Men's Basketball Hosts Hartford Saturday
Dec. 10, 1999
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD
(2-4)
vs.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
(3-2)
Saturday, December 11, 1999 — 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Miami Arena (15,388)
WQAM (560 AM), WVUM (90.5 FM)
TODAY’S OPPONENT:
Hartford enters today’s game with a record of 2-4 following a 72-58loss at Towson on Thursday. The Hawks were led by 6-6 freshman forwardPierre Johnson with 12 points and six rebounds. Johnson was the lone playerto score in double-figures. Hartford commited 30 turnovers in the loss.
The Hawks, who look to snap their two game losing streak, have beenled this season by the senior backcourt of Darrick Jackson and Riyad King.Jackson is averaging a team-high 13.8 points per game while King has handedout a team-best 4.2 assists per contest.
Hartford has also received scoring from 6-10 junior center RobSawicki who ranks second on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game.
THE SERIES:
Miami and Hartford meet for the fourth time with the Hurricanesholding a 2-1 series lead. The two teams last met on December 13, 1996 withMiami taking a 74-58 win at the Miami Arena.
MIAMI AGAINST HARTFORD:
Mar. 3, 1986 MIAMI 66, Hartford 62 UMFeb. 27, 1990 Hartford 62, MIAMI 58 UMDec. 13, 1996 MIAMI 74, Hartford 58 UM
Probable Hurricane Starters
NO NAME POS HT WT CL PTS REB45 John Salmons F 6-7 200 So. 8.8 4.225 Elton Tyler F 6-9 215 Jr. 14.4 7.251 Mario Bland C 6-6 265 Sr. 13.0 9.013 Paulo Coelho G 6-2 185 So. 3.8 2.031 Johnny Hemsley G 6-5 195 Sr. 18.4 3.0
Probable Hawk Starters
NO NAME POS HT WT CL PTS REB33 Keyon Smith F 6-3 195 Jr. 8.8 2.844 Pierre Johnson F 6-6 185 Fr. 8.0 5.350 Rob Sawicki C 6-10 220 Jr. 11.3 6.010 Darrick Jackson G 5-10 185 Sr. 13.8 2.411 Riyad King G 5-10 155 Sr. 5.2 3.2
UP NEXT:
Following today’s game Miami will then take on North Carolina at theHIP Health Plan Orange Bowl Basketball Classic on Saturday, Dec. 18 at 7:00p.m. at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, FL.
Following the HIP Orange Bowl Basketball Classic Miami travels toPuerto Rico for the San Juan Shootout (Dec. 20-22). The Hurricanes will faceLouisiana-Lafayette in their opening round game. Other teams in thetournament include Auburn, Detroit Mercy, Illinois State, Pepperdine,Virginia Tech and Puerto Rico-Mayaguez.
The Hurricanes then return for two non-conference home games atMiami Arena against Florida Atlantic (Dec. 27) and Quinnipiac (Dec. 29).
TV/RADIO COVERAGE:
Tonight’s game is not being televised. The game will be broadcast onthe Hurricane Radio Network (WQAM – 560 AM). Marc Vandermere will providethe play-by-play with Joe Zagacki adding analysis. The game can also beheard on the University of Miami student radio network (WVUM – 90.5 FM).
ON THE COACHES:
Leonard Hamilton, in his 10th season at Miami and 14th as acollegiate head coach, has brought the University of Miami men’s basketballprogram in to the national spotlight. The 1998-99 BIG EAST Conference Coachof the Year, Hamilton has guided the Hurricanes to four postseasonappearances in the last five seasons including back-to-back NCAA Tournamentappearances in 1998 and 1999.
Last season Hamilton led Miami to a 23-7 record and a No. 10national ranking by the Associated Press. The 20-win season marked the firstfor Miami since the 1964-65 season while the AP ranking was the first sincethe 1959-60 season.
Prior to his arrival at UM, Hamilton spent four seasons at OklahomaState where he led the Cowboys to their first back-to-back postseason berthsin 36 years. Hamilton’s record at UM is 124-138 (.473) while his career markstands at 180-201 (.472).
Hartford head coach Paul Brazeau is in his eighth season as acollegiate head coach, all with the Hawks. Brazeau’s record stands at 92-107(.462)
A WIN TONIGHT WOULD:
***Improve Miami’s record to 4-2 on the season.
***Snap the Hurricanes two game losing streak.
***Improve Miami’s home record to 60-17 (.789) since 1994.
***Improve Miami’s non-conference record at Miami Arena to 38-12 (.760)
***Mark Leonard Hamilton’s 125th win at Miami.
***Improve Miami’s record against Hartford to 3-1.
LAST TIME AGAINST HARTFORD:
Miami 74, Hartford 58
December 13, 1996
Miami Arena, Miami, FL
Tim James poured in 26 points, grabbed eight rebounds and registeredsix of UM’s school record 17 blocked shots en route to a 74-57 victory overHartford at the Miami Arena.
The 17 blocks by the Hurricanes (13 in the first half) tied for thesixth highest total in NCAA Division I history. In addition to the 17blocked shots, the Hurricanes registered a season-high 25 assists.
Justin Bailey came off the bench to score 13 points to lead theHawks. Ryan Howse added 12 points and Anthony Bethune chipped in 10 as theHawks were held to 30 percent shooting.
Despite the 13 first-half blocks, the Hurricanes managed only a tieat the half (27-27). Miami didn’t break the game open until midway throughthe second half. With the score tied at 37 with 15:16 remaining the ‘Caneswent on a 20-2 run over the next 5:23.
James, Clifton Clark and Nick Donovan keyed the run. Clark (14points) and James each scored six points with a pair of dunks and Donovanadded five points as the Hurricanes shot 63.3 percent (19-30) from the fieldin the second half.
