Canes Take On Wichita State In Round Two Of NCAA Tourney
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Providence, R.I. (SportsDirect Inc.) -- Two of the most experienced and productive backcourt duos in the nation meet when third-seeded Miami (Fla.) takes on No. 11 seed Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Providence, R.I.
Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez combined for 44 points in Miami's first-round South Region win while Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet have led the Shockers to a pair of victories.
Rodriguez scored 24 as the Hurricanes survived with a 79-72 victory over Buffalo on Thursday, and the 5-11 point guard's block ignited a decisive run.
"That's the beauty of this team," Rodriguez told reporters. "We just need one little thing to get us going, and we found it on the defensive end."
VanVleet and Baker were freshmen when Wichita State reached the Final Four in 2013, and they have been on the floor together for 118 games in four seasons -- emerging victorious in 105 of them.
The seniors combined for 29 points in Thursday's 65-55 first-round win over Arizona.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
ABOUT WICHITA STATE (26-8): The Shockers got a strong effort from their bench again Thursday as guard Conner Frankamp and forward Markis McDuffie each scored 10. "It's going to take more than me and (Baker) to be able to get these wins," VanVleet told reporters, "and the last two games we've been able to do that, so give these guys a ton of credit." Baker averages 14.1 points overall while VanVleet is the only other player in double figures (12.2) and he dishes out 5.6 assists per contest.
ABOUT MIAMI (26-7): Rodriguez scored at least 17 in four of the last six games and drained three 3-pointers in three of the past five while McClellan, a 50-percent shooter overall, is scoring 18 per game in the last five outings. Davon Reed (11.2) and Ja'Quan Newton (11.1) support McClellan (15.9) and Rodriguez (12.1) on the perimeter for the Hurricanes, who are 5-2 in their last seven. Senior center Tonye Jekiri (7.9 points, 8.8 rebounds) is the key to Miami's defense with 126 career blocks – sixth all time at Miami.
TIP-INS
1. Miami averages 75.7 points and Wichita State leads the nation in scoring defense (58.9) -- limiting teams to 38.3 percent shooting overall.
2. VanVleet has tied Tekele Cotton (2011-15) for most wins in program history with 120.
3. The Hurricanes, who are after their third Sweet 16 appearance, beat the Shockers in their only previous meeting in 1988.
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