For Starters
UTEP (14-2, 4-0 WAC) vies for its 11th straight victory on Saturday at Fresno State (10-4, 4-1 WAC). Tipoff is 8:00 p.m. MST (7:00 p.m. PST) at the 16,116-seat Save Mart Center.
The Miners are coming off an 83-80, overtime win at Nevada on Wednesday. The Bulldogs improved to 7-2 at home with a 89-82 victory over Boise State on Thursday.
The Miners are 3-0 on the road this season, including 2-0 in WAC road games. UTEP hasn’t won three straight WAC away games since January 1994, when the Miners prevailed at Fresno State (58-57), Air Force (77-75) and Wyoming (67-64) in succession.
On The Radio
UTEP’s English flagship station is KROD 600 AM. Jon Teicher is in his 24th season as “Voice of the Miners.” Former Miner Steve Yellen is the color analyst. The pregame show begins at 7:30 p.m. MST. The game will also be carried on KBUY 1360 AM in Ruidoso, N.M.
On Television
Saturday’s game will be carried on Time Warner Cable Channel 7 in El Paso. Jon Teicher (play-by-play) and Steve Yellen (color commentary) will make the call in a simulcast with KROD 600 AM.
The Series
Fresno State leads the series 14-11, including 10-2 in matchups between the teams in Fresno. The Miners swept the Bulldogs last season for the first time since the 1965-66 campaign, winning 72-58 in El Paso and 58-55 in Fresno. UTEP has never beaten Fresno State three straight times; the Bulldogs’ longest winning streak in the series is four games, accomplished twice.
The Last Meeting
Filiberto Rivera hit four free throws in the final two minutes, and UTEP survived an ugly second half to beat Fresno State, 58-55, on Feb. 12, 2004 at the Save Mart Center.
The Miners led 42-32 at the half, but could only muster 16 points -- a season low total for a half -- after the break. UTEP trailed the Bulldogs 53-49 with under seven minutes to play. But Fresno State had no field goals and scored just two points over the final 7:22.
UTEP wasn’t much better during that stretch, collecting nine points with one field goal, a basket by Omar Thomas with 6:21 remaining.
Rivera’s free throws with 1:45 to go gave the Miners a 56-55 lead, and his charity shots with seven seconds left provided the final margin.
Shantay Legans, who scored 23 points for Fresno State, missed a 30-foot heave at the buzzer. He finished 7-20 from the field and 5-17 from three-point range. No other Bulldog player had more than nine points.
UTEP survived an off-night from its trio of star newcomers. Rivera, Thomas and Jason Williams were averaging a combined 39.5 points coming into the contest, but finished with 21 between them. They were 5-20 from the field collectively.
John Tofi (16 points) and Chris Craig (15 points) picked up the scoring slack for the Miners. Craig had all of his points in the first half, during which time he was 5-5 from beyond the arc. In fact, UTEP shot 75 percent (6-8) from three-point land and 60.9 percent from the field in the opening stanza.
UTEP attempted just 15 shots in the second half (making four), during which time the Miners committed eight turnovers.
Rivera scored 12 points for UTEP, which was victorious in Fresno for the first time since 1994.
Scouting The Bulldogs
Fresno State has been the WAC’s most-improved team early in the 2004-05 season. The Bulldogs are off to a 10-4 start -- including a 4-1 mark in league play. Fresno State was 14-15 a year ago, including 10-8 in the Western Athletic Conference (sixth place).
Of Fresno State’s top nine scorers, seven are newcomers. The Bulldogs have nine freshmen on their roster, including guard Donovan Morris who is averaging 12.0 points and 3.3 rebounds. Another rookie, forward Chris Berry, is averaging 5.9 points and 4.4 boards.
Another newcomer -- sophomore guard Ja’Vance Coleman -- leads Fresno State with an 18.5 ppg scoring average. Coleman is shooting 38.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The top returnee is senior center Mustafa Al-Sayyad, who is contributing 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest.
Fresno State’s 2004-05 victims include USC (71-68) and Hawaii (79-78).
Miners Versus Fresno State
Senior guard Filiberto Rivera is averaging 10 points and 5.5 assists lifetime against Fresno State, shooting 38.5 percent (5-13) from the field and 90 percent (9-10) from the charity stripe.