MIAMI vs. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:
Since becoming the 10th member of The BIG EAST Conference beginningwith the 1991-92 season, the Hurricanes have compiled a 50-26 (.658) recordagainst non-conference opponents, including a 37-12 mark (.755) at the MiamiArena. Miami was 6-2 versus non-conference opponents in 1998-99.
SUCCESS IN THE SUNSHINE STATE:
Entering the 1999-2000 season the Hurricanes are the only team inthe state of Florida to register a winning record in each of the last fiveseasons. The Hurricanes’ 87-57 (.604) mark since the 1994-95 season is thetop winning percentage and most victories among the state’s 11 Division Iprograms.
| School | 94-95 | 95-96 | 96-97 | 97-98 | 98-99 | Total |
| MIAMI | 15-13 | 15-13 | 16-13 | 18-10 | 23-7 | 87-57 (.604) |
| Florida | 17-13 | 12-16 | 13-17 | 14-14 | 22-9 | 78-70 (.527) |
| FSU | 12-15 | 13-14 | 20-12 | 17-13 | 13-17 | 76-72 (.514) |
| FIU | 11-19 | 13-15 | 16-13 | 21-8 | 13-16 | 74-71 (.510) |
| USF | 18-12 | 12-16 | 8-19 | 16-13 | 14-14 | 68-74 (.479) |
| UCF | 11-16 | 11-19 | 7-19 | 17-11 | 19-10 | 65-75 (.464) |
| Stetson | 15-12 | 10-17 | 9-18 | 11-15 | 14-13 | 59-75 (.440) |
| Jacksonville | 18-9 | 15-13 | 5-23 | 8-19 | 12-15 | 58-79 (.423) |
| Beth.-Cook. | 12-16 | 12-15 | 12-16 | 1-24 | 11-16 | 48-87 (.355) |
| FAU | 9-18 | 9-18 | 16-11 | 5-22 | 6-20 | 45-89 (.336) |
| FAMU | 5-22 | 8-19 | 8-19 | 10-16 | 12-19 | 43-95 (.312) |
GETTING IT DONE AT BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR:
Miami ranked 21st in the nation in field goal percentage and 13th inthe nation in field goal percentage defense. Miami joins Duke, Maryland,College of Charleston, Kentucky, Utah, and North Carolina as the onlyschools to rank nationally in both categories. Additionally, the Hurricanesled the BIG EAST in both categories.
MIAMI DOMINATES IN THE ARENA:
This year marks the 11th season that Miami has called the MiamiArena home. The ‘Canes have compiled an 107-58 (.648) overall record at theArena, including a 2-0 mark this season. UM has posted a 59-16 (.787) homerecord since 1994. UM is 33-12 (.733) in its last 45 BIG EAST home gamesdating back to the 1994-95 season.
Miami Home Record Last Four Plus Seasons:
| Overall | BIG EAST | |
| 1994-95 | 11-4 | 6-3 |
| 1995-96 | 12-4 | 7-2 |
| 1996-97 | 12-3 | 6-3 |
| 1997-98 | 11-3 | 7-2 |
| 1998-99 | 11-2 | 7-2 |
| 1999-00 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| Total | 59-17 (.776) | 33-12 (.733) |
Top 5 BIG EAST Home Winning Percentages (1994-1999)
Overall:
| 1. Connecticut | 71-10 (.877) |
| 2. Villanova | 59-13 (.819) |
| 3. Georgetown | 59-15 (.797) |
| 4. MIAMI | 57-16 (.781) |
| 5. Syracuse | 59-22 (.728) |
Conference Games Only:
| 1. Connecticut | 36-9 (.800) |
| 2. Villanova | 35-10 (.778) |
| 3. MIAMI | 33-12 (.733) |
| 4. Georgetown | 30-15 (.667) |
| 5. Syracuse | 27-18 (.600) |
THE BUILDING BLOCKS:
Seniors Mario Bland, Johnny Hemsley and Vernon Jennings have been anintegral part of the Hurricanes’ accent into the national spotlight. Duringtheir first three seasons at Miami the three have led the Hurricanes to a57-30 (.655) record, three consecutive winning season, and three straightpostseason appearances including NCAA Tournament bids in 1998 and 1999.Miami’s NCAA Tournament bid in 1998 marked the school’s first since 1960.
Additionally, Miami’s 57 wins are the most in a three year periodsince UM won 57 games from 1963-66 while its .655 winning percentage is thehighest since Miami posted a 52-26 (.667) record from 1964-67.
Should Miami earn a post season bid in 1999-2000, the trio wouldbecome the first Hurricanes to reach the post season in four consecutiveseasons.
MIAMI BACK IN THE DANCE, AGAIN:
Miami’s selection to the 1999 NCAA Championship marked theHurricanes second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Prior to Miami’sNCAA tournament berth in 1998 the Hurricanes had received only one bid tothe “Big Dance” and that was in 1960. Last season the Hurricanes were seededNo. 2 in the East Region marking the highest NCAA seed in school history.The Hurricanes’ 75-54 win over Lafayette in the opening round marked Miami’sfirst NCAA Tournament victory in school history. Miami has advanced topost-season play in four of the last five seasons.
VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS:
The Hurricanes’ 73-71 win over No. 2 Connecticut at Gampel Pavilionmarked the third time last season that Miami knocked off a ranked opponenton the road. Miami was 4-3 against ranked teams last season including a 3-1mark against ranked teams on the road.
