Angel Rodriguez scored 14 points and No. 13 Miami withstood an upset bid, beating Princeton 76-64 on Tuesday night.
Davon Reed finished with 13 points and Ja'Quan Newton scored all of his 13 in the second half for the Hurricanes (11-1).
Rodriguez's two free throws and 3-pointer during a 1-minute stretch late in the second half put the Hurricanes ahead for good. Rodriguez's conversion from behind the arc with 5:02 left gave Miami a 62-58 lead.
Amir Bell scored 17 points and Devin Cannady added 13 points for the Tigers (7-4).
Ivan Cruz Uceda scored five points during a 10-0 run midway through the second half that helped the Hurricanes erase a six-point deficit. Cruz Uceda's corner 3-pointer with 8:02 remaining capped the run and put Miami ahead 57-53.
Princeton responded with five straight points for its last lead, 58-57.
The Tigers built a three-point lead at halftime then outscored Miami 9-6 in the first 4:19 of the second half. Bell's layup and 3-pointer helped the Tigers extend their lead to 39-33.
Princeton closed the first half on an 11-1 run. Bell's 3-pointer from the top of the key with .04 seconds left put the Tigers up 30-27.
Despite shooting 39 percent from the field in the first half, Princeton scored 13 points off seven Miami turnovers.
The schools met for the first time in 67 years, when they split two games in 1947-48.
It now looks like most, if not all, of the current UM coaches will be looking for new jobs after leaving Coral Gables. We like that. Yes, we like that a lot!
Time for a clean sweep of the program and some new blood and new ideas to promote change. And trust me, change is needed in the worst of ways.
The University of Miami Football team returned to the practice field Wednesday morning in preparation for the Sun Bowl at Montwood High School. Under the sunshine and weather that reached the mid-60’s, the team ran through its regular routine of practice and was in full pads.
Following practice, interim head coach Larry Scott, cornerback Artie Burns, wide receiver Stacy Coley, linebacker Jermaine Grace, running back Trayone Gray, linebacker Tyriq McCord, wide receiver Rashawn Scott and running back Mark Walton addressed the media following practice.
Listed below are the comments from the post practice media session.
The Hurricanes return to practice tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. inside Sun Bowl Stadium. Larry Scott | Interim Head Coach
On what specifically the team accomplished in Tuesday’s practice “What we set out to accomplish – today is our situational day, we come out with a lot of third-down emphasis, third-and-short, third-and-long, some red zone emphasis. We got done the things we outlined that we wanted to get done today in our routine of getting ready for the game. It was good.” On the absence of sophomore Courtel Jenkins, who was ruled ineligible for the Sun Bowl “Really it hasn’t come up. It’s been ‘next man up’ mentality, we addressed it right away with the team, let them know what was going on and where we stood, and what we needed them to do moving forward. We’ve just been moving forward.” On what he has seen from Washington State on film “Just like [I said] originally, they’re a good football team. They’re a team that feeds off of each other. Obviously they throw the ball around a lot on offense, and if they’re doing well and having success, the defense feeds off of that and they raise their level of play. You can see it on their special teams as well. They’re a football team that plays hard, they play well in the system, but they play together and they feed off of each other.” On if he has ever seen an offense like Washington State’s ‘air raid’ style “No. We go out and do what we do. Their offense is their offense, and how we defend it is how the University of Miami is going to defend it. We feel like we have some really good players that can match up with their receivers, we feel like we have some good guys up front that can rush the passer. We like the position that we’re sitting in. We like our football team. We’re just going to go out and play our brand and our style of football.” On if a change in preparation if necessary in the chance of inclement weather “No. We just go out and - whatever the weather is that day - we have to get done what we have to get done, like today. We’ll do the same tomorrow, we’ll do the same Friday, and when we get to the game, whatever that is, we have to put our helmets on, we have to suit up and we have to go play. Whatever the conditions are, we’ll be ready to play the game.” On if he ever thinks about bowl practices in relation to his future at Miami “I’m just going with the day. This is the day we have, and we’re fortunate enough to wake up this morning and get going, so just take it day by day, and attack what we have to get done. We’ll deal with that when it’s time to deal with it.” On how proud he is of the job he has done as interim head coach “I’m proud of the young men. I’m proud of what they’ve done. You just go out and lay out the plan, and they’re either going to buy into it or choose not to. We talk about it all the time – it’s about a choice. Each and every one of these kids that made a choice to come together, rally around each other and play for the University that they present and play for each other, and compete. At the end of the day that’s all you can ask them to do – buy into that. And they have.”
