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Salmons keeps Hurricanes heading upstream

©Associated Press

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 4, 2001

MIAMI -- John Salmons turned in an encore performance in Miami's 65-53 victory over Villanova in Saturday's regular-season finale.

Salmons followed a career-best 30-point, 11-rebound outing with 23 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, including a critical three-point play in the final two minutes.

"I thought John Salmons' play was critical. He was the balancing force throughout the ballgame," Miami coach Perry Clark said.

Leading 46-45 with 6:59 remaining, Miami finished off the Wildcats with a game-ending 19-8 run.

Salmons had seven offensive rebounds, including a putback basket that turned into a three-point play with 1:50 remaining that extended Miami's lead to 59-51.

Villanova junior center Michael Bradley, who entered leading the nation in field-goal percentage (70.4), fouled out on the play. Bradley, hobbled by a sore right ankle injured on his first shot, still made 8 of 16 shots to finish with 19 points and eight rebounds.

"I couldn't jump at all," Bradley said. "There were some shots I could've dunked but couldn't get the lift. We weren't making any shots today."

Darius Rice added 10 points and senior Dwayne Wimbley had a career-high 11 rebounds with two big blocks down the stretch in his final home game.

"I didn't have time to be emotional," Wimbley said. "Not when I have one of the best players (Bradley) in the nation to guard."

Miami, winner of eight of 12, swept Villanova this season and has beaten the Wildcats in six of their past seven meetings.

Connecticut's loss to Seton Hall enabled Miami to secure the fourth seed in the Big East tournament that begins Wednesday in New York. The Hurricanes play Pittsburgh in a first-round game.

Villanova is the fifth seed and faces West Virginia.

Rice caught Marcus Barnes' desperation air ball and laid it in as the 35-second clock expired to give Miami a 48-45 lead with 6:14 left.

After a heated argument from Villanova coach Steve Lappas, officials huddled and stayed with their call.

"With the spread we won by, I thought that was insignificant," Clark said. "We won going away."

From there, Miami put the game away with an 11-0 run.

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