Miami Victories Over Ranked Teams:
| Jan. 30, 1961 | Louisville (#7 AP) | 71-69 |
| Dec. 21, 1962 | Duke (#2 UPI) | 71-69 |
| Feb. 2, 1965 | Miami, OH (#20 UPI) | 100-85 |
| Jan. 12, 1989 | Kansas (#12 AP) | 87-86 |
| Jan. 14, 1992 | St. John’s (#17 AP) | 45-42 |
| Jan. 2, 1993 | Georgetown (#10 AP) | 80-69 |
| Feb. 20, 1993 | St. John’s (#25 AP) | 82-77 |
| Feb. 4, 1995 | Georgetown (#13 AP, #13 USAT) | 67-61 |
| Jan. 3, 1996 | Syracuse (#11 AP, #12 USAT) | 75-66 |
| Dec. 7, 1996 | Syracuse (#19 AP, #17 USAT) | 67-63 |
| Jan. 11, 1997 | @ Villanova (#8 AP, #7 USAT) | 61-59 |
| Nov. 21, 1997 | NC Charlotte (#17 AP, #17 USAT) | 89-72 |
| Jan. 6, 1998 | Connecticut (#8 AP, #8 USAT) | 76-67 |
| Feb. 28, 1998 | West Virginia (#19 AP/#19 USAT) | 70-66 |
| Jan. 6, 1999 | St. John’s (#10 AP/#9 USAT) | 84-79 |
| Feb. 3, 1999 | @ St. John’s (#9 AP/#10 USAT) | 73-70 |
| Feb. 8, 1999 | @ Syracuse (#18 AP/#17 USAT) | 76-63 |
| Feb. 20, 1999 | @ Connecticut (#2 AP, #2 USAT) | 73-71 |
AT THE HALF:
If you want to beat Miami you better be leading at the half. Miamiwas 18-2 last season when leading at halftime. UM has compiled a 56-8 (.875)record over the last five seasons when leading at the half. Miami is 3-1this season when leading at halftime.
HEMSLEY A NAISMITH CANDIDATE:
Johnny Hemsley has been selected as one of 30 preseason candidatesfor the 1999-2000 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award.Hemsley is one of six BIG EAST athletes recognized as a preseason candidatefor the Naismith Award. Joining Hemsley on the list are Erick Barkley (St.John’s), Khalid El-Amin (Connecticut), Kevin Freeman (Connecticut), TroyMurphy (Notre Dame) and Etan Thomas (Syracuse). The candidates were selectedby a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches,journalists and basketball analysts.
WINNING WAYS:
Miami’s 23-7 record last season marked its fifth consecutive winningseason. The last time Miami recorded at least five straight winning seasonswas the 1968-69 campaign when the ‘Canes registered their 10th straightwinning season.
VS THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
With its win over Central Florida Miami improved its record againstteams from the state of Florida to 285-141 (.669). Miami has won its last 20games against teams from the state of Florida. Miami has not lost to aFlorida school since a 72-64 season opening loss to Florida International onDec. 1, 1992.
MAKING ROAD HISTORY:
With its 73-71 win over Connecticut last season at Gampel Pavilion,Miami became the first school in BIG EAST history to defeat Connecticut,Syracuse, St. John’s and Georgetown on the road in the same season.
ROAD WARRIORS:
Last season Miami registered a 12-4 record (2-1 at neutral sites)when away from home last season. Miami was 8-1 in BIG EAST road games and10-3 on the road during the regular season. The 10 road wins were the mostsince 1959-60. Miami is 1-1 on the road this season.
WORKING OVERTIME:
Miami’s game last season against Connecticut on Jan. 20 marked theHurricanes first overtime contest since a 76-68 victory over St. John’s inthe opening round of the 1997 BIG EAST Tournament.
UM has amassed a 5-2 record (including tournament games) in BIG EASTovertime contests (3-2 at home). Miami’s game against St. John’s on Feb. 20,1996 is its only double-overtime game in a BIG EAST contest since joiningthe league in the 1991-92 season.
The ‘Canes, who have never had more than three overtime games in anyseason (3-0 in 1986-87 and 0-3 in 1990-91), own a 21-19 overall record inovertime contests during their history (4-3 in double-overtime games and a17-16 mark in single-overtime contests). UM has never played atriple-overtime game.
Miami is 5-5 in overtime games under head coach Leonard Hamilton.Below is a list of UM’s overtime games under Hamilton:
| 12-19-90 (2OT) | SMU 93, MIAMI 88 (@SMU) |
| 12-27-90 (2OT) | Miami (OH) 101, MIAMI 99 (N) |
| 3-4-92 | Seton Hall 90, MIAMI 82 (@UM) |
| 2-25-95 | MIAMI 77, Boston College 72 (@BC) |
| 2-28-95 | MIAMI 76, Pittsburgh 68 (@UP) |
| 12-23-95 | Clemson 66, MIAMI 52 (@ UM) |
| 2-20-96 (2OT) | MIAMI 96, St. John’s 91 (@UM) |
| 1-18-97 | MIAMI 68, Georgetown 65 (@UM) |
| 3-5-97 | MIAMI 76, St. John’s 68 (@ MSG) |
| 1-20-99 | Connecticut 70, MIAMI 68 (@UM) |
PLAYING SPOILER:
Miami’s win over No. 10 St. John’s last season marked the fifthconsecutive season that the Hurricanes have defeated a ranked opponent inthe Miami Arena. In their last eight contests against ranked teams at theMiami Arena the Hurricanes have posted a 5-3 record.
SIMMONS MAKES RETURN:
Sophomore guard Michael Simmons saw his first action of the seasonagainst UNC Charlotte playing 11 minutes and recording three rebounds, oneassist and one steal. Simmons had missed the first four game of the seasonwhile recovering from surgery to remove bone spurs from his right foot onNovember 18.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES:
Against UNC Charlotte, Mario Bland recorded his second consecutivedouble-double and the nineth double-double of his career. Last season MarioBland ranked second on the team with five double-doubles. Bland recordedfour of those double-doubles in the final eight games of the season. MiamiHeat first round draft choice Tim James led Miami with 10 double-doubles.
