University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies takes on Miami
2/22/2001 12:00:00โฏAM | Men's Basketball
ABOUT UCONN: Connecticut will carry a 17-9 overall record and a 6-7 BIG EAST mark into the contest with Miami. UConn is coming off a 65-60 league road loss at Syracuse on February 19.
ABOUT MIAMI: Miami will carry a 14-10 overall record and a 6- 7 league mark into the contest with UConn. The Hurricanes come off an 80-62 league road win over Villanova. The Hurricanes have won two straight on the road, defeating Syracuse, 68-57, on February 13 at the Carrier Dome.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the 18th meeting in the sport of men’s basketball between Connecticut and Miami, dating back to the 1956-57 season. UConn leads in the overall series 11-6 and the Huskies hold a 10-6 edge in the series between the two schools as BIG EAST rivals. UConn is 5-2 vs. Miami at home, 4-2 in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Miami has won each of the last two seasons in Gampel Pavilion. The Hurricanes are one of only two BIG EAST Conference schools to have won more than once at Gampel Pavilion. St. John’s has won three times at Gampel.
LAST MEETING: Miami jumped out to a 13-point halftime lead and held on down the stretch for a 77-74 victory. Marcus Barnes hit on six three-point attempts to lead the Hurricanes, finishing the day with 24 points. Caron Butler led the Huskies with 25 points and nine rebounds. Edmund Saunders added 14 points and 11 rebounds for UConn. Miami led by as many as 16 points in the first half and led by ten with under eight minutes to go. UConn got as close as three points on three occasions before cutting the deficit to two points at 73-71 with 16 seconds left. Miami made a pair of free throws and a breakaway lay-up to seal the victory.
EAST DIVISION GAME: The matchup between Connecticut and Miami will be the 12th BIG EAST Conference "East Division" game of the season for the Huskies. UConn and Miami are two of seven BIG EAST squads competing in the East Division of the league. The 16-game BIG EAST regular season schedule will see UConn play two games each against all six East Division opponents (Boston College, Miami, Providence, St. John’s, Villanova, Virginia Tech) and single games against four (Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Syracuse) of the seven teams in the West Division. UConn will not play Georgetown, Rutgers and West Virginia during the 2000-2001 regular season. Connecticut is 6-7 in BIG EAST play and 5-6 vs. East Division teams. Miami is 6-7 in the league, 4-6 vs. the East Division.
HONORING THE HUSKY SENIORS: Today’s game marks the final regular season on-campus appearance for the seniors on the 2000-2001 UConn squad. To be honored before the Miami contest are the six seniors in the Husky program: student assistant coach Beau Archibald, head manager Alyssa Budkofsky, guard Kwasi Gyambibi, manager Michele Hamelin, guard Albert Mouring, forward Edmund Saunders and center Souleymane Wane.
ALBIE THE BEST AT THE LINE: UConn senior Albert Mouring has distinguished himself among the best free throw shooters in UConn history. His current career percentage of 84.3% (204-242) is No. 1 on the all-time Husky list. Wes Bialosuknia (1965-67) is No. 2 at 83.9% (343-409). During the 2000-2001 season, Mouring is currently shooting at an 89.6% clip, making 95-106 from the line, No. 3 on the single season list. The UConn single season record is 91.5% (43-47), set by Bobby Dulin in 1980-81. Joey Whelton is No. 2 single season at 89.9% (62-69).
TALIEK AMONG TOP FROSH PASSERS AT UCONN: UConn guard Taliek Brown is among the assist leaders when it comes to all-time UConn freshmen. His per game average of 4.9 is No. 2 in Husky history, behind Tate George’s 6.0 assists per game in 1986-87. Brown’s total of 126 assists is currently No. 5 among UConn freshmen. Doron Sheffer had 164 in 1993-94, George had 156, Khalid El-Amin had 156 in 1997-98 and Karl Hobbs had 136 in 1980-81.
ALBERT MOURING JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB: Connecticut senior guard Albert Mouring became the 32nd member of the Connecticut men’s basketball 1,000-point scoring club during the Texas game (Jan. 15). Mouring will enter the Miami game ranked No. 25 in career scoring with 1,147 points in 107 college contests (10.6/game). He is the 14th UConn player to perform under head coach Jim Calhoun who has reached the 1,000-point scoring plateau. Next on the list of top Husky scorers in Donny Marshall, who scored 1,197 points from 1992-1995.