Senior forward Omar Thomas averaged 10.5 points versus the Bulldogs a year ago on 40 percent (8-20) shooting.
Junior guard Giovanni St. Amant has a career scoring average of 7.8 ppg against Fresno State, with a .348 (8-23) field goal percentage. St. Amant has shot 44 percent (4-9) from beyond the three-point line versus the Bulldogs. He has scored in double figures once in four career outings against Fresno State.
Junior forward John Tofi is shooting 59.5 percent (25-42) in his career versus the Bulldogs, averaging 14.8 points and 4.8 boards. He has scored in double figures in every game he has played against Fresno State, including 18 points versus the Bulldogs in El Paso a year ago.
Junior forward Jason Williams averaged 2.5 points versus Fresno State during the 2003-04 campaign, shooting 15.4 percent (2-13) from the floor.
Last Game: UTEP 83, Nevada 80 (OT)
Omar Thomas scored 28 points and Filiberto Rivera added 23 as UTEP knocked off Nevada, 83-80 in overtime, on Wednesday at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno.
The Miners (14-2, 4-0 WAC) moved a half-game ahead of the Wolf Pack (11-4, 4-1 WAC) into first place in the Western Athletic Conference standings.
UTEP led 39-15 with 4:51 to go in the first half on a layup by Rivera. But Nevada went on a 28-3 run to take a 43-42 advantage on a pair of free throws by Ramon Sessions with 17:02 remaining in the game.
The Wolf Pack went ahead by as many as seven points (54-47) on a basket by Nick Fazekas with 13:01 to play.
UTEP, which won its 10th straight game, battled back to tie the contest at 54 on a dunk by Jason Williams, setting up a thrilling final 15 minutes.
With Nevada leading 68-67, Rivera missed the front end of a one-and-one with 23 seconds left. Kevinn Pinkney made two free throws with 22 seconds to go for a 70-67 Wolf Pack lead, but Rivera drained an off-balance three-pointer with three seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
Miguel Ayala made two free throws with 25 seconds left in overtime to put UTEP up 83-80. Fazekas and Seth Taylor each missed three-pointers in the final seconds.
Thomas scored nine of the Miners’ 13 points in overtime, including a bucket with 1:04 remaining to give UTEP an 81-80 lead. He had 10 rebounds for his fourth career double-double.
John Tofi added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Miners. Williams and Will Kimble both fouled out in regulation, and Tofi ended the game with four fouls.
Fazekas led Nevada with 29 points, including 23 in the second half and overtime period. Mo Charlo added 19 points and Pinkney 11.
The Miners shot 49.1 percent. UTEP was perfect from the field (3-3) and the free throw line (6-6) in the overtime period. The Miners were 21-23 from the charity stripe on the night.
Nevada, which outrebounded UTEP 42-36, shot 42.6 percent.
UTEP had lost in its previous four trips to Reno by an average of 16.8 points.
Doc Debut Ranks Among Best in Nation
UTEP’s Doc Sadler is one of 38 coaches who are new at NCAA Division I-A institutions this season. He is one of three fresh faces in the WAC, joining Nevada’s Mark Fox and SMU’s Jimmy Tubbs.
Through Thursday, Sadler had the most wins (14) and the second-best winning percentage (.875) among new head coaches.
Sadler’s 14-2 start marks the best 16-game record by a first-year UTEP coach. Don Haskins is the only coach in school history to fashion a winning record in his first season at the helm of the program (his 1961-62 Miners finished 18-6).
Miners are 4-0
UTEP is off to a 4-0 start in WAC play for the first time since 1994-95, when the Miners won their first six league games.
UTEP has opened the WAC slate 5-0 in three seasons -- 1982-83 (5-0), 1991-92 (6-0) and 1994-95 (6-0). The 1982-83 and 1991-92 teams ultimately advanced to the NCAA Tournament, and the 1994-95 squad reached the postseason NIT.
Winning Streak at 10 Games
The Miners have won 10 straight games, their longest streak since the 1991-92 season when they rolled to 12 victories in a row.
UTEP has won 10 or more games consecutively in five previous seasons -- 1963-64 (16 in a row), 1965-66 (23), 1983-84 (15), 1985-86 (14) and 1991-92 (12). All five of those teams went on to receive NCAA Tournament bids.