1998-99 Hurricane Double-Doubles:
| 11/13/98 | Mario Bland vs Florida Atlantic (18 pts, 10 reb) |
| 11/13/98 | Kevin Houston vs Florida Atlantic (12 pts, 10 reb) |
| 11/27/98 | Mario Bland vs Northern Iowa (16 pts, 10 reb) |
| 12/5/98 | Tim James vs Kentucky (22 pts, 10 reb) |
| 12/22/98 | Tim James vs Memphis (23 pts, 10 reb) |
| 12/27/98 | Tim James vs Ohio State (29 pts, 11 reb) |
| 12/30/98 | Tim James vs Georgetown (21 pts, 15 reb) |
| 1/13/99 | Tim James vs Rutgers (10 pts, 10 reb) |
| 1/16/99 | Tim James vs West Virginia (18 pts, 10 reb) |
| 1/27/99 | Tim James vs Seton Hall (31 pts, 10 reb) |
| 2/3/99 | Tim James vs St. John’s (16 pts, 10 reb) |
| 2/6/99 | Tim James vs Georgetown (21 pts, 12 reb) |
| 2/6/99 | John Salmons vs Georgetown (13 pts, 11 reb) |
| 2/13/99 | Tim James vs Providence (22 pts, 11 reb) |
| 2/16/99 | Mario Bland vs Villanova (11 pts, 10 reb) |
| 2/20/99 | Mario Bland vs Connecticut (16 pts, 14 reb) |
| 2/27/99 | Mario Bland vs Rutgers (10 pts, 12 reb) |
| 3/14/99 | Mario Bland vs Purdue (14 pts, 11 reb) |
1999-00 Hurricane Double-Doubles:
| 11/30/99 | Elton Tyler vs Bethune-Cookman (27 pts, 10 reb) |
| 12/4/99 | Mario Bland vs Memphis (22 pts, 12 reb) |
| 12/7/99 | Mario Bland vs UNC Charlotte (13 pts, 12 reb) |
ONLINE ALL THE TIME:
Check out the Hurricanes’ website at www.hurricanesports.com for allthe latest information on University of Miami athletics.
UM TICKETS ON SALE:
Single-game tickets for all University of Miami men’s basketballhome games at the Miami Arena are on sale at the Hecht Athletic CenterTicket Office on the UM campus, the Miami Arena, and through TicketMaster.
Sidecourt reserved seats are $13 and endcourt reserved seats are $10for each of Miami’s six non-conference games, not including Kentucky. Alltickets for the Kentucky game on Jan. 29 are $20 and include admission tothe Miami women’s contest against Connecticut immediately following themen’s game. Single game tickets for UM’s eight BIG EAST contests are $18 forsidecourt reserved and $15 for endcourt reserved. For the fourth straightseason a youth (17 and under) endcourt reserved ticket can be purchased for$7.
The Hurricane Ticket Office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Fans wishing to place ordersby phone can call the UM Ticket Office at (305) 284-CANES in Dade and1-800-GO-CANES outside Dade County. Tickets can also be purchased by callingTicketMaster at (305) 358-5885 in Dade, (954) 523-3309 in Broward, and (561)966-3309 in Palm Beach County.
HURRICANES END 1998-99 SEASON NATIONALLY RANKED:
The University of Miami ended the season ranked 10th in the finalAssociated Press College Basketball Top-25 poll and 12th in the seasonending ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top-25 poll.
Prior to last season’s debut at No. 25 in the Jan. 18 AssociatedPress poll Miami had not been ranked in the Associated Press poll since theend of the 1959-60 season when the Hurricanes were ranked No. 10 in thecountry. Miami reached a season-high of No. 9 in the nation in the March 1Associated Press poll. Miami’s highest ranking came on Mar. 1, 1960 when theHurricanes were ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press.
MIAMI IN THE PRESEASON POLLS:
The University of Miami men’s basketball team debuted at No. 25 inthe preseason Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll and No. 24 inthe preseason ESPN/USA Today college basketball poll. The preseasonrankings are the first since the 1964-65 season when Miami opened theseason ranked 16th in the nation by United Press International. Prior tothis season Miami had never been ranked in the preseason by the AssociatedPress.
MIAMI IN THE 1999-00 POLLS:
Miami dropped out of the ESPN/USA Today college basketball poll forthe first time this season. Miami received 14 points placing them at No. 32in the nation. Miami is also located in the “Others Receiving Votes” sectionof Associated Press poll. The 36 points in the AP poll places the Hurricanesat No. 31 in the nation.
UM in the 1999-00 polls:
| AP | ESPN/USAT | |
| Preseason | 25th (222 points) | 24th (118 points) |
| Nov. 15 | ARV (172 pts-26th) | no poll |
| Nov. 22 | ARV (168 pts-26th) | 24th (94 points) |
| Nov. 29 | ARV (126 pts-26th) | 25th (71 points) |
| Dec. 6 | ARV (36 pts-31st) | ARV (14 pts-32nd) |
ASSOCIATED PRESS
(11/29/99)
| Record | Points | ||
| 1. | Cincinnati (55) | 5-0 | 1,747 |
| 2. | Arizona (6) | 6-0 | 1,647 |
| 3. | Stanford (9) | 5-0 | 1,620 |
| 4. | Michigan St. | 6-1 | 1,454 |
| 5. | Kansas | 6-0 | 1,451 |
| 6. | Connecticut | 5-1 | 1,402 |
| 7. | North Carolina (1) | 5-1 | 1,333 |
| 8. | Auburn | 4-1 | 1,231 |
| 9. | Florida | 5-1 | 1,044 |
| 10. | Texas | 4-1 | 1,043 |
| 11. | UCLA | 3-0 | 1,032 |
| 12. | Syracuse | 6-0 | 994 |
| 13. | Ohio St. | 2-1 | 869 |
| 14. | Duke | 5-2 | 822 |
| 15. | Indiana | 4-0 | 774 |
| 16. | Tennessee | 6-0 | 760 |
| 17. | Oklahoma St. | 6-0 | 550 |
| 18. | Wake Forest | 5-0 | 475 |
| 19. | Temple | 2-2 | 395 |
| 20. | DePaul | 4-2 | 378 |
| 21. | Maryland | 6-2 | 317 |
| 22. | Illinois | 3-2 | 272 |
| 23. | Kentucky | 3-3 | 224 |
| 24. | Gonzaga | 4-1 | 194 |
| 25. | Purdue | 3-2 | 181 |
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma 158, St. John’s 135, Dayton 129,Utah 124, N.C. State 115, MIAMI (FL) 36, Tulsa 34, Michigan 33, SouthernMiss. 19, Minnesota 12, Creighton 11, LSU 9, Kent 8, Notre Dame 8, MurraySt. 7, Mississippi 6, Siena 6, UNLV 5, Weber St. 3, Georgia Tech 2, Marshall2, Oregon 2, Memphis 1, Penn St. 1.