MOURING AMONG UNIQUE TRIO: In reaching the 1,000-point plateau, Albert Mouring joins a unique group of three Husky performers. Mouring, Donny Marshall (1992-95) and Art Quimby (1952-55) are the only members of UConn’s 1,000- point club to have done so despite scoring less than 100 points in a season during their career. Marshall scored 51 points as a freshman, Quimby scored 44 points as a frosh and Mouring only scored 16 points during his freshman season of 1997-98.
BUTLER ON THE BOARDS: Caron Butler recorded nine offensive rebounds vs. Syracuse on February 19, the most offensive boards by a Husky since Kevin Freeman recorded ten vs. Gonzaga in the 1999 NCAA Final Eight. His nine rebounds ties the UConn record in BIG EAST competition and is No. 3 under Jim Calhoun. Butler is currently leading the team with 7.7 rebounds per game, the highest freshman rebounding total at UConn under Jim Calhoun.
MOST OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS UNDER CALHOUN
1. 12 Gerry Besselink vs. Holy Cross, 2/5/87 2. 10 Kevin Freeman vs. Gonzaga, 3/20/99 3. 9 Caron Butler vs. Syracuse, 2/19/01 9 Travis Knight vs. Seton Hall, 3/7/96 9 Donyell Marshall vs. Syracuse, 2/15/93 9 Rod Sellers vs. Providence, 2/22/92 9 Lyman DePriest vs. SCSU, 12/23/89 9 Murray Williams vs. Pittsburgh, 2/27/88 9 Cliff Robinson vs. Providence, 1/24/87
SOUL SETS CAREER BEST FOR DISHES: Senior center Souleymane Wane totaled a career-best five assists in the loss at Syracuse. The total of five assists was the most by a Husky center since Jake Voskuhl recorded five assists vs. Arkansas in the NIT Third Place game on March 27, 1997.
TALIEK IMPROVES FROM THE LINE: Freshman point guard Taliek Brown has made a stunning improvement from the free throw line during the course of his first season. Brown made only 13-of-43 free throw attempts in his first 11 games, a 30.2% clip. In the 15 games since, Brown has made 34-of-48 from the charity stripe, or 70.8% of his attempts. Brown is 47-of-91 overall (51.6%). More impressively, Brown is shooting 68.0% from the line in the final five minutes of games, hitting on 17-of-25 chances.
CARON AMONG HUSKY ROOKIES: UConn freshman Caron Butler has set a new standard among freshmen playing at Connecticut during coach Jim Calhoun’s 15 years as Husky head coach. The 6-7 Butler scored in double figures in each of his first 13 collegiate games in which he played before being held below double figures against Texas (Jan. 15). Butler, who sat out the first three UConn games of the 2000- 2001 season, started his Husky career with 20 points vs. Louisville (Nov. 22) and followed that with scoring efforts of 21, 15, 18, 16, 14, 16, 14, 10, 29, 15, 11, and 12 points. Butler has scored in double figures in 22 of his first 23 college games and his current scoring average of 15.4/game ranks No. 1 under Jim Calhoun among freshmen in their first 23 college contests. Following are the scoring statistics in their first 23 collegiate games for other heralded UConn freshman players under Jim Calhoun.
Caron Butler 355 points = 15.4/game Khalid El-Amin 342 points = 14.9/game Richard Hamilton 303 points = 13.2/game Ray Allen 287 points = 12.5/game Doron Sheffer 277 points = 12.0/game Nadav Henefeld 254 points = 11.0/game Donyell Marshall 243 points = 10.6/game Tate George 227 points = 9.9/game Chris Smith 214 points = 9.3/game Scott Burrell 199 points = 8.7/game
THREE IN DOUBLE FIGURES: Connecticut will enter the game against Miami with three players scoring in double figures. Senior guard Albert Mouring leads the way for the Huskies with a 16.0/game average. Freshman forward Caron Butler is No. 2 with a 15.4/game scoring average and junior forward Johnnie Selvie is third at 11.4/game.