UTEP’s current winning skein is the sixth-longest in school history.
Through Thursday, UTEP’s 10-game winning streak was tied for sixth in the nation behind Illinois (17), North Carolina (14), Boston College (13), Kansas and Duke (12 each). Minnesota had also won 10 consecutive games.
Noting the Winning Streak
During the 10-game winning streak, UTEP has averaged 82.7 points to opponents’ 60.8 (+21.9 scoring margin). The Miners’ field goal percentage has been .493 during the streak, compared to .393 for foes. UTEP has also shot 246 free throws during this stretch (24.6 avg.), while opponents have attempted 166 (16.6 avg.). Foes have committed 160 turnovers (16.0 avg.) to only 118 for the Miners (11.8 avg.). UTEP has averaged 18.8 assists and 11.8 turnovers per game during the victory streak. The Miners are shooting 80.1 percent (197-246) from the foul line during this span.
The Miners have led by an average of 13 points at halftime in the 10 victories.
Junior forward Jason Williams is averaging 13.9 points during the streak while shooting 53.1 percent from the field. Senior forward Omar Thomas is averaging 20.7 points on 54.1 percent shooting. Junior guard Miguel Ayala is shooting 45.5 percent (20-44) from three-point range. Senior guard Filiberto Rivera is shooting 48.6 percent (17-35) from beyond the arc and has a 70-18 assist/turnover ratio. Junior guard Giovanni St. Amant has made 20-21 free throws (.952) during the winning streak.
Going Overtime
UTEP played its first overtime game since March, 2003 on Wednesday at Nevada. The Miners held off the Wolf Pack 83-80. Fittingly, it was “O.T.,” Omar Thomas, who came up big in the extra period. Thomas scored nine of the Miners’ 13 points in the overtime session.
UTEP’s last overtime game was a 74-73 loss at San Jose State on March 6, 2003. The Miners won an overtime game on Wednesday for the first time since Jan. 25, 2003, when they upended Boise State 85-78 in the Don Haskins Center. It was UTEP’s first overtime victory on the road since March 12, 1993 at Utah (90-85 win). The win over Nevada snapped a six-game losing streak in road overtime affairs.
The Miners are now 50-32 all-time in overtime games, including 18-15 on the road.
15 Wins Fast?
UTEP has a chance to reach 15 wins by Jan. 15 on Saturday for just the third time in school history. The 1963-64 Miners were 15-1 through Jan. 15, and the 1983-84 UTEP team was 15-0 through Jan. 15.
The Miners will be 15-2 if they beat Fresno State. The 2000-01 UTEP squad also started 15-2, but didn’t register its 15th win until Jan. 22.
Offensive Juggernaut Keeps on Rolling
Earlier this year, the Miners scored 90+ points in three straight WAC games for the first time in school history. It marked the first time that UTEP registered three consecutive 90-point games since 1968-69.
The Miners scored 83 points at Nevada on Wednesday, the most allowed by the Wolf Pack on their home floor since Feb. 15, 2003 (99-97 overtime loss to Louisiana Tech).
UTEP is averaging 93.8 points in conference games only. Through four conference games, UTEP’s scoring margin is +20.3 points per game. The WAC record for scoring margin in league games only is held by TCU (+20.5 ppg during the 1997-98 campaign).
UTEP has led the WAC in scoring margin for conference games only on four occasions (1969-70, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1991-92).
The Miners also lead the league in scoring margin for all games (+16.7 ppg). UTEP was the WAC leader in scoring margin on eight previous occasions (1969-70, 1971-72, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89, 2003-04). The school record for scoring margin in a season is owned by the 1963-64 Miners (+17.2 ppg).
Raining Triples
UTEP has made 39 three-pointers in four WAC games, including 13 at Boise State on Jan. 1. The Miners have a better three-point field goal percentage (.542) than field goal percentage (.522) in conference action.
Two Miners have hit six three-pointers in WAC games already this season. Junior guard Miguel Ayala drained six triples versus Rice on Jan. 6. He became the second Miner to hit six or more three-pointers in a reserve role. Henry Hall buried six three-pointers in 28 minutes off the bench at BYU on Jan. 11, 1990.