ESPN/USA TODAY
(12/6/99)
| Record | Points | ||
| 1. | Cincinnati (26) | 5-0 | 764 |
| 2. | Arizona (3) | 6-0 | 719 |
| 3. | Stanford (2) | 5-0 | 707 |
| 4. | Kansas | 6-0 | 645 |
| 5. | Michigan State | 6-1 | 636 |
| 6. | Connecticut | 5-1 | 602 |
| 7. | North Carolina | 5-1 | 561 |
| 8. | Auburn | 4-1 | 542 |
| 9. | Syracuse | 5-1 | 458 |
| 10. | Florida | 5-1 | 425 |
| 11. | UCLA | 4-0 | 424 |
| 12. | Texas | 4-1 | 398 |
| 13. | Duke | 5-2 | 377 |
| 14. | Indiana | 4-0 | 338 |
| 15. | Tennessee | 6-0 | 285 |
| 16. | Ohio State | 2-1 | 256 |
| 17. | Oklahoma State | 6-0 | 249 |
| 18. | Temple | 2-2 | 238 |
| 19. | Maryland | 6-2 | 233 |
| 20. | DePaul | 4-2 | 199 |
| 21. | Wake Forest | 5-0 | 154 |
| 22. | Kentucky | 3-3 | 147 |
| 23. | Purdue | 4-1 | 138 |
| 24. | Illinois | 2-0 | 130 |
| 25. | Utah | 3-2 | 123 |
Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma 62, Gonzaga 47, St. John’s 42,North Carolina State 40, Dayton 24, Colorado 17, MIAMI (FL) 14, Mississippi 10, Tulsa 9, Creighton 8, Wisconsin 7, Oregon 6,Michigan 5, California 4, Siena 4, Xavier 4, Minnesota 3, Murray State 3,N.C.-Charlotte 3, Northern Iowa 3, Kent 2, Samford 2, Southern Mississippi2, Detroit 1, Memphis 1, Missouri 1, Notre Dame 1, Penn State 1, St.Bonaventure 1.
MOVING UP THE SCORING LIST:
With his three-point basket at 18:16 of the first-half againstBethune-Cookman, Johnny Hemsley became the 22nd player in Miami history toscore 1,000 career points. Against UNC Charlotte, Hemsley scored 12 pointsto move into 18th place on UM’s career scoring list. Hemsley needs 30 pointsto move into 17th place.
UM Career Scoring List:
| 14. | Rusty Parker (1965-68) | 1,190 |
| 15. | Kevin Presto (1985-89) | 1,156 |
| 16. | Constantin Popa (1991-95) | 1,132 |
| 17. | Bob Campbell (1946-50) | 1,076 |
| 18. | JOHNNY HEMSLEY (1996-Present) | 1,047 |
JENNINGS MOVES UP LADDER:
Vernon Jennings recorded two assists against UNC Charlotte toimprove his career assist total to 322. Jennings currently ranks fourth onUM’s career assist list and needs 62 to reach Thomas Hocker in third place.
| 1. | Kevin Norris (1994-98) | 493 |
| 2. | Kevin Presto (1985-89) | 412 |
| 3. | Thomas Hocker (1987-90) | 384 |
| 4. | VERNON JENNINGS (1996-present) | 322 |
JENNINGS WINS BIG EAST ASSIST TITLE:
Miami point guard Vernon Jennings won the 1998-99 BIG EAST assisttitle with an average of 6.06 per game in league play. Jennings handed out109 assists in 18 games setting a Miami BIG EAST single season record.Jennings is the second Hurricane in as many seasons to lead the league in astatistical category. Mario Bland led the league in field goal percentagelast season.
JENNINGS SETS ASSIST RECORD:
Vernon Jennings recorded a team-high eight assists against St.John’s (3-5-99) last season and in doing so set a Miami single season assistrecord. Jennings ended the season with 167 assists surpassing the old markof 154 set by Michael Gardner in 1992-93.
BOMBS AWAY:
Senior Johnny Hemsley connected on 70 three-point baskets lastseason to improve his career total to 100. Hemsley is 7-30 (.233) fromthree-point range this season. Hemsley currently ranks fifth on Miami’sall-time career list.
| 1. | Steven Edwards (1992-96) | 265 |
| 2. | Kevin Presto (1985-89) | 170 |
| 3. | Jake Morton (1988-93 ) | 136 |
| 4. | Kevin Norris (1994-98) | 134 |
| 5. | JOHNNY HEMSLEY (1996-present) | 107 |
HURRICANES HIT 100:
Miami defeated Bethune-Cookman 102-75 marking the second 100-pointscoring game for Miami in as many seasons. Last season Miami defeatedVillanova 103-82 marking the most points scored by a Hurricane team in a BIGEAST game.
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING:
Miami shot 54.1 percent (33-61) from the floor againstBethune-Cookman (11-30-99) marking the first time this season the Huricaneshave shot 50 percent or better from the field.
Last season the Hurricanes shot over 50 percent from the floor on 12occasions. Miami shot 50 percent or better from the floor only five times in1997-98. Against Villanova (2-16-99) the Hurricanes shot a season high 60.6percent from the field. The percentage was the highest for the Hurricanessince connecting on 40-61 (.655) in a 107-98 win over Savannah State onMarch 2, 1989.