FOUR HUSKIES HAVE "DOUBLE DOUBLE" EFFORTS: When UConn senior center Souleymane Wane recorded an 11-point, 14- rebound effort vs. Villanova on January 24, he became the fourth member of the 2000-2001 Husky squad to record a "double-double" this season. Senior forward Edmund Saunders has had five "double-doubles" this season, including netting 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Miami (Jan. 20). UConn freshman Caron Butler has registered five "double-doubles" (21 points, 12 rebounds vs. Brown, 16 points, 10 assists vs. Fairfield, 29 points, 13 rebounds vs. Boston College (1/3), 17 points, 11 rebounds vs. Boston College (2/13) and 15 points, 13 rebounds vs. Syracuse). Butler also notched a rare "triple- double" with 14 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Rhode Island. Freshman point guard Taliek Brown had a "double- double" with 10 points and 10 assists vs. Pittsburgh (Jan. 10).
ALL-CENTURY GUARDS NAMED; 25-MEMBER TEAM COMPLETE: Ten players, led by Honorary Captain Ray Allen, have been named as the guards on the University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball All-Century Team.
The 10 guards named to the 25-member UConn Basketball All-Century Team include: Ray Allen (1993-96), Wes Bialosuknia (1964-67), Khalid El-Amin (1997-00), Tate George (1986-90), Richard Hamilton (1996-99), Earl Kelley (1982-86), Ricky Moore (1995-99), Kevin Ollie (1991-95), Doron Sheffer (1993-96), Chris Smith (1988-92).
The UConn Basketball All-Century Team centers include: Walt Dropo (1942-47), Art Quimby (1951-55), Toby Kimball (1962-65), Bill Corley (1965-68), Travis Knight (1992-96), Jake Voskuhl (1996-00).
The nine forwards named to the UConn Basketball All- Century Team include: Vin Yokabaskas (1949-52), Tony Hanson (1973-77), Corny Thompson (1978-82), Clifford Robinson (1985- 89), Nadav Henefeld (1989-90), Scott Burrell (1989-93), Donyell Marshall (1991-94), Donny Marshall (1991-95), Kevin Freeman (1996-00).
A Connecticut Basketball All-Century Team Celebration and Awards Dinner will be held during the summer at a date and place to be announced.
The UConn men’s basketball program is celebrating a century of varsity competition during the current 2000-2001 college basketball season. The first varsity year for men’s basketball at Connecticut was the 1901-1902 season.
RECORD-SETTING SPAN: During the past 12 seasons (beginning with the 1989-90 season), head coach Jim Calhoun has directed the Connecticut basketball program to an overall record of 300-93 (76.3% winning effort), the sixth best overall record (total wins) among the 318 NCAA Division I teams in the nation. Prior to Jim Calhoun’s tenure as head coach, Connecticut had only won as many as 23 games in a single season twice in the first 86 years of the program’s history (1900-1986). Since the 1989-90 season, UConn has "averaged" 25.6 wins per season.
CONNECTICUT HAS 213 WINS IN LAST EIGHT SEASONS: During the past eight basketball seasons (beginning with the 1993- 94 season), Connecticut has won 213 games (213-53), ranking the Huskies No. 3 in the nation among 318 NCAA Division I schools for total victories during that span. UConn has averaged 28 wins per year during the past seven full seasons. The only Division I schools with more wins than UConn during the past eight years are Kentucky and Kansas.
13 STRAIGHT NATIONAL POST-SEASON BIDS: The Connecticut basketball program is one of only EIGHT schools (among 318 NCAA Division I institutions) to advance to national post- season tournament competition (NCAA or NIT) in each of the past 13 seasons (dating back to the 1987-88 season). Under the guidance of head coach Jim Calhoun, UConn has earned nine NCAA bids (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000) and four NIT bids (1988, 1989, 1993, 1997). The eight institutions which have advanced to national tournament play for the past 13 consecutive seasons include: Arizona, Arkansas, CONNECTICUT, Georgetown, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Temple.
NATIONAL RANKING IN AP POLL SNAPPED: The University of Connecticut men’s basketball program had its school record run of 67 consecutive polling periods ranked in the Associated Press National Top 25 poll halted when the Huskies dropped out of the AP poll (Jan. 29, 2001). UConn began its run in the National Top 25 at the start of the 1997- 98 season (18 polls in 1997-98, 18 polls in 1998-99, 19 polls in 1999-00, 12 polls in 2000-01). Included in those national rankings were 10 consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation during UConn’s national championship season in 1998- 99, and the No. 1 ranking in the 1999-2000 preseason poll.
UCONN - BIG EAST TEAM OF THE 1990’S: During the decade of the 1990’s, the Connecticut men’s basketball program was the winningest program among all BIG EAST Conference schools. From 1989-90 through the 1998-99 season, UConn sported a 10-year overall record of 257-74 (77.6%). In that same span, UConn’s conference-best regular season record in BIG EAST games was 127-49.