On Wednesday at Nevada, senior guard Filiberto Rivera was 6-8 from beyond the arc.
Rivera is shooting 61.9 percent (13-21) from three-point territory in WAC games. Ayala is shooting 60.9 percent (14-23).
The Miners have hit eight or more three-pointers in four straight games for the first time since Jan. 4-16, 2003 (eight versus San Jose State, eight at Nevada, nine at Fresno State, eight versus Tulsa).
Hot Shooting Miners
UTEP has shot over 50 percent in five games this season, including four of the last six. Over the last six contests, the Miners’ field goal percentage is .530 (184-347). The Miners have shot 50 percent or better from three-point territory in three of the last four outings.
UTEP collected 13 three-point field goals against Boise State on Jan. 1, the most for the Miners since registering a school-record 15 in the 2003-04 season opener versus UT Permian Basin. UTEP’s 59.1 three-point percentage versus Boise State ranks ninth-best (minimum 10 attempts) in school history.
Additionally, the Miners were perfect (10-10) from the foul line versus BSU for the first time since Jan. 13, 1977 against Arizona State (11-11).
Seventy = Success
The Miners have scored 70 points in eight of the last nine games. Scoring 70 points has translated to winning games over the last three seasons. Since the start of the 2002-03 campaign, UTEP is 36-4 when scoring 70 points (10-0 this season), and 8-30 when totaling less than 70 points (4-2 this season).
UTEP established season-highs for points in a game (105) and a half (57) on Jan. 8 against Tulsa.
The Miners have limited 12 of 16 opponents this season to fewer than 70 points, although three of the last four have scored 70 or more. On Wednesday, Nevada became the first team to score 80 points on UTEP this season, although it took the Wolf Pack an overtime period to get to 80.
While 70 may be the magic number on offense, 65 is the magic number on defense. UTEP is 25-1 in its last 26 games (10-0 this season) when holding opponents to 65 points or less. The only setback during this stretch was on March 6, 2004 at Boise State, 59-45.
UTEP on the Road
The Miners are 3-0 on the road this season, winning at New Mexico State (75-64) on Dec. 15, Boise State (91-77) on Jan. 1 and Nevada (83-80 in overtime) on Jan. 12.
UTEP is trying to win its first four road games in a season for the first time since 2000-01, when the Miners were victorious in their first five away contests.
Three Miners have double-figure scoring averages on the road this season -- senior forward Omar Thomas (22.3 ppg), senior guard Filiberto Rivera (15.3 ppg) and junior forward Jason Williams (13.3 ppg). Junior forward John Tofi is averaging 8.7 rebounds in road games.
Thomas is shooting 55.6 percent (25-45) from the field on the road. Williams is shooting 51.6 percent (16-31), including 60 percent (3-5) from beyond the arc. Rivera is shooting 55 percent (11-20) from long range.
UTEP has enjoyed a 382-272 advantage over opponents in free throw attempts this season, but the Miners trail this category (62-46) in road games. The Miners have averaged 11 turnovers on the road while forcing an average of 13.
Free Throw Line a Friendly Place
UTEP is leading the WAC in free throw percentage (.777) for the second straight season. The current Miner record for seasonal field goal percentage is .766, established during the 1968-69 campaign.
Junior guard Giovanni St. Amant leads UTEP with a .914 free throw percentage in 2004-05. UTEP’s regular rotation of guards -- St. Amant, Filiberto Rivera and Miguel Ayala -- have combined to shoot 87.1 percent (88-101) from the foul line.
The Miners have made more free throws (297) than their opponents have attempted (272) for the second year in a row. Overall UTEP is 22-1 in its last 23 games when shooting more charity shots than the opposition. The only loss during that span was on Nov. 27 against Southern Illinois, when the Miners fell 68-62 despite enjoying an edge in free throw tries, 20-17. UTEP has gone to the line more often than the opposition in 12 of 16 games this season, including six of the last eight. UTEP is 9-0 in 2004-05 when shooting a better free throw percentage than foes.
Thomas 15-Point Streak Now at 17 Games
Senior forward Omar Thomas has scored 15 points or more in 17 straight games, the longest streak by a Miner player since Brandon Wolfram also hit for 15+ points in 17 straight contests a few years ago.
