UTEP opens C-USA play at home against LA Tech Saturday
EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team (6-3, 0-0) will battle LA Tech (6-4, 0-0) in the Conference USA opener for both teams at 6 p.m. MT Saturday at the Don Haskins Center.
Mattress Firm is the Presenting Sponsor of UTEP Men’s Basketball.
It marks the first time since joining C-USA that the Miners will be christening league play prior to Christmas.
UTEP is 9-8 in C-USA openers, including 5-2 when doing so at home.
UTEP won its first six C-USA league lid lifters, but it is 3-8 since.
The Orange and Blue are vying for their initial triumph in the situation since besting Rice, 61-60, on Jan. 1, 2016.
Saturday’s contest snaps a four-season skid of starting league action on the road, with UTEP opening up at home for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign.
The Miners are looking to stay unbeaten in the Don Haskins Center (6-0) while the Bulldogs sport a mark of 2-3 on the road.
UTEP was bested, 91-70, at DePaul on Dec. 10, while LA Tech fell in overtime, 80-79, to Stephen F. Austin at home on Dec. 14.
Tickets are available by visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/or by calling (915) 747-UTEP.
Any fan that donates a toy can buy a ticket to the game at the special group rate, starting at just $8.
Furthermore, for just $32, fans can purchase four tickets to the game to provide vulnerable children and youth of our community with a fun and enriching experience.
UTEP Athletics will match every purchase, doubling the impact of each contribution received.
Tickets will be donated to the BOOST Network, a division of the United Way of El Paso County that works with organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of El Paso, Boy Scouts of America, and Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest.
The contest will air on “The Home of UTEP Basketball” 600 ESPN El Paso with Jon Teicher (42nd year) and Steve Yellen (20th year) on the call. It will also stream on CUSATV (subscription required).
SERIES HISTORY: LA TECH LEADS, 17-13
LA Tech leads the series with UTEP, 17-13, with each team winning on the road last year to split the season series.
That bucked historical trends, as UTEP is 10-6 in El Paso and the Bulldogs are 11-2 when playing at home (10-2 in Ruston).
UTEP’s win in Ruston last year was its first in the city since 2004.
The first meeting was 70 years ago with LA Tech defeating the Orange and Blue, 68-56, on Dec. 19, 1952.
The two sides have squared off against each other as members in both the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and now Conference USA.
GET TO KNOW LA TECH
LA Tech (6-4) got off to a start of at least 6-2 for the fourth straight season before being bashed by Wyoming on the road, 95-62, on Dec. 10.
The Bulldogs then had their school-record 31-game nonconference home winning streak snapped in a 80-79 OT loss against Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 14.
LA Tech was picked sixth in the C-USA preseason poll while also placing standout two-time C-USA All-Defensive team member Cobe Williams on the C-USA All-Preseason team.
Williams has been his usual self defensively by pacing the team in steals (2.6-first C-USA/14th NCAA), but his offensive output has been tremendous as well.
He tops the team in scoring (17.9 ppg-third C-USA/72nd NCAA) and assists per game (4.4-fifth C-USA).
Keaston Willis (12.0 ppg) and Isaiah Crawford (11.7 ppg) join Williams in double figures for scoring while Jordan Crawford also has been a distributor with 4.2 helpers per contest (sixth C-USA). Overall, LA Tech is putting up 76.8 ppg (sixth C-USA/96th NCAA) on 46.3 percent shooting, including 36.2 percent from distance (fourth C-USA/94th NCAA).
It allows 70.6 ppg, aided by opponents making 18.4 turnovers per contest (second C-USA/14th NCAA).
The bench provides a huge boost consistently for the Bulldogs, contributing 29.5 ppg (third C-USA/36th NCAA). Notable alumni include former NFL star and Super Bowl Champion and now TV personality Terry Bradshaw, former NBA standout Karl Malone and Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson.
