Game Day: Miami at Virginia Tech - Feb. 27

No. 25 MiamiatVirginia Tech

Setting the Scene
Date: Monday, Feb. 27, 2017
Time: 9 p.m.
Location: Cassell Coliseum | Blacksburg, Va.

No. 25 Miami Hurricanes (20-8, 10-6 ACC)
Head Coach: Jim Larrañaga
Record at Miami: 138-65, sixth season
ACC Record at Miami: 64-40
Career Record: 608-399, 33rd season

RV Virginia Tech Hokies (20-8, 9-7 ACC)
Head Coach: Buzz Williams
Record at VT: 51-45, third season
Career Record: 204-131, 10th season

Broadcasts
TV: ESPN2 Big Monday – Doug Sherman, LaPhonso Ellis
Radio: 560 WQAM – Joe Zagacki
Internet: ACC Network Extra – http://es.pn/2ll2XO1

Series
All-time: 20-13 Since rebirth in 1985-86: 20-13
Home: 10-4
Away: 6-7
Neutral: 4-2
Under Coach Larrañaga: 10-3
Coach L all-time vs. Virginia Tech: 10-3
Current streak: Miami won 2.
Last matchup: Feb. 8, 2017. Miami won, 74-68.
Last Virginia Tech win: March 5, 2016. VT def. No. 7 Miami 77-62.

Polls
Miami – AP: 25 / USA Today: 25 / RPI: 38 / KenPom: 29 / Warren Nolan: 36
VT – AP: RV(1) / USA Today: NR / RPI: 37 / KenPom: 43 / Warren Nolan: 39

Weather
Coral Gables, Fla.: High 81 / Low 72
Blacksburg, Va.: High 53 / Low 40

Big Monday, Round Two
Miami will play its second ESPN Big Monday game in as many weeks. On Feb. 20, the Canes took down No. 18/19 Virginia at 7 p.m. on ESPN, and this week, UM faces Virginia Tech at 9 p.m.

The Series – Miami vs. Virginia Tech
Miami is 20-13 all-time against Virginia Tech including 10-3 with Jim Larrañaga at the helm.
The Hurricanes have won seven of the last eight matchups against the Hokies and were 2-1 against them last season.
In last year’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal matchup, Miami defeated Virginia Tech, 88-82. Davon Reed scored 17 points and grabbed three steals while Ja’Quan Newton dropped 10 points and recorded four assists.
Kamari Murphy grabbed 10 rebounds in Miami’s 65-49 win over VT on February 17 of last season.

The First UM-VT Matchup – Feb. 8, 2017
Miami’s starters against Virginia Tech were Ja’Quan Newton, Bruce Brown, Davon Reed, Kamari Murphy and Dewan Huell … Miami boasted four players scoring in double digits: Davon Reed (18), Ja’Quan Newton (16), Anthony Lawrence (12) and Kamari Murphy (10) … Senior guard Davon Reed drained four shots from long distance on his way to 18 points against Virginia Tech. Reed added a season high six assists, just one short of his career best of seven vs. Loyola (12/30/13) … Sophomore Ebuka Izundu recorded eight points against Virginia Tech, his then-second-most points in an ACC game this season … Freshman Dewan Huell grabbed five rebounds, his highest since Jan. 18 when he had eight at Wake Forest.

Miami Earns 20th Win and 10th ACC Victory
Coach Jim Larrañaga has posted five 20-win seasons in his first six years at The U, and 11 career 20-win seasons. This is Miami’s eighth 20-win season since joining the ACC for the 2004-05 campaign. Larrañaga is just the second coach in Miami history with five 20-win seasons, joining Bruce Hale (1954-67).
Also in six seasons under Coach Jim Larrañaga, the Canes have won seven or more ACC games each season and have had 10 or more league victories in four years. Prior to the arrival of Coach L, Miami had never won 10 ACC games in a season.

Miami’s Stingy Defense
Miami held Duke to 31.8 percent (21-66) from the field and 23.8 percent (5-21) from three while the Blue Devils hit just 33.3 percent (3-9) at the line on their way to 50 points, their lowest scoring output since 2009. Entering the game, Duke was ranked second in the league in field goal percentage (47.9%), second in 3-point percentage (39.9%), third in free throw percentage (77.6) and fourth in scoring offense (80.1 ppg).

The ACC Gauntlet
Miami opened the 2016-17 conference slate with four of six games on the road and will end the season with three of four away from home, which includes road games at No. 14/15 Virginia, RV Virginia Tech and No. 19/20 Florida State, while playing No. 10/11 Duke at home.

Bruce Almighty
In 70 total minutes against No. 9/6 North Carolina and No. 10/11 Duke, freshman Bruce Brown tallied 55 points, nine assists, eight rebounds, four blocks and four steals. He had 30 points, five assists, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 34 minutes against UNC and 25 points, four assists, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 36 minutes against Duke.
Against Duke, Brown shot 11 for 18 and had four assists, while his teammates shot just 11 for 40 with four assists combined. Brown scored or had the assist on nine of Miami’s first 11 field goals.

Home Court Advantage in the ACC
Virginia Tech is 14-1 (6-1 ACC) at home this season while Florida State is 17-0 (8-0 ACC) on their home court. Of the top 10 teams in the ACC, only one (Virginia) has lost three or more ACC games at home. Those 10 teams are 64-13 at home in league action.
Miami has won 27 of its last 29 games at the Watsco Center, with a 14-2 mark this season, added to 13 straight victories in the 2015-16 campaign. In six seasons under Coach L, Miami is 77-22 overall at home, 40-7 in non-conference play at home and 38-15 in ACC action at home.

Coach L Against the ACC
In Larrañaga’s six seasons in the ACC, Miami has at least a .500 record against 11 league opponents. UM has a .500 record or better at home against 13 teams, and on the road against nine ACC squads.

Quick Hits – Team
Miami has made six or more shots from three in every ACC game but four (vs. Florida State, at Louisville, at Virginia, vs. Duke), after doing so in only eight of 12 non-conference outings.
For the season, the Canes have shot better than 45 percent in 17 games, and eight times in ACC play.
UM’s defense has held opponents to shoot less than 31 percent from downtown in 14 games (seven in ACC).
Miami has forced double-digit turnovers in 20 outings.
Twelve of Miami’s 17 victories are by a double-digit margin.