Back at The BUC: Canes Return to Action

LouisianaatMiami

THE GAME
Miami plays its second-straight game at home on Monday, Nov. 16, facing Louisiana (formerly Louisiana-Lafayette) at 7 p.m. in the BankUnited Center. Tickets start at $10.

TV AFFILIATES
FOX Sports South/FOX Sports Carolinas; FOX Sports Sun – South Florida; FOX Sports Florida – Central and North Florida; FOX Sports Midwest/FOX Sports Indiana – Delay Broadcast – Tue 11/17, 10am ET/9am CT; Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic; MSG Plus; NESN; ROOT Sports Pittsburgh; SportsTime Ohio – Same Day Delay – 9pm; FOX Sports Detroit Plus; FOX Sports North Plus; FOX Sports Southwest in Louisiana; FOX Sports West; ROOT Sports Rocky Mtn.; ROOT Sports Northwest

THE SERIES
This is the second meeting between Miami and Louisiana. The first matchup was Dec. 20, 1999, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a game Louisiana won, 66-60. 

THE COACH
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 562-383 overall record in his 32nd season as a head coach. He is 92-49 in his fifth season at the University of Miami, with a 41-29 mark in ACC play.

THE WEATHER
Projected temperatures on game day: Coral Gables – 82/75; Lafayette, La. – 76/70.

THE NOTES

Miami Sets Season Ticket Record
In just his fifth season in Coral Gables, Jim Larrañaga continues to set records with the University of Miami men’s basketball team. Miami has nearly sold out the ticket allotment for all home games this season at the BankUnited Center. Currently only 348 seats remain for the 2015-16 campaign. If Miami sells out those remaining seats, this will be the first time in Miami athletics history a team has sold out their season. Due to the record season ticket sales, seats may not be available on a single-game basis.

Entering Coach Larrañaga’s fifth season at The U, fans have bought approximately 5,100 season tickets, more than doubling the total number of season tickets sold in his first season in Coral Gables. When Coach L began his reign in Miami, fans bought 2,251 season tickets for the 2011-12 campaign. After a record-breaking season on the court in 2012-13, season tickets peaked at 3,674 for the 2013-14 year.

When he arrived at Miami, Coach L set out many goals to achieve, none of which had been accomplished in Coral Gables prior to his arrival, including: 1) win the ACC; 2) beat North Carolina and Duke; 3) draw a crowd at the BankUnited Center.

In Larrañaga’s second season, Miami won the ACC Regular Season and Tournament Championships, then went on to play into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. In his first four seasons, the Canes are 3-2 against Duke and 4-3 against North Carolina. And now, in his fifth campaign, Miami is less than 500 seats away from selling out the BankUnited Center, and accomplishing three of Larrañaga’s goals.

The Last Time Out … Miami vs. UT Rio Grande Valley
Starters for the game: Angel Rodriguez, Sheldon McClellan, Davon Reed, Ivan Cruz Uceda and Tonye Jekiri.
Five players scored in double digits for the Canes: McClellan (18), Cruz Uceda (16), Reed (14), Ja’Quan Newton (11) and James Palmer (11).
McClellan’s 18 points mark the ninth time as a Hurricane he has scored 18-or-more points.
Senior Tonye Jekiri grabbed seven rebounds in the first half, and ended the night with 12 boards.
Senior Angel Rodriguez dished out seven assists.
Sophomore James Palmer grabbed a career-best six rebounds, topping his previous high of four, which he pulled down three times last season, most recently against Temple on March 31, 2015.
Senior Ivan Cruz Uceda tied a career high of seven rebounds, only matched against Alabama on March 21, 2015.
Freshmen Anthony Lawrence, Ebuka Izundu and Mike Robinson made their collegiate debuts in the season opener.
Junior forward Kamari Murphy will sit out the first three games of the season due to a violation of team rules.
After scoring 28 points in the first half, Miami posted 58 points in the second stanza. UTRGV only scored 59 total points for the game.
Miami started the game 7-of-7 at the free throw line, and was 11-of-12 (91.7%) at the half. The Hurricanes finished the game hitting 24-of-33 free throws.
All 11 available Canes played in the game, and nine of 11 scored.
Miami’s first points of the season came from Sheldon McClellan with a jumper in the lane, just 90 seconds into the game.
The Canes’ first free throws of the season came from Davon Reed, sinking two at the 18:07 mark.
Miami’s first 3-pointer of the season came from Ivan Cruz Uceda at 17:09 in the first half.
Sheldon McClellan threw down the team’s first alley-oop of the season, off an assist from Angel Rodriguez.

