Game Day: #17/20 Miami vs. Florida - Dec. 8

RV FloridaatNo. 17/20 Miami

The Game
No. 17/20 Miami faces in-state rival Florida (receiving votes in both polls) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the BankUnited Center, in the second of three-straight games at home for the Hurricanes. UM finishes the homestand against the College of Charleston on Dec. 19.

The game is completely SOLD OUT. However, tickets are available on StubHub, the official fan to fan ticket marketplace of Miami Athletics starting at $30.

The Broadcasts
Catch the game on ESPN2 with John Brickley and Cory Alexander, making the call. Also check out the game on WHIM 1080 radio with Joe Zagacki, the Voice of the Hurricanes, and 90.5 WVUM, Miami’s student station.

The Coach
Head coach Jim Larrañaga has a 568-384 overall record in his 32nd season as a head coach. He is 98-50 in his fifth season at the University of Miami, with a 41-29 mark in ACC play.

The Polls (as of Dec. 5)
AP: Miami -17, Florida – RV 
USA TODAY: Miami – 20, Florida – RV
KenPom.com: Miami – 18, Florida – 23
NCAA RPI: Miami -24, Florida – 13

The Weather
Game day temperatures: Coral Gables – 79/68; Gainesville, Fla.- 72/50.

The Series
Miami is 23-45 in the all-time series against Florida, which dates back to the 1927-28 season. The Canes are 16-15 at home against the Gators, 7-29 on the road and 0-1 at neutral sites. Miami won the last matchup with Florida, defeating the No. 8/7 Gators, 69-67, on Nov. 17, 2014, at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville.

Hot Shooting Canes
All 10 scholarship players are shooting at least 42.5 percent from the field, and six players are hitting more than 50 percent of their shots. Sheldon McClellan leads the way with his 59.2 percent shooting, followed by Ivan Cruz Uceda (57.5%), Ebuka Izundu (57.1%) and Kamari Murphy (56.5%).

Canes Top 10 Nationally in Shooting Percentage
Miami is one of seven teams in the country shooting at least 50.7 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from long distance.
The Canes have made more than 50 percent of their shots in 11 of 16 halves this season, including five first halves and six second stanzas. Miami has only shot less than 42 percent once; in the first half of the first game of the year, UM shot 27.6 percent against UTRGV.

The Last Time Out Against Florida – Nov. 17, 2014
The Canes defeated then-No. 8/7 Florida on Nov. 17 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, led by Angel Rodriguez’ 22 points in the final nine minutes, draining five 3-pointers in the last seven minutes to help Miami to the win. With the victory, the Canes snapped Florida’s 33-game home winning streak and 25-game home non-conference winning streak at the O’Connell Center. The 33-game streak was the third-longest in the country, behind 34 from both Duke and Stephen F. Austin. For a complete recap, check page seven of the notes.

In 2014, Rodriguez plays D, Drains 24 in Win Over Florida
PG Angel Rodriguez scored 22 his 24 points in the final nine minutes against No. 8/7 Florida, draining five 3-pointers in the last seven minutes to help Miami to the win. Rodriguez also showed his strong defense by drawing a charge with three seconds remaining in the game. In 36 minutes, Rodriguez totaled three assists, three steals and two rebounds with his 7-14 shooting, hitting five from distance, and had a 5-7 mark at the free throw line.

Larrañaga vs. Florida
Coach Jim Larrañaga led his Miami team to a win over No. 8/7 Florida in 2014.
In 2006, Larrañaga led George Mason to the NCAA Final Four, falling, 70-58, to the eventual champion Gators, after defeating powerhouses Connecticut, Wichita State, North Carolina and Michigan State.

Miami Holds the Lead
In Miami’s seven victories – 1,425 minutes played – the Canes have lead for 1,414 minutes and 19 seconds. Miami hasn’t trailed in three games – against Utah, Butler and Charlotte. Miami led for 33:25 minutes against UTRGV, 37:33 against Louisiana, 37:52 vs. Mississippi State and 34:22 at Nebraska. Miami trailed by only three points in each of its first two games against UTRGV and Louisiana, two points against Mississippi State, three points at Nebraska and never trailed against Charlotte or nationally ranked Utah and Butler.