Antoine Gillespie scored 15 points or more in 26 straight contests spanning over two seasons (1993-94, 1994-95).
Thomas has shot 50 percent or better from the floor 32 times in 48 games as a Miner. He has scored in double figures 43 times in the 48 games, and produced 20 points or more on 14 occasions.
While Thomas has put up some eye-popping numbers in two seasons in the Sun City, statistics indicate that the Miners are a better team when they are spreading the wealth. UTEP is 14-8 in Thomas’ career when he leads the team in scoring, and 24-2 when he either ties for the team lead or someone else is the high point man.
Winning Time With Williams
While Omar Thomas may be UTEP’s leading point producer and Filiberto Rivera may be perceived to be the team leader, UTEP’s fortunes have generally hinged on Jason Williams’ performance. The Miners are 27-5 in Williams’ career when he scores in double figures, 13-0 when he leads the team in scoring and 6-0 when he has a 20-point game.
The jack-of-all-trades Williams is first on the team in rebounding (6.2 rpg) and steals (1.4 spg), and second in scoring (13.5 ppg) and assists (3.0 apg). He has scored in double figures in 12 games this season, second only to Omar Thomas who has recorded 10+ points in all 16 outings.
Since turning the ball over 11 times versus Oklahoma Panhandle State on Dec. 12, Williams has played much more under control over the last nine contests. He has averaged 2.1 turnovers during that span, compared to 3.2 in the first 39 games of his collegiate career. Williams has had four turnovers total in the last three games. His assist-turnover ratio in WAC play is 14-8. Over each of the last seven games, Williams has either had more assists than turnovers or an equal number.
Opponents Getting Their Fill of Fili
UTEP senior guard Filiberto Rivera returned to the lineup on Dec. 15 at New Mexico State after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury.
The Miners went 2-1 in Rivera’s absence, beating IPFW (67-58) and Oklahoma Panhandle State (69-44) and losing to Texas Tech (72-57).
UTEP averaged 64.3 points in the three games, shooting 42.7 percent from the field and averaging 19.0 turnovers. Over the last nine games -- with Rivera back at the controls -- the Miners have averaged 84.2 points and 11.2 turnovers. UTEP has had 15 turnovers or more just five times in Rivera’s 13 games this season. The Miners have had single-digit turnovers in five games this season. After compiling a 48-5 assist/turnover ratio in his previous six games, Rivera had seven miscues on Wednesday at Nevada, tying his career-high set on Feb. 23, 2004 versus Hawaii.
40-40 Club
UTEP is 12-1 this season when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, and 8-0 when holding opponents to less than 40 percent accuracy.
Teams are shooting 39.6 percent from the field against the Miners (best since 1973-74) and 30.9 percent from three-point distance (best ever). UTEP has forced 265 turnovers in 16 games (16.6 avg.). Last year, the Miners coerced opponents into turning over the basketball 521 times (16.3 avg.), the second-best single-season total in school annals. The record is held by the 1986-87 Miners, who forced 551 turnovers in 32 games (17.2 avg.).
Only three teams have shot 50 percent against the Miners in their last 63 games, and none in 2004-05. UTEP’s current streak stands at 21 games holding foes under 50 percent shooting. The last team to shoot 50 percent against the Miners was SMU on Feb. 28, 2004 (.553).
The Miners turned in a stellar defensive effort versus Princeton on Dec. 28. UTEP allowed just 42 points, the lowest total by a Miner opponent since Air Force also scored 42 points versus UTEP on Feb. 7, 1991. Thirty of Princeton’s 36 field goal attempts were three-point shots, including 17 of 19 in the second half.
UTEP has held three teams to less than 50 points (Oklahoma Panhandle State, Occidental College, Princeton) this season, marking the first time that has happened at the school since 1990-91 (three times).
Sellout City
UTEP has had capacity crowds of 12,000 in 10 of its last 24 home games dating back to last season. The Miners have had two sellouts in 2004-05 (Texas Tech, New Mexico State). UTEP’s average home attendance this season is 9,495.
The Miners have had 98 sellouts all-time in the Don Haskins Center, which opened for business on Feb. 3, 1977. UTEP averaged 10,282 fans a year ago; the Miners haven’t averaged 9,000 or more patrons in back-to-back campaigns since 1989-90.
