Game Day: Miami vs. Utah - Nov. 20

Miamivs.Utah

THE GAME
Miami moves on in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Friday, Nov. 20, facing off against No. 16 Utah at 7 p.m. ET. The Canes will play either Temple or No. 22/20 Butler in Sunday’s final round. 

THE BROADCASTS
Catch the game on ESPNU with Rich Hollenberg and LaPhonso Ellis making the call. Also check out the game on 560 WQAM Radio with Joe Zagacki, the Voice of the Hurricanes.

THE SERIES
Miami is 1-0 in the all-time series against Utah, which dates back to the 1965-66 season. The Canes defeated the Utes, 88-87, on Jan. 3, 1966 in Florida. 

THE COACH
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 564-383 overall record in his 32nd season as a head coach. He is 94-49 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 – 83/73; Salt Lake City, Utah – 43/21 

THE NOTES

The Last Time Out – Miami vs. Mississippi State …
– Miami scored 105 points against Mississippi State, the first time Miami has scored 100+ points since Nov. 16, 2009 against Nova Southeastern (108-58) … The last time Miami scored 100+ against a Division I opponent was Jan. 3, 2004 vs. Savannah State (105-65) … The last time Miami scored 100+ against a Power 5 team was Jan. 18, 1990 – Florida State (101-97) … The last time Miami scored 100+ away from home in regulation victory was Dec. 28, 1988 vs. Penn in the Eastern Airlines Palm Beach Classic … This is Miami’s first time scoring 100+ points and earning a win over a high-major team away from home … Miami was three points shy of scoring the most points in a half since joining the ACC in 2004-05. The high was 61 against Nova Southeastern in 2009, second-most was 60 against Virginia in 2008 and Lafayette in 2006 … Miami’s bench outscored Mississippi State 50-25. The Hurricanes also held a 46-32 advantage in points in the paint … The Hurricanes led for 37:52 of the game … The Hurricanes shot better than 50 percent in both halves for the second-consecutive game … Miami had seven players score in double figures. The Canes had six players score in double figures the last time out, vs. Louisiana, too … All nine scholarship players scored at least eight points … Miami’s 20 assists are a season high … The Hurricanes outrebounded Mississippi State 41-27 … Miami improved to 14-9 in neutral site games under head coach Jim Larrañaga … Redshirt senior Sheldon McClellan tied a season high with 18 points, connecting on 5-of-10 from the field. McClellan has now scored 10-or-more points in all three games this season … Senior Tonye Jekiri pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. It also marked the second time this season he has totaled 10 or more rebounds … Ja’Quan Newton scored a season-high 15 points (just one point shy of his career high) as he connected on 5-of-10 shots from the field … Freshman center Ebuka Izundu scored his first collegiate points and pulled down his first career rebounds against Mississippi State. He finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds … Sophomore James Palmer scored a season-high 14 points, connecting on 6-of-9 shots from the field.

Light ‘Em Up
Through three games this season, Miami is averaging 94.7 points per game. In Coach L’s first four full seasons at Miami, the Canes scored 94-or-more points only one time, on Jan. 2, 2011 against UNCG, a 99-89 victory for UM. In those four seasons, Miami’s highest ppg average was 70.7 in 2011-12, followed by 68.2 in 2014-15, 67.9 in 2012-13 and the lowest was 61.5 in 2013-14.
As a team, Miami is hitting 51.4 percent (91-177) from the field and 43.7 percent (31-71) from three. Miami’s bench has outscored the opponent’s bench 99-70 and scored 58 points off of turnovers, compared to just 20 from the opponents.

100th Point Scored By Second-Generation Cane
Freshman Anthony Lawrence, Jr. scored Miami’s 100th point of the game against Mississippi State. “Amp” is the son of Anthony Lawrence, Sr., who played for Miami from 1991-93.

Balanced Scoring In First Three Games
In the first three games of the 2015-16 season, Miami has had five, six and seven players score in double digits, respectively. Against UT Rio Grande Valley, Sheldon McClellan (18), Ivan Cruz Uceda (16), Davon Reed (14), Ja’Quan Newton (11) and James Palmer (11) notched double-digit points, while Reed (19), Angel Rodriguez (18), McClellan (16), Cruz Uceda (13), Anthony Lawrence Jr. (12) and Newton (11) did against Louisiana. Mississippi saw seven Canes with double digits: McClellan (18), Newton (15), Palmer (14), Izundu (11), Rodriguez (11), Cruz Uceda (10), Lawrence (10).

Kamari Murphy Returns to the Court
Junior forward Kamari Murphy will be available to play against Utah on Friday, Nov. 20, potentially making his Canes debut after transferring from Oklahoma State and sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. Murphy had been suspended for the first three games of the basketball season for a violation of team rules, the school announced Friday, Nov. 13.

Miami at Neutral Sites Under Larrañaga
In Larranaga’s first four seasons at The U, Miami is 14-9 in neutral site games.

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.

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 starts 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.

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) also have played in the NCAA Tournament, each with their previous schools.