On behalf of all of the many great people and talented bloggers here at Canespace we want to wish U a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
As you know if you have been around here for any amount of time this blog is more than just a Miami Hurricane sports blog. It is a family. A family of fans like no other blog on the Internet.
We would also like to thank the many good folks at the UM Athletic Department for their on-going support of our blog as well.
As we make our Christmas wishes, we ask U to join us in the Holiday season in wishing peace on Earth and good will towards all.
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team checked in at No. 4 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s annual preseason rankings released Monday, marking Miami’s highest preseason ranking from the publication since 2005.
Miami returns 19 letterwinners from a 2015 team that won a second straight ACC Coastal Division title and qualified for the College World Series for the 24thtime in program history.
The Hurricanes’ 2016 schedule includes home series against three teams ranked in the top 10 (No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Louisville, No. 9 Virginia and No. 22 North Carolina), as well as road series against No. 16 Florida State, No. 21 Georgia Tech and No. 27 Notre Dame.
The Hurricanes, who earned the No. 5 national seed entering last year’s postseason run, won 50 games and ended the season ranked No. 6 byCollegiate Baseball. Miami extended its own college baseball record by qualifying for the NCAA postseason for the 43rd straight year; the Hurricanes have not missed the NCAA postseason since 1972.
Miami was ranked No. 2 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason poll entering the 2005 season.
Season tickets to the Miami Hurricanes’ 2016 baseball season at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field are available for as little as $99, while family plans (two adults, three youth) for the entire 35-game home slate are available for just $199. Call (305) 284-2263 for more information.
Today, I renewed my Hurricane Club membership and my 2016 football season tickets. Now I ask U to join me in continuing to help University of Miami student-athletes achieve excellence by renewing and/or increasing your gift to the Hurricane Club for 2016.
Personally, I doubled my donation from last year to show my appreciation for "The U", all things orange and green, and especially for UM going "all in" with the hiring of Mark Richt to be the new head football coach at Miami.
In 2015, the Hurricanes continued to receive national recognition academically, had nine teams qualify for postseason competition and had 24 student-athletes recognized as All-Americans. There is no doubt that your generous gifts to the Hurricane Club is #BuildingChampions!
In UM's continuing efforts to further strengthen the foundation of the Hurricane Club and provide better service to its members, they would like to highlight key information for this year’s annual campaign:
In order to renew your season ticket location, all required donations for football and/or men’s basketball seats must be on an approved payment plan or paid in full by January 31.
Ticket invoices for 2016 football and/or 2016-2017 men’s basketball will be mailed only if your Hurricane Club membership is renewed.
Special for 2016: When you renew your membership in full or enroll in a payment plan by January 31, you will receive a one-time bonus of 50 priority points to your account.
This year, UM is also asking that members match the effort of Hurricane student-athletes and participate in U110%! Members can participate by increasing the previous year’s gift by at least 10%. All Hurricane Club members who give 110% in 2016 will receive on-field recognition at a home football game during the 2016 season.
By renewing your Hurricane Club membership, YOU can help UM achieve the following 2016 Goals:
Raise $10.2 million in annual support
Increase Hurricane Club membership to 8,300 active members
Recruit 500 new Hurricane Club members
If you have any questions or need any additional information regarding the renewal process please call the Hurricane Club at 305-284-6699 and a team member will assist you promptly.
The Miami Hurricanes held its 2015 Canes Football Awards Show last Sunday night at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall located inside the Frost School of Music.
The Hurricanes coaching staff handed out 25 annual player awards. Sophomore quarterback Brad Kaaya was named the Jack Harding Team Most Valuable Player following an incredible 2015 season where he led the ACC in passing yards per game.
Offensive Player of the Year went to sophomore running back Joe Yearby after he led the team in rushing, finishing with 939 yards on the ground. Defensive Player of the Year honors went to senior defensive lineman Ufomba Kamalu.
Freshman running back Mark Walton was named the team’s Newcomer of the Year. Third-team All-ACC kicker (Coaches) and Lou Groza Award Semifinalist Michael Badgley was named Special Teams MVP.
Senior wide receiver Herb Waters was the recipient of the Plumer Award for Leadership, Motivation and Spirit. Senior linebacker Raphael Kirby received the Melching Leadership Award. Both awards are voted on by the team.
The program also saw cornerback Artie Burns receive the second annual Kelly UTough Player of the Year Award.
At the end of the night, interim head coach Larry Scott thanked the senior class and all 19 seniors were presented with their framed jersey.