Bench Bits
UTEP has had an edge in bench points in six of the last eight games. The Miner reserves were outscored in each of the previous seven contests.
Over the last three games, the subs have produced 93 points (31.0 avg.), including 45 against Tulsa on Jan. 8. The 45 bench points were the most for the Miners since Dec. 27, 2003 versus Mississippi Valley State (45).
UTEP’s bench is averaging 19.7 points in 2004-05.
Junior guard Miguel Ayala is the Miners’ top scorer off the bench this season (94 points in 13 games, 7.2 avg.). Ayala netted 20 points off the pine on Jan. 6 versus Rice, the best scoring game by a UTEP reserve in 2004-05. Ayala
has scored in double figures off the bench three times this season, while junior guard Giovanni St. Amant and senior center Will Kimble have accomplished this feat twice and junior forward John Tofi once.
Rebound of Sorts on the Boards
If there was one weakness on last year’s Miner team that galloped to a 24-8 record, it was in the rebounding department. UTEP had a -0.1 rebound margin on the year, including -1.9 in WAC games, and was outboarded in 18 of 32 contests.
Improvement has been evident early in the 2004-05 campaign. The Miners have a +5.4 rebound margin through 16 games, their best since 1981-82 (+6.5 rebound margin). UTEP had double-digit rebound margins against Jackson State (51-30), Arizona State (42-31), Alabama State (41-22) and Tulsa (46-26).
UTEP has won the rebounding battle in 10 of 16 games this season -- including seven of the last 10.
Three Miners are averaging at least six rebounds per game -- junior forward Jason Williams (6.2 rpg), senior forward Omar Thomas (6.1 rpg) and junior forward John Tofi (6.0 rpg). Tofi has averaged 9.2 boards over the last four games.
Youmans is New
Freshman guard Ervin Youmans (Hobbs, N.M.) is not in the UTEP media guide, but has played in five games this season.
The 5-11, 165-pound Youmans led the state of New Mexico in scoring last year at Hobbs High School, collecting 28 points per outing. He also averaged five assists, five steals and two rebounds. A two-time All-State honoree as a prep, Youmans had game-highs of 41 points and six assists. He was the second-leading scorer in New Mexico as a junior, when he averaged 21 points.
Rivera Has 10-Assist Game
Senior guard Filiberto Rivera picked up his first career 10-assist performance on Dec. 15 at New Mexico State. He had 12 assists on Dec. 27 versus Alabama State, tied for the third-top game total in school annals.
Rivera is the ninth Miner to post 10 or more assists in a game, joining Tim Hardaway (four times), Eddie Rivera (three times), Prince Stewart (three times), Joe Griffin (twice), Eggie McRae (twice), Rudy Alvarez, Eugene Costello and Ed Haller.
Rivera has had no turnovers three times this season, and eight times in 45 career games. He has had more turnovers than assists just four times in his career, most recently on Wednesday at Nevada (six assists/seven turnovers). It was the first time since Feb. 19, 2004 (versus San Jose State) that he had more flaws than assists.
Turnovers are Few and Far Between
The Miners have committed just 52 turnovers over the last five games (10.4 avg.). UTEP had a 26-7 assist/turnover ratio against Rice on Jan. 6. The Miners’ assist/turnover ratio in WAC play is 86-46.
The Miners have had more assists than turnovers in six of the last seven games, and 10 times in 16 contests this season.
17-0 is Longest Run
UTEP had a 17-0 scoring run in the first half versus Delaware State, turning a 15-14 deficit into a 31-15 advantage. UTEP had a 16-0 run against Tulsa and Nevada, and a 14-0 spurt versus Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Miners had runs of 21-0, 17-0, 16-0 and 15-0 (twice) during last season’s march to the NCAA Tournament.
The longest opponent run in 2004-05 is 15-0 by Nevada on Jan. 12.
Still the One
UTEP is the only school in the state of Texas to win a national title on the hardwood (1966). The Miners have made 23 postseason tournament appearances and captured 12 WAC titles (eight regular season, four tournament).
The 1966 national champion Miners are the subject of a Disney feature film, Glory Road, coming in 2005. The film stars Josh Lucas (A Beautiful Mind, Sweet Home Alabama) as legendary UTEP coach Don Haskins and Academy Award winner Jon Voight as Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp.
