Oct. 31, 2008

CORAL GABLES - The University of Miami women's basketball team played their first of two exhibition games with a 62-52 win over the Mike White All-Stars Premier Players. Freshman Shenise Johnson led the Hurricanes with 10 points and 14 rebounds, Friday night at the BankUnited Center.

Johnson, a 2007-08 McDonald's All-American had already recorded a double-double with 15 minutes remaining in the game. The Henrietta, N.Y. native picked up eight of her 14 rebounds on the offensive end.

Senior Latoya Drake led all Hurricanes with 14 points, shooting 7-10 from the field and collecting six rebounds, five offensively.

Junior Diane Barnes played aggressive defense throughout the night and ended the game one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds to go along with two blocks.

The team's leader, LaToya Cunningham hit two of the five three-pointers for Miami and ended the night with 10 points. Junior Charmaine Clark led the team with five assists from her forward position.

As a team, Miami didn't shoot the ball particularly well at 37.5 percent for the game and had 22 turnovers, but more than made up for their shortcomings with 22 offensive rebounds, leading to 23 second chance points. The Hurricanes also dominated the paint, scoring 40 of their 62 points there, compared to only 16 for the visitors.

Miami held a 32-18 lead going into the break as 10 different Hurricanes scored. Cunningham and sophomore Epiphany Woodson each had five points in the opening period.

The Mike White All-Stars Premier Players is a team composed of nine former NCAA Division I athletes that played at schools such as Florida, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, West Virginia, Coppin State, Georgia State and St. Johns.

Courtney McDaniel of the Premier Players, who played for coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee, led her team with 22 points and 17 rebounds.

The Hurricanes are the first of eight college teams that the All-Stars will play against in the coming weeks, including games against Florida State, NC State, North Carolina and Boston College of the ACC.

Miami will face Division II Barry in their second exhibition game on Saturday, Nov. 8 in the first game of a men's and women's double header. Game time is slated for 3 p.m. with the men's game to follow.