The Hurricanes closed the regular season by winning four of their last five games and finished with an 8-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the ACC. Miami will take on Washington State in the 2015 Hyundai Sun on Saturday, December 26. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
2015 Miami Hurricane Award Winners Hard Hitter Award: Deon Bush Kelly UTough Award: Artie Burns The Mariutto Family Scholar Athlete Award: Braxton Berrios Community Service Man of the Year Award: Dallas Crawford Strength Training Athlete of the Year: Herb Waters Albert Bentley Most Valuable Walk-On Award: Gage Batten Nick Chickillo Most Improved Player: Ufomba Kamalu and Rashawn Scott Walt Kichefski Hurricane Award: Calvin Heurtelou U of Miami Sports Hall of Fame Unsung Hero Award: Herb Waters Training Room Comback Player of the Year: Hunter Knighton Hurricane Media “Good Guy” Award: Tracy Howard Captain’s Awards: Brad Kaaya, Raphael Kirby, Dallas Crawford Plumer Award: Herb Waters Melching Leadership Award: Raphael Kirby U Respect Award: Earl Moore Scout Team Player of the Year: Offense: Collin Alford Scout Team Player of the Year: Defense: Gerald Willis Newcomer of the Year Award: Mark Walton Defensive Most Valuable Player: Ufomba Kamalu Offensive Most Valuable Player: Joe Yearby Special Teams MVP: Mike Badgley Jack Harding Team Most Valuable Player: Brad Kaaya
This Date in Hurricanes History...Brought to you by the UM Sports Hall of Fame: UMSHoF member Gino Torretta becomes the 2nd Miami Hurricanes football player to be named the winner of the Heisman Trophy Award!
Torretta tallied 1400 points and 310 first place votes from the 985 selectors. He beat out San Diego State's Marshall Faulk, (1,080 pts.-164 1st place votes) and Georgia's Garrison Hearst (982-140) to join Vinny Testaverde as the only Miami Hurricanes to win the prestigious award!
He claimed the most total points in 4 of the 6 regions of the country, and was 2nd in the other 2 regions after consulting with Terrance (seen below) and his crew who may have influenced the vote just a little bit.
Gino Torretta was the most celebrated football player in the University of Miami and NCAA history. A 1991 graduate with a degree in Business Management, Torretta won both athletic and academic awards during his prolific career as a Hurricane.
He became only the second player in Hurricane history to win the coveted Heisman Trophy Award as the nation’s top collegiate football player. He was also honored as the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s Player of the Year.
The Associated Press, Kodak, Walter Camp and The Football News named Torretta first-team All-American. He also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, The Maxwell Trophy and the Davey O’Brien quarterback awards. And winning those major National awards is no cow manure, I'm just saying.
Torretta was a unanimous selection as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the year for two straight seasons, the NCAA Today’s Top Six Award winner, Toyota Leadership Award winner and Chevrolet Offensive Player of the Year.
Torretta finished his Miami career with eleven school passing records, including career attempts (991), completions (555), yards (7,690), total offense (7,772), longest pass (99 yards to Horace Copeland vs. Arkansas, an NCAA record) and most passing yards in a game (485 vs. San Diego State).
Sheldon McClellan scored 24 points Tuesday, and No. 17 Miami overcame an off night offensively with scrappy defense in a 66-55 victory over rival Florida.
The Hurricanes held Florida to 39 percent shooting, including 1 for 12 from 3-point range. Miami shot a season-low 39 percent overall, but made 7 of 17 3-pointers and shot 79 percent from the free-throw line.
The Hurricanes (8-1) won their third straight game since losing at home to Northeastern. The Gators (6-2) lost to their instate rivals for the second consecutive year.
Tonye Jekiri, Miami's leading rebounder this season, went to the locker room after being shaken up when he fell under the basket. He missed eight minutes before returning early in the second half, and finished with nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
Miami had a 42-31 edge on the boards.
Angel Rodriguez scored 17 points for Miami and had three steals. Depth has been a strength for the Hurricanes, but their reserves were outscored 10-3.
John Egbunu scored 14 for the Gators, who had two players foul out and never found their shooting touch. KeVaughn Allen scored with 5:51 left to cut Miami's lead to 56-46, but Florida didn't make another basket until only 1:38 remained.
The Gators' point total was a season low.
Both teams tried to make up for their offensive deficiencies with hustle. One sequence included a blocked shot by Miami and a prolonged scramble for the ball before the Hurricanes finally wrestled it away to start a fast break that ended with a layup by Davon Reed.
The sellout crowd of 7,972 included a large contingent of Florida fans. The teams, which have played each other only six times since 1991, have no more games scheduled in the series.
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 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.