Miners Picked First
UTEP was listed first in both the preseason WAC coaches’ and media polls, which were released in October.
In the coaches’ poll, the Miners received 77 total points and five first place votes. Rice was second (75 points/five first-place votes), Louisiana Tech third (59 points), Nevada fourth (53 points), Hawaii fifth (51 points), SMU sixth (45 points), Boise State seventh (32 points), Tulsa eighth (27 points), Fresno State ninth (21 points) and San Jose State 10th (10 points).
In the media poll, UTEP garnered 186 total points and 13 of a possible 20 first-place votes. Rice was second (178 points/five first-place votes), Nevada third (136 points/one first-place vote), Hawaii fourth (130 points/one first-place vote), Louisiana Tech fifth (127 points), Boise State sixth (111 points), SMU seventh (75 points), Fresno State eighth (71 points), Tulsa ninth (65 points) and San Jose State 10th (21 points).
UTEP senior guard Filberto Rivera was named first team All-WAC by the coaches, and senior forward/guard Omar Thomas was a second team honoree. Rivera was also tabbed to the media’s preseason All-WAC squad.
Miners Win Sun Bowl Tournament
UTEP defeated Alabama State (89-57) and Princeton (68-42) on Dec. 27-28 to capture its second consecutive State Farm Sun Bowl Basketball Tournament title. The Miners hadn’t won the tournament in successive years since 1990-91.
Senior forward Omar Thomas was chosen tournament MVP for the second year in a row. He averaged 25 points in the two games, shooting 72 percent (18-25) from the field and 74 percent (14-19) from the line. In four career State Farm Sun Bowl Basketball Tournament games, Thomas has averaged 23 points on 71 percent (32-45) field goal shooting and 74 percent (28-38) free throw shooting.
Thomas is the first player to earn MVP honors of the tournament in back-to-back seasons since UTEP’s Tim Hardaway in 1987 and 1988. Thomas joins Hardaway, Nate Archibald (1968-69), Gary Brewster (1972, 1974-75), Anthony Burns (1979-80) and Fred Reynolds (1981, 1983) as the only multiple MVP winners in the history of the tournament, which originated in 1961 (tournament officials first began selecting an MVP in 1968).
C-USA in 05
UTEP will shift to Conference USA effective on July 1, 2005. The Miners will join WAC brethren Rice, SMU and Tulsa in the new-look league which will also include Central Florida, East Carolina, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane and UAB.
Last year C-USA advanced eight men’s basketball teams to postseason play (six NCAA, two NIT).
UTEP has been a member of the Western Athletic Conference since September, 1967.
Miner Nuggets
UTEP was fourth in the nation in free throw percentage (.777) and tied for 17th in scoring margin (+16.7 ppg) through Thursday. Individually, senior guard Filiberto Rivera was tied for 12th in assists (6.6 apg), junior guard Giovanni St. Amant was 15th in free throw percentage (.914) and senior forward Omar Thomas was 18th in scoring (20.4 ppg)...the Miners have won their first four games in the month of January for the first time since the 2000-01 season. UTEP hasn’t opened January 5-0 since 1994-95 (6-0)...Fresno State assistant coach Guy Beach was a member of the UTEP staff for two seasons (1999-00, 2000-01)...St. Amant has made 24 of his last 25 free throws (.960)...Rivera is averaging 7.7 assists over the last seven games...starters have scored 930 of UTEP’s 1,245 points in 2004-05 (75 percent)...Rivera joined Thomas on the State Farm Sun Bowl All-Tournament Team...Thomas is on pace to become only the third UTEP player to total 1,000 points in two seasons, joining Jim Barnes (1962-64) and Antoine Gillespie (1992-94). Thomas owns 821 career points...Thomas has shot a free throw in 46 of 48 career games. He is the only Miner to go to the line in every game this season...UTEP has made at least one three-pointer in 121 straight games...UTEP overcame a 10-point deficit to beat Arizona State. The Miners trailed 39-29 and 41-31...the Miners shot 62.5 percent from the field in the season opener versus Delaware State, their best effort since hitting 64 percent of their shots at Colorado State on Feb. 29, 1992.
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