UTEP’s Game Versus Western Illinois Postponed Until Saturday

UPDATE: EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP men’s basketball team’s game against Western Illinois in The Basketball Classic, scheduled for 5 p.m. tonight (March 15), has been postponed to Saturday at 1 p.m. due to travel issues for WIU.

Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased at www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets. General admission tickets are $10 and courtside are $25 (based on availability).

Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club. Visit givingto.utep.edu/mac today!

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ORIGINAL STORY: EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team (19-13) will make its first postseason appearance in seven years when it plays host to Western Illinois (16-15) in the opening round of the 2022 Basketball Classic presented by Eracism at 5 p.m. MT Tuesday.

The Miners are competing in postseason basketball for the first time since the 2015 NIT. 

Jon Teicher (41st year) and Steve Yellen (19th year) will be on the call on “The Home of UTEP Basketball” 600 ESPN El Paso.

It will also be streamed on ESPN+ with Erik Elken (play-by-play) and former Miner Hooper Vint (analyst) describing the action.

Fans can visit www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets to purchase tickets.

General admission tickets are $10 and courtside are $25 (based on availability).

The doors to the Don Haskins Center will open at 3:30 p.m. The Miners are 11-6 at home on the year while the Leathernecks stand 7-8 on the road.

The victor will advance to the second round with the opponent to be determined.

UTEP is making its first postseason appearance since 2015 and 32nd all time.

The Miners are 24-32 in postseason action, winning the NCAA Championship in 1966.

It is the first occasion the that Miners are competing in the Basketball Classic.

UTEP has previous postseason appearances in 1963 (NCAA), 1964 (NCAA) 1965 (NIT), 1966 (NCAA), 1967 (NCAA), 1970 (NCAA) 1972 (NIT), 1975 (NCAA), 1980 (NIT), 1981 (NIT), 1983 (NIT), 1984 (NCAA), 1985 (NCAA), 1986 (NCAA), 1987 (NCAA), 1988 (NCAA), 1989 (NCAA), 1990 (NCAA), 1992 (NCAA), 1993 (NIT), 1995 (NIT), 2001 (NIT), 2004 (NCAA), 2005 (NCAA), 2006 (NIT), 2008 (CBI), 2009 CBI), 2010 (NCAA), 2011 (NIT), 2014 (CBI) and 2015 (NIT).

The Miners are shooting for their first postseason victory since earning runner-up honors at the 2009 CBI.

First-year head coach Joe Golding is continuing a personal stretch of postseason run with the Miners’ appearance in the 2022 Basketball Classic presented by Eracism.

He directed Abilene Christian to the 2018 CIT and the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and 2021.

There was no postseason basketball in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Golding was 1-3 combined in those events, leading the #14 seed Wildcats to an upset of #3 seed Texas, 53-52, in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

UTEP is 2-0 all time against Western Illinois, including a mark off 1-0 in El Paso.

The two teams first squared off in a neutral-site matchup in 1984 (UTEP W, 83-49) before not meeting again until the 2013-14 season.

That year the Miners won at home, 67-64, in their opening round of the WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational.

Western Illinois enters the 2022 Basketball Classic presented by Eracism at 16-15 on the season.

They were the sixth seed in the Summit League and were bounced in the quarterfinals, 80-68, by Oral Roberts on March 6.

The Leathernecks began the year at 10-2, including winning at Nebraska, 75-74, in front of 15,312 fans in their opener on November 9.

WIU won its league opener before struggling the rest of the way to finish at 7-12 within the Summit League.

Of its 15 losses on the season, eight were by single digits. WIU was 9-6 at home, 7-8 on the road and 0-1 in its only neutral site contest in the league tournament.

It has plenty of continuity on offense with three players starting all 31 games and two others starting 30 of 31.

Each of the starters put up least 10.0 points per game, including leading scorer and All-Summit league second-team honoree Trenton Massner at 16.8 ppg (second Summit League).

He also paces the team in rebounding (6.3-seventh Summit League), assists (4.0-second Summit League) and steals (1.8-first Summit League).

Will Carius (14.3 ppg-12th Summit League), All-Summit league honorable-mention member Luka Barisic (14.2 ppg-13th Summit League), Colton Sandage (13.4 ppg) and Tamell Persaon (10.0 ppg) buoy the efforts of Massner.

No other player contributes more than 5.0 ppg. Overall WIU is putting up 78.7 points per game (third Summit League/24th NCAA).

It is also in the league leaders and national top-100 for rebounds per game (second/38th), 3-point field-goal attempts (813-second/45th), 3-pointers per game (8.8-fourth/47th), offensive rebounds per game (11.7-first/59th), 3-pointers made (273-fourth/64th), defensive  rebounds per game (26.8-fourth/67th), fewest turnovers per game (11.6-fifth/77th) and rebounding margin (3.4-fifth/79th).

It struggled defensively, allowing 77.1 points per game (329th NCAA), which was hurt by foes shooting 37.5 percent (343rd) from 3-point range.

Notable university alumni include the late John Mahoney (actor, Frasier) and David Bowens (NFL linebacker 1999-2010, concluding his career with the Cleveland Browns).

TRENDING WITH THE TEAM

-   The Miners are 15-2 on the season when drilling at least eight 3-point shots. That record includes a school-recording tying 15 makes from distance against Southern Miss in the 87-54 win on Jan. 8. UTEP nearly matched that with 14 at USM on Feb. 19.

-   The Miners stand at 15-2 when scoring 70+ points (5-0 getting into the 80’s).

-   UTEP sports a mark of 18-5 on the campaign when limiting foes to 72 points or less, including 5-1 when keeping them in the 50’s.

-   The Miners are 7-2 in games decided by five points or less.

-   UTEP is 18-5 when making at least 40 percent of its shots and 7-1 when the opponent falls shy of that figure. It is also 12-2 when shooting better than foes.

-   The Miners are 15-2 when leading with five minutes to play.

-   Fifteen of UTEP’s 19 wins of the year have been the come-from-behind variety, including the season-best 13 points overcome against UTSA on Jan. 11. There have been rallies of at least seven points seven times total this season.