better than 44 percent in every game but one (0-1 vs. BC) … Knocked down multiple 3-pointers in seven of the last nine outings … Connected on a 3-pointer in all but two games … Grabbed 4+ rebounds five of the last six games … Tallied a steal in six-straight games … Played more than 30 minutes in all but one game since Jan. 13.
Sheldon McClellan: Nine games with 10+ points, five with 15+ points … Eight steals the past two games … One double-double … Hit a 3-pointer in nine games … Shot better than 40 percent in 10 games … Attempted at least two free throws in all but one game.
James Palmer: Three rebounds in three-straight games … Scored in four-straight games, and nine of the last 10.
Angel Rodriguez: Multiple assists in every game but one … 3+ assists 10 times, 5+ in seven outings … Knocked down 14-of-16 free throws in past four games … Grabbed a rebound in all but two games.
Manu Lecomte: Tallied an assist in every game … Grabbed a rebound in eight games … Hit multiple 3-pointers in four games.
Tonye Jekiri: Five double-doubles … 10+ rebounds in nine of 12 games … 10+ defensive rebounds three times … 4+ offensive rebounds in seven games … 10+ points in six games … 3+ blocks four times.

Reed Clutch from Distance
Sophomore Davon Reed is knocking down 53.3 percent of his shots from long range overall, while notching a 59.0 percent (23-39) clip from three in ACC games. He leads the team with 23 3-pointers in league games and despite only playing 16 of 24 games (due to injury), he is fourth on the team with 24 from long range overall. He has hit a 3-pointer in nine-straight games, and for the season has seven games with multiple threes, topping out with five against Louisville.

Three Canes Shooting Better than 50 Percent
Junior Sheldon McClellan and sophomores Tonye Jekiri and Davon Reed are all hitting at least 50 percent of their shots this season. In all games, McClellan is hitting shots at a 51.0 percent clip. Jekiri is at 50.0 percent and Reed is hitting a team-best 54.4 percent in his 17 games played. In ACC outings, Reed is sizzling with his 58.8 percent from the field.

Canes on the Road in the ACC
This season Miami is 3-3 in ACC home games and 3-3 on the road, increasing Coach L’s ACC records to 20-12 at home and 17-15 on the road. Prior to Larrañaga’s arrival in 2011-12, the Canes compiled records of 30-27 at home and 13-42 on the road in seven seasons in the league.