Miami’s Starters Show Experience
In Miami’s game at Nebraska, the Hurricanes started three seniors and a pair of juniors. Those players have now combined for 284 career starts and 473 games played. Sheldon McClellan has started 69 games playing in 114, Tonye Jekiri has 61 starts in 112 games, Angel Rodriguez is at 77/105, Davon Reed 39/71 and Kamari Murphy 38/71.
Those five players have been on a Division I team a combined 21 seasons, as McClellan and Rodriguez are both in their fifth year on the court, Jekiri and Murphy are each in their fourth season, and Reed is a true junior.
The average age of that starting five is 21.8 years old: Rodriguez – 23; McClellan – 23; Murphy – 22; Jekiri – 21; Reed – 20.

McClellan on Three National Player of the Year Watch Lists
Senior shooting guard Sheldon McClellan is turning heads across the country, earning nods on a trio of watch lists for national player of the year awards. He is one of 50 players on the Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year early season watch list, one of 33 players on the watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy for Men’s National Player of the Year and is among the 20 players named to the watch list for the 2016 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.
While leading the Canes to a 7-1 record and No. 21 position in the polls, McClellan is currently ranked nationally in 10 statistical categories. He is No. 44 in free throw percentage (89.7%), No. 50 in field goal percentage (59.7%), No. 81 in total points (119) and No. 96 in field goals made (96). His 59.7 percent shooting is ninth in the nation among guards and fourth-best among players on teams in the top eight basketball conferences (Power Five plus A-10, BIG EAST & American).

Newton Improves From Rookie to Sophomore Season
Miami sophomore Ja’Quan Newton has immensely improved his stats from last year through the first eight games of the season. The Philadelphia native is scoring 12.0 points per game while hitting 48.3 percent of his attempts. A season ago, Newton averged 4.0 ppg on 40.5 percent shooting. This year, he has scored greater than 10 points and played more than 20 minutes in seven games, whereas last year he only scored double-digits four times and played more than 20 minutes in seven of his 34 games played.

Larrañaga Closing in on 100 Wins at Miami
In just his fifth year at UM, Jim Larrañaga is closing in on 100 wins at The U. He is currently 98-50. Bruce Hale was the Miami coach who won 100 games the quickest, earning 100 victories in just 159 games. Hart Morris took 163 games, Frank Haith 174 and Leonard Hamilton took 230 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.

Quick Hits
– As a team, Miami is hitting 51.1 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three.
– Miami has posted 15.1 assists per game in the first eight outings.
– Miami’s bench has scored 28.5 points per game, including 50 against Mississippi State and 35 vs. Charlotte. The Canes’ bench players have outscored the opponent’s bench 228-167.
– The Canes have scored 32.0 points per game in the paint, including 50 paint points against Northeastern and 46 against Mississippi State.
– Miami is averaging 16.1 points off of turnovers, compared to 10.5 from the opponent.
– Five Hurricanes are averaging at least 9.3 points per game.
– Four Canes pull down at least 3.0 rebounds per game.
– Five players are averaging at least 21.0 minutes per game.
– Eight Canes have knocked down a 3-pointer and 10 have attempted a three.
– 12 players are shooting better than 45 percent from the field and four are better than 45 percent from long distance.
– Every Cane has scored 10+ points in at least one game.
– UM is averaging 8.5 threes made per game and 20.6 made free throws per game.

What’s Trending – Individually
– Ja’Quan Newton has scored double-digit points in seven of eight games after only scoring 10+ in four games as a rookie. He has already scored 96 points as a sophomore after 135 points in 34 games a season ago.
– Anthony Lawrence has tallied at least nine points in four outings.
– Davon Reed has grabbed at least three rebounds in every game. He has hit three-or-more free throws in every game but one (vs. Utah).
– Sheldon McClellan has scored 16+ points in five of eight games. He has a steal in every game but one (vs. Charlotte), and has shot better than 50 percent from the field in all but two games.
– Angel Rodriguez has knocked down a 3-pointer in every game. He has scored in double-digits in six of eight games, and notched four-or-more assists in six outings.
– Kamari Murphy has at least one block in three-straight games.
– Tonye Jekiri has pulled down at least 10 rebounds in seven games, including four games with 12. He has at least one assist in every outing but one (vs. Charlotte).
– Ivan Cruz Uceda has knocked down at least one 3-pointer in every game except at Nebraska.