Miami 50 Percent Shooting Performances (since 1998)
| Date | Team | FG Percentage | Result |
| 11-13-98 | @ Florida Atlantic | 35-67 (.522) | UM 97-73 |
| 11-27-98 | Northern Iowa | 32-62 (.516) | UM 78-69 |
| 12-8-98 | Boston College | 28-54 (.519) | UM 77-64 |
| 12-18-98 | @ Georgia State | 29-56 (.518) | UM 76-55 |
| 1-6-99 | St. John’s | 30-52 (.577) | UM 84-79 |
| 1-13-99 | @ Rutgers | 28-53 (.528) | UM 74-62 |
| 1-24-99 | @ Boston College | 28-48 (.583) | UM 75-67 |
| 2-6-99 | Georgetown | 27-54 (.500) | UM 71-58 |
| 2-8-99 | @ Syracuse | 25-50 (.500) | UM 76-63 |
| 2-13-99 | @ Providence | 25-49 (.510) | UM 69-65 |
| 2-16-99 | Villanova | 40-66 (.606) | UM 103-82 |
| 2-23-99 | Pittsburgh | 34-63 (.540) | UM 85-52 |
| 11-30-99 | Bethune-Cookman | 33-61 (.541) | UM 102-75 |
EASY AS 1, 2, 3:
The Hurricanes have hit at least one three-point field goal in eachof the past 226 games, extending the school-record. Overall, the ‘Canes havehit at least one trey in 380 of its 381 games since the NCAA adopted thethree-point shot in 1986. The only game Miami has failed to hit athree-point field goal was against Howard University on Dec. 6, 1991 whenthe ‘Canes were 0-15 behind the three-point arc.
ON THE MARK:
Miami’s returning trio of post players (Mario Bland, Elton Tyler,Dwayne Wimbley) have combined to shoot 57-103 (.553) from the field thisseason. Elton Tyler leads the way with a .615 shooting percentage. Lastseason the three combined to hit 198-342 (.579) of their field goalattempts. Mario Bland led the three hitting on 125-of-212 (.590) field goalattempts.
1999-00 Hurricane Post Players
| Elton Tyler | 24-39 | .615 |
| Mario Bland | 25-48 | .521 |
| Dwayne Wimbley | 8-16 | .500 |
| Total | 57-103 | .553 |
LOCKING UP:
In Miami’s win over Bethune-Cookman the Hurricanes held the Wildcatswithout a point over a five minute stretch of the first half marking thesecond time this season that Hurricanes have held an opponent scoreless forfive or more minutes. In Miami’s season opening win over Central Florida theHurricanes went on a 12-0 run in the second half holding the Golden Knightsscoreless over a 5:08 span.
Last season Miami made a habit of holding opponents scoreless forlong stretches. Eight times last season the Hurricanes held an opponentscoreless for over five or more minutes.
1998-99
| Opponent | Held Scoreless | Run | Final |
| Boston College | 5:51 (2nd half) | 10-0 | UM 77-64 |
| Central Florida | 7:14 (2nd half) | 10-0 | UM 66-56 |
| Memphis | 6:16 (1st half) | 12-0 | UM 80-64 |
| Ohio State | 6:32 (1st half) | 11-0 | UM 72-64 |
| St. John’s | 5:48 (1st half) | 13-0 | UM 84-79 |
| @ Pittsburgh | 6:55 (1st half) | 10-0 | PITT 60-54 |
| @ Syracuse | 5:47 (1st half) | 11-0 | UM 76-63 |
| @ Syracuse | 5:00 (2nd half) | 15-0 | UM 76-63 |
1999-00
| Central Florida | 5:08 (2nd half) | 12-0 | UM 81-54 |
| Bethune-Cookman | 5:00 (1st half) | 9-0 | UM 102-75 |
MIAMI RANKS FOR THIRD STAIGHT SEASON:
Last season the Hurricanes ranked nationally in field goalpercentage defense for the third consecutive season. The University of Miamiended the season ranked 13th in the nation in field goal percentage defense(.384). In 1997-98 the University of Miami led the nation holding teams to37.9 percent shooting from the floor. In 1996-97 Miami held opponents to 38percent shooting from the field to rank sixth nationally.
