UTEP aims for second straight win at home vs. FIU Thursday

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team (16-7, 6-4 CUSA) will shoot for its second straight victory while also attempting to sweep the season series when it plays host to FIU (8-16, 2-9 CUSA) at 7 p.m. MT Thursday.

The Miners are coming off a 66-63 wire-to-wire win at NM State on Feb. 8, their fifth such triumph this season.

It marked the Miners’ first win at the Pan-American Center since the 2010-11 campaign (W, 72-70, Nov. 30).

It was also the initial occasion since the 1977-78 season that UTEP knocked off the Aggies (12-11, 5-5 CUSA) in Las Cruces after dropping the first meeting of the campaign in El Paso (L, 85-57, Jan. 11).

The Panthers were 1-1 last week, dispatching Sam Houston, 85-82, in OT on Feb. 6 before falling, 82-71, at home to LA Tech on Feb. 8.

There are eight contests remaining in the regular season (four home, four away), with two in the Sun City this week to start off the stretch run.

UTEP, which swept the Eastern Time Zone roadswing through Liberty (W, 72-70, Jan. 16) and FIU (W, 81-73, Jan. 18), will try to complete the season sweep of the Panthers on Thursday before turning their attention to the Flames for the 7 p.m. matchup on Saturday.

The Miners are 10-2 at home (3-2 CUSA) while FIU stands at 1-8 on the road (0-4 CUSA). UTEP is also search of third two-game winning streak within CUSA action this year.

The Miners sit alone in fourth place in CUSA, a half a contest back of both Liberty and Middle Tennessee.

Individually, Otis Frazier III enters the contest at 999 points in his collegiate career (including time with George Mason), with 912 of those coming as a Miner. Additionally, Baylor Hebb’s next appearance will serve as his 100th game played at the collegiate level.

STEALING THE SHOW

UTEP, San Diego and Ole Miss are the only schools in the country to boast two players producing at least 2.0 steals per game. Otis Frazier III (2.39, first CUSA/13th NCAA) and Corey Camper Jr. (2.33, second/17th) are leading the way for the Miners in that department. UTEP has never had two players average at least 2.0 spg in the same season.

SERIES HISTORY: UTEP LEADS, 18-3

UTEP leads the series with FIU, 18-3, including a record of 10-1 at home. The Miners are 16-3 (including the CUSA Tournament) against the Panthers since they joined the league. UTEP bested FIU, 81-73, on the road on Jan. 18, and it is now looking to complete the season sweep. The past four games have all been decided by single digits (UTEP is 3-1 in stretch), which bucks a trend where the Orange and Blue had posted four double-digit wins in a row.

GET TO KNOW FIU (8-16, 2-9 CUSA, 2-5 HOME, 0-4 AWAY, 1-1 NEUTRAL)

FIU compiled a mark of 6-7 in nonconference play, aided by winning four of the last five prior to CUSA action started. The Panthers went 1-1 in the first week of league competition, but they proceeded to lose the next seven. FIU ended the streak with an 85-82 OT victory against Sam Houston on Feb. 6 before falling last time out to LA Tech, 81-72, on Feb. 8. The Panthers enter the matchup with the Miners at 8-16 overall, including 2-9 in CUSA action, but that doesn’t tell the full story. They have endured 11 setbacks by single digits, and six of their nine losses in CUSA play fall into that category. Jayden Brewer tops the team in scoring (14.9 ppg-eighth CUSA) while sharing the top spot for rebounding at 5.0 rpg (tied 22nd CUSA) with Jonathan Aybar. Aybar (10.8 ppg) and Vianney Salatchoum (10.4 ppg) are also in double figures for scoring, with Asim Jones (9.8 ppg) Dashon Gittens (8.5 ppg) and Ashton Williamson (7.2 ppg) all above 7.0 ppg. Salatchoum is a menace with his shot blocking, rating second in CUSA and 25th in the country at 2.0 bpg. Williamson can set up teammates nicely (2.8 apg-13th CUSA) while also making it difficult on the opposition with his defense (1.6 spg-tied fifth CUSA). The Panthers put up 72.1 ppg, aided by the second-most fastbreak points per game in the league at 11.5. They top the conference with 4.8 blocks per game (35th NCAA) and crash the offensive boards hard with 12.0 offensive rebounds per contest (second USA/85th NCAA). FIU also pressures well, forcing 15.5 turnovers per game (second USA/18th NCAA) to go along with 9.2 steals per game (second CUSA/23rd NCAA). FIU doesn’t shoot the 3-point ball great, making 30.2 percent (ninth CUSA/328th NCAA). Its 5.3 triples per tilt is last in the league and 345th out of 355th nationally. Notable school alumni include Andy Garcia (actor who starred in Ocean’s 11) and Dennis Lehane (author of Mystic River).

LOOKING BACK (UTEP 66, at NM STATE 63, FEB. 8)

Devon Barnes tallied 18 points, Otis Frazier III added 16 while the Miners won the rebounding battle (36-35) and held the Aggies to 30.4 percent shooting (opponent season low) in UTEP’s wire-to-wire 66-63 victory at NM State on Feb. 8. Kevin Kalu came within one point of a double-double (nine points, 10 rebounds) while Frazier was one rebound shy (nine boards) of doing so as well. David Terrell Jr. was credited with a game-high six assists to go along with two rebounds and five points, including a step-back 3-pointer to put the Miners up five (59-54) with 1:19 left. He had been 0-3 from distance to that juncture. After NM State cut it to two, Kalu slammed home a dunk on an out of bounds play to stretch the margin to four (61-57) with 38 seconds remaining. Frazier III and Barnes proceeded to make five straight free throws to answer every Aggie score. One miss late at the line kept the door cracked for NM State to tie it at the buzzer, but a long trey from the Aggies’ leading scorer Christian Cook was off target.

UP NEXT

UTEP will conclude the week at home by playing host to tied for second place Liberty at 7 p.m. MT Saturday. The Miners will be looking to complete the season sweep against the Flames after an exciting 72-70 win against the Flamers in Lynchburg, Va., on Jan. 16 earlier this year. Jon Teicher (44th year) and Steve Yellen (22nd year) will be on the call on “The Home of UTEP Basketball” 600 ESPN El Paso, with audio available on the UTEP Miners App as well. It will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required), with Andy Morgan and former Miner assistant coach Bobby Braswell describing the action.