It's do or die for Canes
If Miami loses at Villanova tonight, the Canes will be shut out of the Big East tournament, which could result in the firing of coach Perry Clark.
Win at Villanova tonight or be mathematically eliminated from the Big East tournament. That, in a nutshell, is what the University of Miami men's basketball season has been reduced to.
The Hurricanes have lost their past 10 games, coach Perry Clark's job is in jeopardy, and even with a win over the Wildcats, a spot in the conference tournament is far from a lock.
The 13th- and 14th-place teams in the Big East do not qualify for the league tournament. UM, 13th with a 3-11 Big East record, must win its final two games and hope 11th-place Virginia Tech (5-9) or 12th-place Georgetown (4-10) lose their remaining two games in order for UM to advance. UM has the tiebreaker over Virginia Tech by virtue of head-to-head matchups, and Georgetown gets the edge over UM in a tie.
To compound the Hurricanes' dire situation, leading scorer Darius Rice flew to Mississippi last Friday to attend his grandfather's funeral. Rice, who has not practiced since the Seton Hall game last Wednesday, was scheduled to fly from Jackson, Miss., to Philadelphia on Monday evening.
''Our backs are to the wall,'' Clark said. ``We put ourselves in the position we're in, and it's very difficult.
``It's never been a complete collapse, but our inability to get things done at home killed us, along with the two Georgetown games. We had Georgetown under control at home and let it get away. Up there, we hung in there the first half, but didn't play well the second half. If we get those two games, we're not having this conversation.''
As Clark taped his weekly TV show in a South Miami restaurant Monday morning, the Happy Days theme song played in the background. The song sounded completely out of place as the beleaguered coach discussed the final stretch of a disappointing 13-15 season.
UM athletic director Paul Dee has said he won't address Clark's future until after the season, but school sources say Clark likely will be dismissed with three years remaining on his contract if the team doesn't make a run into the Big East tournament.
The Hurricanes head into Villanova on a downward spiral, having lost five of their past six games by double digits. UM has been particularly lenient on defense, allowing seven of the past 10 opponents to shoot better than 50 percent.
Villanova is on a skid as well, having lost five of its past six. The Wildcats will be looking to end the bleeding in the cozy 6,500-seat Pavilion. Villanova beat UM 76-69 on Jan. 25 in Coral Gables. In that game, Randy Foye finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Foye is one of four Wildcats scoring in double digits.
Clark said he expects his players to display the intensity they did in a heartbreaking overtime loss at Rutgers early last month.
''I'm sure it'll be sold out up there, and their fans will be into it, but we have to respond like a team that has to win,'' Clark said. ``It isn't good enough to be close. We have to go in there and pick it up to another level.''
Added Rice, after the loss to Seton Hall: ``Even though we are under pressure, we can't go in worried about making the Big East tournament. We have to just make it personal and put in the effort. We still have a chance, but to get that chance, we have to win both of these games. The end of the year is here, and we can still save it.''
If Miami loses at Villanova tonight, the Canes will be shut out of the Big East tournament, which could result in the firing of coach Perry Clark.
Win at Villanova tonight or be mathematically eliminated from the Big East tournament. That, in a nutshell, is what the University of Miami men's basketball season has been reduced to.
The Hurricanes have lost their past 10 games, coach Perry Clark's job is in jeopardy, and even with a win over the Wildcats, a spot in the conference tournament is far from a lock.
The 13th- and 14th-place teams in the Big East do not qualify for the league tournament. UM, 13th with a 3-11 Big East record, must win its final two games and hope 11th-place Virginia Tech (5-9) or 12th-place Georgetown (4-10) lose their remaining two games in order for UM to advance. UM has the tiebreaker over Virginia Tech by virtue of head-to-head matchups, and Georgetown gets the edge over UM in a tie.
To compound the Hurricanes' dire situation, leading scorer Darius Rice flew to Mississippi last Friday to attend his grandfather's funeral. Rice, who has not practiced since the Seton Hall game last Wednesday, was scheduled to fly from Jackson, Miss., to Philadelphia on Monday evening.
''Our backs are to the wall,'' Clark said. ``We put ourselves in the position we're in, and it's very difficult.
``It's never been a complete collapse, but our inability to get things done at home killed us, along with the two Georgetown games. We had Georgetown under control at home and let it get away. Up there, we hung in there the first half, but didn't play well the second half. If we get those two games, we're not having this conversation.''
As Clark taped his weekly TV show in a South Miami restaurant Monday morning, the Happy Days theme song played in the background. The song sounded completely out of place as the beleaguered coach discussed the final stretch of a disappointing 13-15 season.
UM athletic director Paul Dee has said he won't address Clark's future until after the season, but school sources say Clark likely will be dismissed with three years remaining on his contract if the team doesn't make a run into the Big East tournament.
The Hurricanes head into Villanova on a downward spiral, having lost five of their past six games by double digits. UM has been particularly lenient on defense, allowing seven of the past 10 opponents to shoot better than 50 percent.
Villanova is on a skid as well, having lost five of its past six. The Wildcats will be looking to end the bleeding in the cozy 6,500-seat Pavilion. Villanova beat UM 76-69 on Jan. 25 in Coral Gables. In that game, Randy Foye finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Foye is one of four Wildcats scoring in double digits.
Clark said he expects his players to display the intensity they did in a heartbreaking overtime loss at Rutgers early last month.
''I'm sure it'll be sold out up there, and their fans will be into it, but we have to respond like a team that has to win,'' Clark said. ``It isn't good enough to be close. We have to go in there and pick it up to another level.''
Added Rice, after the loss to Seton Hall: ``Even though we are under pressure, we can't go in worried about making the Big East tournament. We have to just make it personal and put in the effort. We still have a chance, but to get that chance, we have to win both of these games. The end of the year is here, and we can still save it.''