POSTING GREAT NUMBERS:
The Hurricanes did a great job last season of controlling opponentscenters. Of the 30 games the Hurricanes played last season only fiveopponent centers managed to score in double figures while only one grabbed10 or more rebounds. Miami limited opponent’s centers to an average of 6.4points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
In the first five games this season the Hurricanes have held theopposition’s starting centers to a combined total of 16 points and ninerebounds, an average of 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
1998-99
| Date | Opponent Centers | Pts | Reb |
| 11-13-98 | Gary Durrant, Florida Atlantic | 20 | 1 |
| 11-23-98 | Kelvin Price, UNC Charlotte | 12 | 6 |
| 11-27-98 | Tyler Peterson, Northern Iowa | 7 | 8 |
| 12-5-98 | Michael Bradley, Kentucky | 19 | 6 |
| 12-8-98 | Kenny Harley, Boston College | 5 | 2 |
| 12-11-98 | Bucky Hodge, Central Florida | 8 | 5 |
| 12-18-98 | Brad Stricker, Georgia State | 7 | 5 |
| 12-22-98 | Jermaine Ousley, Memphis | 2 | 2 |
| 12-27-98 | Ken Johnson, Ohio State | 8 | 11 |
| 12-30-98 | R. Boumtje Boumtje, Georgetown | 6 | 9 |
| 1-6-99 | Donald Emanuel, St. John’s | 2 | 2 |
| 1-9-99 | Phil Hickey, Notre Dame | 1 | 2 |
| 1-13-99 | Rashod Kent, Rutgers | 0 | 5 |
| 1-16-99 | Tom Beynon, West Virginia | 6 | 8 |
| 1-20-99 | Jake Voskuhl, Connecticut | 6 | 8 |
| 1-24-99 | Brian Ross, Boston College | 3 | 4 |
| 1-27-99 | Charles Manga, Seton Hall | 0 | 5 |
| 1-30-99 | Isaac Hawkins, Pittsburgh | 8 | 9 |
| 2-3-99 | Albert Richardson, St. John’s | 0 | 3 |
| 2-6-99 | R. Boumtje Boumtje, Georgetown | 8 | 7 |
| 2-8-99 | Etan Thomas, Syracuse | 8 | 2 |
| 2-13-99 | Erron Maxey, Providence | 0 | 4 |
| 2-16-99 | Malik Allen, Villanova | 8 | 6 |
| 2-20-99 | Jake Voskuhl, Connecticut | 4 | 5 |
| 2-23-99 | Isaac Hawkins, Pittsburgh | 4 | 7 |
| 2-27-99 | Alvydas Tenys, Rutgers | 2 | 4 |
| 3-4-99 | R. Boumtje Boumtje, Georgetown | 4 | 4 |
| 3-5-99 | Lavor Postell, St. John’s | 17 | 5 |
| 3-12-99 | Frank Barr, Lafayette | 4 | 1 |
| 3-14-99 | Greg McQuay, Purdue | 14 | 6 |
1999-00
| 11-19-99 | Davin Granberry, Central Florida | 2 | 3 |
| 11-23-99 | Kevin Owens, Monmouth | 5 | 2 |
| 11-30-99 | Brent King, Bethune-Cookman | 8 | 0 |
| 12-4-99 | Earl Barron, Memphis | 1 | 3 |
| 12-7-99 | Wade Helliwell, UNC Charlotte | 0 | 1 |
HEMSLEY ON PRESEASON FIRST TEAM:
University of Miami senior Johnny Hemsley was named to the preseasonAll-BIG EAST first team by a vote of the league’s coaches at the BIG EASTConference Men’s Basketball Media Day at the Grand Hyatt in New York.
1999-00 PRESEASON AWARDS
All-BIG EAST First Team
Khalid El-Amin, Connecticut
Johnny Hemsley, Miami
Troy Murphy, Notre Dame
Erick Barkley, St. John’s
Etan Thomas, Syracuse
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Kevin Freeman, ConnecticutIsaac Hawkins, Pittsburgh
Bootsy Thornton, St. John’s
Jason Hart, Syracuse
Marcus Goree, West Virginia
Player of the Year: Khalid El-Amin, Connecticut
Rookie of the Year: Ajou Deng, Connecticut
HURRICANES TABBED FOURTH:
The men’s basketball team was selected to finish fourth in theconference behind Connecticut, Syracuse, and St. John’s. Miami, whichreturns four starters from last season’s squad, received one first placevote.
1999-00 BIG EAST Coaches’ Preseason Poll
| 1. | Connecticut (10) | 142 |
| 2. | Syracuse (2) | 131 |
| 3. | St. John’s | 119 |
| 4. | MIAMI (1) | 114 |
| 5. | Georgetown | 97 |
| 6. | Villanova | 82 |
| 7. | Seton Hall | 73 |
| 8. | Rutgers | 68 |
| 9. | Notre Dame | 60 |
| 10. | Providence | 45 |
| 11. | West Virginia | 34 |
| 12. | Pittsburgh | 30 |
| 13. | Boston College | 19 |
HEMSLEY NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Johnny Hemsley was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week threetimes last season. Hemsley won the award for the first time last season onDec. 21 following his career-high 24 point performance in Miami’s 76-55 winat Georgia State. Hemsley was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week for thesecond time on Jan. 4 following his career-high 35 point performance inMiami’s 64-63 win at Georgetown on Dec. 30. Hemsley’s third honor came onFeb. 22 when he was named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Week after averaging22.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the Hurricanes to two victories. Hemsleyshared the honor with Providence forward Jamel Thomas.
SELECT COMPANY:
Entering the 1999-2000 season the Hurricanes are one of just threeBIG EAST schools to post a winning overall record each of the past fiveseasons. Joining the Hurricanes are Syracuse and Connecticut.
ON THE RISE:
Since the start of the 1994-95 season UM has compiled a 52-38 (.578)record in BIG EAST regular season games. Only Connecticut, Villanova, andSyracuse have more conference wins over that period.
Conference Records Since 1994-95:
| Connecticut | 71-19 | .789 | ||
| Villanova | 58-32 | .644 | ||
| Syracuse | 55-35 | .611 | ||
| MIAMI | 52-38 | .578 | ||
| Georgetown | 47-43 | .522 | ||
| St. John’s | 47-43 | .522 | ||
| Providence | 42-48 | .467 | ||
| Seton Hall | 36-54 | .400 | ||
| Boston College | 33-57 | .367 | ||
| West Virginia | 33-39 | .458 | ||
| Pittsburgh | 31-59 | .344 | ||
| Notre Dame | 27-45 | .375 | ||
| Rutgers | 26-46 | .361 | ||
HURRICANES TAKE HOME HARDWARE:
Last season University of Miami head basketball coach LeonardHamilton was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year, senior forward Tim James(Miami Northwestern) was named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year and juniorguard Johnny Hemsley (Baltimore, MD) was named the league’s Most ImprovedPlayer last season by a vote of the conference coaches.
1998-99 BIG EAST AWARDS
BIG EAST Co-Players of the Year
Richard Hamilton, Connecticut
Tim James, Miami
BIG EAST Rookie of the Year
Troy Murphy, Notre Dame
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Etan Thomas, Syracuse
BIG EAST Most Improved Player
Johnny Hemsley, Miami
BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Leonard Hamilton, Miami
WINNING WAYS IN THE NCAA:
After a 10-4 mark last season, BIG EAST teams have compiled a 155-91record in the NCAA Tournament play. The .630 winning percentage is thesecond best in the nation amongst conferences. The ACC is first with a .670winning percentage.
