UTEP hosts UTSA Saturday for Noche Latina
The UTEP men’s basketball team will play its first game in a week on Saturday when it hosts UTSA at 7 p.m. at the Don Haskins Center.
The Miners (18-7, 10-3 C-USA) are in second place in the Conference USA standings and are riding a six-game winning streak.
UTEP is a game behind Louisiana Tech (20-6, 11-2) with five games remaining in the regular season. The Bulldogs are on the road this weekend, battling Charlotte Thursday and Old Dominion Saturday.
Saturday’s matchup marks the fifth annual “Noche Latina” game. The Miners will celebrate UTEP’s rich Hispanic culture with Folklorico performers and Mariachis, plus the team will wear Mineros uniforms.
UTEP hasn’t fared particularly well in the Noche Latina game, posting a 1-3 record, and the Miners will be tested by a UTSA team that for the most part has played better on the road than at home in 2014-15.
“We know that we’re playing a team that can really score,” UTEP coachTim Floydsaid. “With Jeromie Hill, we’re looking at a first team All-League player and one of the premier perimeter players in our league.”
After missing the 2013-14 season with a knee injury, Hill is averaging 16.8 points (third in C-USA) and 7.8 rebounds (fourth).
UTSA brings a 7-4 road mark to El Paso, including 4-2 in league action with wins over North Texas (71-61), Marshall (82-68), FIU (74-63) and Florida Atlantic (74-59), and losses to Rice (67-52) and Western Kentucky (83-74).
“We’ll have to regroup and this is a different set of circumstances for us now, this back end of our home schedule,” said Floyd, who is one win away from #100 at UTEP. “We are playing teams that we have beaten on the road [UTSA, North Texas, Rice].
Tickets, which start at $8, are still available for Saturday’s game by calling (915) 747-5234.