Miami Earning Votes in Both National Polls
Miami is garnering votes in both the AP (48) and the USA Today Coaches (11) preseason poll. The Canes are six places out of the Top 25 in the AP poll and 12 positions out in the USA Today poll. Miami was last listed in preseason polls in 2008-09, when the Canes were No. 17 in the AP and No. 16 in USA Today Coaches poll. The 2008-09 team went on to a 19-13 record and NIT appearance.

Canes Bring Experience to the Court
Miami will start four seniors and a junior, thus entering the year with 16 seasons of collegiate basketball experience. The average age of the starting five is 22.2 years old: Ivan Cruz Uceda: 24, three seasons; Angel Rodriguez: 23, four seasons; Sheldon McClellan: 23, four seasons; Tonye Jekiri: 21, three seasons; Davon Reed: 20, two seasons. The starting five combine for 391 NCAA Division-I games played, and 221 games started.

Four Players Boast NCAA Tournament Experience
Senior Tonye Jekiri returns from Miami’s 2012-13 ACC Championship and NCAA Sweet 16 team. Sheldon McClellan (Texas), Kamari Murphy (Oklahoma State) and Angel Rodriguez (Kansas State) have also played in the NCAA Tournament, each with their previous schools.

Miami Predicted to Finish Fifth in ACC
Miami was predicted to finish fifth out of 15 teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, as announced by the league during Operation ACC Basketball in Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 28. North Carolina was picked to win the league, followed by Virginia, Duke and Notre Dame. In 2012-13, the Canes were picked to finish fifth, then won the league’s regular season and tournament championship. In all four of Larrañaga’s seasons at Miami, the Canes have finished the season better than predicted at ACC media day.

McClellan on Jerry West Award Watch List
Senior Sheldon McClellan is among the 20 players named to the watch list for the 2016 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced.

As a junior in 2014-15, McClellan’s 48.4-percent shooting was the second-best shooting percentage in the nation by a guard in the Power Five conferences, 18th-best shooting percentage by a guard in the nation, 90th-best shooting percentage in the nation among all positions, and the top shooting percentage by a guard in the ACC.

In 106 career games, the native of Houston, has scored 1,393 career points. In his first season at Miami, McClellan was the only Cane to start all 38 games. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 33.6 minutes per game, and hit 48.4 percent (192-397) from the field, 35.8 percent (54-151) from three and 82.4 percent at the line. McClellan posted a trio of double-doubles on the season and scored in double digits in 31 games, including 15-straight from Nov. 21 to Jan. 22.

Body Changes for Cruz Uceda and Jekiri
Seniors Ivan Cruz Uceda and Tonye Jekiri have spent the summer in the weight room. Cruz Uceda has dropped 20 pounds from 237 to 217, and his body fat has slimmed down from 24 percent to nine percent in just a year in Miami. Jekiri has added 20 pounds to his 7-foot frame, now weighing 250 pounds.

Larrañaga Among the Best in College Basketball
Entering the 2015-16 season, Coach Larrañaga is tied for 12th on the list of Winningest Active Coaches at Major Schools and is tied for 57th on the NCAA’s list of All-Time Winningest Coaches. See page 9 of the notes for a complete listing.

Miami in Openers
With the win over UTRGV on Nov. 13, the Canes are now 26-5 in season openers since the rebirth of basketball at Miami for the 1985-86 season. Miami is also 26-5 in home openers.

Kamari Murphy Suspended Three Games
Junior forward Kamari Murphy has been suspended for the first three games of the basketball season for a violation of team rules, the school announced Friday, Nov. 13. Murphy will return to action Friday, Nov. 20 for the second-round game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.