LEAGUE SCHEDULE REDUCED TO 16 GAMES:
For the first since 1990-91, each BIG EAST team will play only 16regular season conference games. The league has played 18 conference gamessince 1991-92. The 16 game schedule offers schools more flexibility inscheduling. BIG EAST teams have a better opportunity to improve their RPI(ratings percentage index) rankings and the league’s representation in theNCAA Tournament. the reduction to a 16-game league schedule has eliminatedDecember play dates.
STARTING AGAIN:
Nearly every BIG EAST team returns a majority of its starters fromlast season. Three squads – Boston College, Georgetown and Syracuse – bringback all five starters from 1998-99.
| Team | Starters Returning |
| Boston College | 5 of 5 |
| Connecticut | 3 of 5 |
| Georgetown | 5 of 5 |
| Miami | 4 of 5 |
| Notre Dame | 3 of 5 |
| Pittsburgh | 4 of 5 |
| Providence | 2 of 5 |
| Rutgers | 3 of 5 |
| St. John’s | 3 of 5 |
| Seton Hall | 4 of 5 |
| Syracuse | 5 of 5 |
| Villanova | 3 of 5 |
| West Virginia | 2 of 5 |
BEATING THE BEST:
BIG EAST teams were 16-13 against opponents ranked in the AP polllast season giving the league the highest victory total and best record ofany conference in the nation.
A SWEEPING SUCCESS:
With their win over Rutgers in last season’s regular season finalethe Hurricanes completed their fourth series sweep of the season. Miami hasregistered 10 BIG EAST regular season two-game sweeps since joining theleague in the 1991-92 season. Miami has now recorded at least one seriessweep in each of the last five seasons. Below is a list of UM’s BIG EASTseries sweeps:
| 1994-95: | Providence |
| St. John’s | |
| Boston College | |
| 1995-96: | Notre Dame |
| 1996-97: | Georgetown |
| 1997-98: | Notre Dame |
| 1998-99 | Boston College |
| St. John’s | |
| Georgetown | |
| Rutgers | |
POWER SCHEDULE:
Miami’s schedule includes 11 schools that rank in the top-50all-time in terms of winning percentage in NCAA history. The BIG EASTConference alone has eight teams that rank in the top-50 all-time. Miamiwill play 14 of its 29 regular season games against schools that rank in thetop-50 all-time. Seven of those games will be played at Miami Arena. BIGEAST opponents in CAPS.
| NCAA | All-Time | ||
| Rank | Team | Win % | |
| 1. | Kentucky | .765 | |
| 2. | North Carolina | .740 | |
| 6. | ST. JOHN’S | .688 | |
| 7. | SYRACUSE | .681 | |
| 15. | NOTRE DAME | .648 | |
| 21. | VILLANOVA | .637 | |
| 31. | WEST VIRGINIA | .622 | |
| 35. | CONNECTICUT | .617 | |
| 36. | PROVIDENCE | .617 | |
| 38. | GEORGETOWN | .612 | |
| 48. | Memphis | .607 | |
1999-00 BIG EAST STANDINGS
(games through Dec. 9)
| BIG EAST | OVERALL | |||||
| W | L | Pct. | W | L | Pct. | |
| Syracuse | 0 | 0 | .000 | 7 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Connecticut | 0 | 0 | .000 | 6 | 1 | .857 |
| Rutgers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 6 | 1 | .857 |
| Pittsburgh | 0 | 0 | .000 | 5 | 1 | .833 |
| St. John’s | 0 | 0 | .000 | 5 | 1 | .833 |
| Boston College | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 2 | .667 |
| Villanova | 0 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 1 | .667 |
| MIAMI | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 2 | .600 |
| Seton Hall | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 2 | .600 |
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 2 | .600 |
| Georgetown | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 3 | .571 |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 4 | .500 |
| Providence | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 4 | .500 |
OTHER GAMES IN THE BIG EAST:
Saturday, December 11
Penn State at Villanova 2:00
Pittsburgh at Nebraska 2:00
Seton Hall at Florida State 2:00
Hartford at Miami 2:00
Notre Dame at Miami (OH) 4:00
St. John’s at Niagara 5:00
Ohio at West Virginia 7:00
St. Francis (NY) at Boston College 7:30
Sunday, December 12
Marist at Georgetown Noon
Fordham at Connecticut 2:00
Princeton at Rutgers 4:00
1999-00 MIAMI BIG EAST TEAM RANKINGS
(games through Dec. 9)
| Scoring Offense | 3rd | 80.5 ppg |
| Scoring Margin | 4th | +16.3 |
| FG Percentage | 5th | .482 |
| 3PT FG Percentage | 12th | .235 |
| FT Percentage | 3rd | .747 |
| Assists | 9th | 15.50 apg |
| Scoring Defense | T-7th | 64.3 ppg |
| FG % Defense | 4th | .379 |
| 3PT FG % Defense | 7th | .313 |
| Rebounding Margin | 5th | +7.5 |
| Turnover Margin | 5th | +3.5 tpg |
| Assist/Turnover Ratio | 6th | 1.11 ratio |
| Blocked Shots | 11th | 2.75 bpg |
| Steals | 9th | 7.75 spg |
1999-00 INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
(games through Dec. 9)
| Scoring | Johnny Hemsley | 4th | 18.4 ppg |
| Elton Tyler | 14th | 14.4 ppg | |
| FG Pct | Mario Bland | 8th | .521 |
| FT Pct | Elton Tyler | 7th | .793 |
| Mario Bland | 10th | .722 | |
| Rebounding | Mario Bland | 7th | 9.0 rpg |
| Elton Tyler | 15th | 7.2 rpg | |
| Assists | Paulo Coelho | 13th | .3.80 apg |
| Assist/TO Ratio | Paulo Coelho | 4th | 2.11 ratio |