UCONN HAS DOMINATED THE BIG EAST: Connecticut has won outright possession of five BIG EAST Conference regular season titles in the past seven years. UConn has also won three of the past five BIG EAST Tournament championships. In 1997-98 & 1998-99, UConn became the first program in BIG EAST history to win the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles in back-to-back seasons.
HUSKIES WIN ON THE ROAD IN THE BIG EAST: The Connecticut basketball program is the leader in BIG EAST Conference regular season road wins during the past 12 years. Since the start of the 1989-90 season, Connecticut has posted a BIG EAST "best" 64-39 road record in league regular season games. Syracuse (59-43) is the only other BIG EAST school sporting a winning percentage in BIG EAST road games during the past 12-year span.
ALSO WINNING AT HOME IN THE BIG EAST: In addition to its highly-successful road record in the BIG EAST, the Connecticut basketball program has paced the entire BIG EAST Conference in regular season wins at home during the past 12-year span (beginning with the 1989-90 season). UConn has posted a 79-23 record at home in BIG EAST games during the past 12 years. Syracuse is No. 2 in victories at home during the past 12 years (74-29).
UCONN 176-107 AGAINST BIG EAST TEAMS UNDER JIM CALHOUN: The Connecticut men’s basketball program has posted an overall record of 176-107 (62.2%) against BIG EAST Conference teams during Jim Calhoun’s first 15 years in charge of the UConn program (156-97 in regular season play, 19-10 in BIG EAST Tournament games, 1-0 in NIT play).
UCONN 170-32 AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER JIM CALHOUN: The Connecticut men’s basketball program has posted an overall record of 170-32 (84.2%) against non- conference teams in Jim Calhoun’s 15 years in charge of the UConn program.
MOST WINS IN A THREE-YEAR STRETCH: The last three seasons of Connecticut Basketball have produced an overall record of 91-17 (32-5 in 1997-98, 34-2 in 1998-99, 25-10 in 1999- 00), the most wins in any three-season stretch in UConn’s 100-year basketball history and an average of 30.3 wins per season.
100 YEARS OF UCONN BASKETBALL: Connecticut Basketball is celebrating a "Century of Husky Hoops" during the 2000-2001 college basketball season. The first varsity season for Connecticut Basketball was the 1901-1902 season and the 2000-2001 season completes 100 Years of UConn Basketball.
GORDON SIGNS WITH UCONN: Ben Gordon, a 6-2 combination guard at Mount Vernon (NY) HS, signed a National Letter of Intent with the Connecticut Basketball program during the November signing period and plans to enroll at UConn for the 2001-2002 academic year. Gordon, rated among the Top 20 scholastic recruits in the nation and the USA Today New York Player of the Year as a junior, averaged 24.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 steals during his junior season at Mount Vernon in 1999-2000. "Ben is obviously an important recruit for us," said UConn head coach Jim Calhoun. "We believe he is one of the top 20 high school players in the country. He’s a terrific shooter who can put it down, score, and do a lot of things on the court."
SWAIN JOINS UCONN: Robert Swain, a 6-4 freshman from College Park, Georgia, joined the UConn men’s basketball program beginning with the Rhode Island game (Dec. 26) - wearing uniform No. 2. Swain began classes at UConn on January 23 (spring semester). Swain averaged 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists a game during the 1999-2000 scholastic season in leading Tri-Cities High School (East Point, Georgia) to a 25-4 record and a regional championship.
UP NEXT-NOTRE DAME: Following the game against the Hurricanes, UConn will host the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in an ESPN Big Monday match-up at the Hartford Civic Center on February 26. Game time is 7:00 p.m. The game can also be heard on the UConn Radio Network, with WTIC-AM 1080 as the flagship station.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR UCONN HOME GAMES IN HARTFORD: Reserved tickets, priced at $25 each, are on sale for the final remaining Connecticut home game in the Hartford Civic Center (Notre Dame-Feb. 26). Tickets are available at TicketMaster outlets throughout the state, by calling TicketMaster at (860) 525- 4500 or (203) 624-0033, by ordering on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Hartford Civic Center Box Office, or in person at the UConn Athletic Ticket Office in Storrs (cash or check only). Kyle Muncy University of Connecticut Assistant Director/Athletic Communications 860-486-3531 phone 860-486-5085 fax kyle.muncy@uconn.edu
