Program History
1997-98: MIAMI RETURNS TO NCAA TOURNAMENT • November 21, 1997 — Miami defeats 17th-ranked Charlotte, 89-72 at Miami Arena, marking the highest ranked non-conference opponent the Hurricanes have defeated since 1989. • December 22, 1997 — UM improves to 9-0, tying the school record for consecutive victories to open a season, with a 65-57 win at Memphis. • December 27, 1997 — Kevin Norris recorded a team-high six assists against Georgia Tech to move into first-place on UM’s career assist list. Norris passes Kevin Presto, who recorded 412 assists from 1985-89. • January 6, 1998 — Miami knocks off No. 8 Connecticut, marking the highest-ranked opponent UM has defeated in Miami Arena. • February 4, 1998 — Kevin Norris records one steal against Providence to move into first place on Miami’s career steals list. Norris surpassed Jerome Scott, who recorded 187 steals from 1988-92. • February 28, 1998 — Miami ends the regular season 18-8 following a 70-66 win over 19th-ranked West Virginia at Miami Arena. • March 3, 1998 — Tim James is named to the All-BIG EAST First Team, becoming the first Hurricane to be named first-team all-conference. • March 8, 1998 — Miami receives its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1960. The Hurricanes, seeded 11th in the South Region, will face sixthseeded UCLA at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. • March 13, 1998 — No. 19 UCLA defeats Miami, 65-62, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Miami sophomore Johnny Hemsley came off the bench to record a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds and was named Chevrolet Player of the Game. The game was aired nationally on CBS and was Miami’s first national appearance on network television since 1988.
1998-99: MIAMI’S BREAKTHROUGH SEASON • December 27, 1998 — Miami defeats Ohio State, 72-64, at the HIP Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. Ohio State goes on to reach 1999 NCAA Final Four. • January 6, 1999 — Miami defeats No. 10 St. John’s, 84-79, at Miami Arena marking the fifth consecutive season the Hurricanes have defeated a ranked opponent at Miami Arena. • January 18, 1999 — Miami debuts at No. 25 in the Associated Press Top 25 College Basketball poll. The ranking marks the first for Miami by the Associated Press since 1960. • January 20, 1999 — Miami plays No. 1 Connecticut in front of a school record crowd of 15,147 at Miami Arena. In one of the season’s most dramatic games, John Salmons’ three-point attempt rolled in-and-out at the buzzer as UConn held on for a 70-68 overtime win. • February 3, 1999 — Miami defeats No. 9 St. John’s, 73-70, at Madison Square Garden. • February 8, 1999 — Miami knocks off No. 18 Syracuse, 76-63, marking the Hurricanes first win ever in the Carrier Dome. • February 20, 1999 — Miami defeats No. 2 UConn, 73-71, snapping
the Huskies 16-game win streak at Gampel Pavilion. With the win, Miami becomes the first team in BIG EAST history to defeat Georgetown, St. John’s, Syracuse and Connecticut on the road in the in the same season. • February 23, 1999 — Miami defeats Pittsburgh, 85-52, at Miami Arena, improving UM’s record to 20-5 on the season. The 20-win season is the first for Miami since 1964-65. • March 1, 1999 — Miami moves up to ninth in the AP poll, marking the Hurricanes’ first top10 ranking since March 1, 1960. • March 1, 1999 — Tim James and Johnny Hemsley are both named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. • March 2, 1999 — Tim James is named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year with Connecticut’s Richard Hamilton, Johnny Hemsley is named the BIG EAST Most Improved Player and Leonard Hamilton is named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the second time of his career. • March 5, 1999 — Vernon Jennings hands out eight assists against St. John’s and passes Michael Gardner into first place on UM’s single season assist list. • March 7, 1999 — Miami receives its second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and is seeded No. 2 in the East Region — the highest seed in school history. • March 8, 1999 — Tim James is named to the AllAmerica Third Team by the Associated All-American TIM JAMES Press becoming the fourth Hurricane in earned 1998-99 BIG EAST school history and first player since the co-Player of the Year honors. rebirth of the program to earn AllAmerica honors. • March 12, 1999 — Miami defeats Lafayette College, 75-54, in its opening round game at the FleetCenter in Boston, Mass. The win marks the first NCAA Tournament victory in school history and ties the school record for wins in a season (23). Junior Johnny Hemsley sets a school record and tied the East Regional record connecting on nine three-pointers. • March 14, 1999 — Miami’s NCAA Tournament run ends with a 73-63 loss to Purdue. • March 16, 1999 — Tim James is named to the All-America Third Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. • June 30, 1999 — Tim James is selected by the Miami Heat with the 25th pick of the first round in the 1999 NBA Draft in Washington, DC. James is the first Hurricane to be drafted since 1995 and the first Hurricane to be selected in the first round since 1965.
HISTORY
21st-ranked Boston College. Edwards finished his career with 178 threepoint field goals in BIG EAST play. • February 20, 1996 — Steve Rich turned in one of the greatest individual performances in UM history, scoring a career-high 43 points and grabbing 13 rebounds as the 'Canes rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat St. John's, 96-91, in double overtime at the Miami Arena. Rich, who had 22 points in the second half, sent the game into overtime with a six-foot jumper with 3.6 seconds left in regulation. Rich also sent the game into double-overtime when he hit a free throw with 36 seconds remaining in the first extra session. He put UM ahead to stay with a pair of free throws with 3:52 remaining in the second overtime. • March 4, 1996 — Tim James became the second Hurricane in the past two years to earn a spot on The BIG EAST Conference All-Rookie team. • March 7, 1996 — UM finishes the 1995-96 campaign with a 15-13 record for the second straight season. • January 11, 1997 — Kevin Norris hits two free throws with .8 seconds remaining to give Miami a 61-59 upset win against ninth-ranked Villanova. The win was the Hurricanes first road win against a ranked opponent.
1999-2000: HURRICANES BECOME BEAST OF THE BIG EAST • November 8, 1999 — Hurricanes debut at No. 25 in the preseason Associated Press poll marking the first preseason AP ranking in UM history. • November 30, 1999 — Johnny Hemsley scores 19 points against
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