UTEP’s Culpepper, Stone Land On All-Conference USA Team
UTEP senior guard Randy Culpepper was tabbed first team All-Conference USA for the second straight season, and senior guard Julyan Stone was appointed second team all-league on Monday.
Culpepper becomes the second Miner player to garner back-to-back first team All-Conference USA honors, joining Stefon Jackson who was selected in 2008 and 2009.
Stone earns his initial spot on the All-Conference team after being chosen to the All-Defensive squad a year ago.
Joining Culpepper on the senior-laden first team are SMU forward Papa Dia, Southern Miss forward Gary Flowers, Tulsa guard Justin Hurtt and UAB guards Aaron Johnson and Jamarr Sanders.
The second team is composed of UCF sophomore guard Marcus Jordan, Rice sophomore forward Arsalan Kazemi, UAB junior forward Cameron Moore, Tulane sophomore guard/forward Kendall Timmons and Stone.
Third team honorees include Memphis freshman guard Will Barton, UCF sophomore center Keith Clanton, Marshall freshman guard DeAndre Kane, SMU junior forward Robert Nyakundi and East Carolina senior guard Jontae Sherrod.
Culpepper is second in the league in scoring (19.5 ppg) and first in steals (2.1 avg.). UTEP’s all-time leader for minutes played (4,131), Culpepper is second in school history in 20-point games (43) and tied for third in 30-point games (nine). He is second in both UTEP and Conference USA history with 2,270 points. The reigning Conference USA player of the year has led the Miners in scoring 51 times, including on 20 occasions this season.
Stone is the UTEP and C-USA career record-holder with 697 assists. He is averaging 8.8 points and 5.4 assists this season while pacing the squad in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Stone ranks no. 3 in the Miner record book with 207 steals and no. 10 with 722 rebounds. He is second in school history in minutes played (4,106) and tied for first in games played (134) with Culpepper. Stone is the first player in UTEP annals to dish out 100 assists in four separate seasons.
The Buick Conference USA Championships will tip off on Wednesday at the Don Haskins Center. UTEP will face the winner of Wednesday’s Marshall-Houston game in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Source: UTEP Athletics
