Game Notes In PDF Format

OPENING TIP
The UTEP men's basketball team (4-1) will take aim at a perfect record (2-0 thus far) in the Jim Forbes Classic presented by Speaking Rock when it locks up with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi  (4-2) at 2 p.m. MT Friday. Mattress Firm is the Presenting Sponsor of UTEP Men's Basketball. As part of a special "Black Friday" promotion, fans can purchase any available seat in the Don Haskins Center for $9.15. They are available by visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or by calling (915) 747-UTEP. Purchasing a ticket for the UTEP contest will afford fans admission into the non-UTEP game for the day. The Miners have won back-to-back overtime contests for the first time since the 2016-17 season (toppled FIU & Florida Atlantic), having bested Alcorn State (73-61) in double OT on Nov. 22 and CSUB (68-67) in OT on Nov. 23. UTEP is riding a four-game winning streak, its first in the month of November since starting the 2019-20 season at 5-0. Both teams find themselves in the top 50 of the RPI according to CBSSports.com, with the Islanders rating 36th and the Miners rating 42nd. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is coming off a 98-67 throttling of Alcorn State on Nov. 23 after having fallen to CSUB, 73-63, in its opener at the event on Nov. 22. The game will be broadcast on 600 ESPN El Paso and streamed on CUSA.tv. (subscription required). Jon Teicher (42nd year) and Steve Yellen (20th year) will be on the call on "The Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso for Friday's contest.  
 
SEASON-LONG HOMESTRETCH CONTINUES
The Miners are 4-0 thus far on their season-long five-game homestand, including consecutive wins in overtime to start the Jim Forbes Classic presented by Speaking Rock. Friday's match-up with CSUB will conclude the stretch.
 
SERIES HISTORY: TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI (UTEP LEADS, 2-1)
UTEP leads the series with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2-1. Two of the three match-ups have occurred in El Paso, with the other coming at a neutral site. The Miners blasted the Islanders, 82-56, in the first meeting on Dec. 8, 2001. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi avenged the setback the following season by besting UTEP, 77-72, on Feb. 18, 2003. In the most-recent meeting, the Orange and Blue clipped the Islanders, 54-52, on Nov. 13, 2007.
 
GET TO KNOW TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is the defending Southland Conference champions and a 2022 NCAA Tournament participant. The Islanders are also one of just three teams (Dayton, TCU the others) in the country to have returned all five starters and their top five scorers from last season. A&M-Corpus Christi brought back 85 percent of its scoring and 88 percent of its rebounders. It was picked to win the SLC in the league's preseason poll while placing four on the preseason team (Terrion Murdix, Isaac Mushila and Tre Tennyson, first team; Simeon Fryer, second team). The Islanders have a high-scoring attack that produces 78.0 points per game (second SLC/100th nation). Four different players are in double figures for scoring in the form of Mushila (13.7 ppg), Tennyson (13.2 ppg), Ross Williams (12.8 ppg) and Murdix (10.8 ppg).    Mushila is pulling down 10.5 rpg (first SLC-ninth NCAA) to average a double-double on the season. He was recently named to the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award Watch List. Defensively the Islanders' pressure forces 18.5 giveaways (third SLC/28th NCAA) per contest, aided by 10.5 steals (third SLC/24th NCAA) per game. They also do a good job at the charity stripe, leading the SLC and checking in 31st nationally with a readout of 77.2 percent. The Islanders are under the direction of second-year head coach Steve Lutz (27-14). Notable alumni include Kim Hankel (co-writer of the horror film Texas Chain Saw Massacre) and Sarah Pauly (softball All-American and seven-time professional All Star).
 
LAST TIME OUT: AT UTEP 68,  CSU Bakersfield 67, OT (11/23/22)
Shamar Givance hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left in overtime as the UTEP men's basketball team toppled CSU Bakersfield, 68-67, to improve to 2-0 at the Jim Forbes Classic presented by Speaking Rock on Nov. 23. There were seven ties and 16 lead changes in the game, including eight alone in the five-minute overtime period. The Roadrunners were up by one, 65-64, with 14 seconds left before Mario McKinney (career-high 17 points, eight boards), sank two clutch free throws to put UTEP (4-1) ahead by one. CSUB's Cedquavious Hunter knocked down a jumper with seven seconds to play, giving the visitors a one-point edge (67-66). With no timeouts left, Givance (season-high 14 points) drove the length of the court and was fouled in the middle of the lane. He then calmly sank both tosses at the charity stripe to clinch UTEP's fourth consecutive win. Ze'Rik Onyema (10 points) hit double figures for the fifth time in as many games this year to join McKinney and Givance in double figures for scoring. Tae Hardy (seven points), who nailed an important triple in overtime, Jamari Sibley (seven points) and Carlos Lemus (seven points), showed flashes on offense as well. The Miners connected on 49.1 percent from the floor while holding CSUB to 39.1 percent. UTEP forced 17 turnovers that led to 23 points. The Roadrunners won the boards (44-30) but it wasn't enough to make up in other areas.
 
TALKING OVERTIME
UTEP has gone to overtime in back-to-back contests at the Jim Forbes Classic presented by Speaking Rock, defeating Alcorn State, 73-61, in double OT on Nov. 22 before besting CSUB, 68-67, in OT the ensuing day. It marked the first time since the Miners knocked off FIU (88-87, 2OT, 1/14/17) and Florida Atlantic (66-65, OT, 1/16/17) in consecutive contests during the 2016-17 season. Overall, UTEP is now 69-46 all time in overtime contests, including 3-1 under head coach Joe Golding.
 
FINDING A WAY TO WIN
UTEP has allowed 20+ offensive rebounds in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2000-01 season (W, 71-67 at San Jose State, 1/13/01; L, 87-76, Tulsa, 1/20/01) while shooting a combined 34-64 at the free-throw line and a combined 5-32 on 3-pointers, but has won both of its contests at the Jim Forbes Classic presented by Speaking Rock. A big factor has been the Miners holding Alcorn State and CSUB to a combined 34.6 percent from the floor. UTEP has also shot 47.2 percent.
 
GETTING TO THE LINE
Even though the Orange and Blue are struggling to knock down free throws (57.1 percent), they have done well to pile up the attempts. UTEP is attempting 26.2 tosses per contest (second C-USA/10th NCAA), aiding by piling up 43 attempts against Alcorn State on Nov. 22. It marked the most free throw attempts by UTEP since taking 47 in a season-opening victory against Loyola on Nov. 14, 2016. The Miners' 15.2 free throws made per contest is second in the country and 74th in the nation. Overall, UTEP has attempted 133 free throws compared to 102 by the opposition. Tae Hardy (16-25), Calvin Solomon (9-22), Ze'Rik Onyema (11-19), Shamar Givance (11-16) Otis Frazier III (11-14) and Kevin Kalu (6-13) all have 10+ attempts thus far.
 
HARDY DOING IT
Southern Miss transfer Tae Hardy is doing a little bit of everything this year, pacing the Miners in both scoring (11.6 ppg) and assists (2.6 apg) while sharing the team lead for blocks per game (1.0 bpg). He's also shown tremendous endurance, leading C-USA and rating 67th in the country with 34.4 minutes per game. Hardy has been a consistent scorer, tallying at least eight points in all five contests of the season
 
GIVANCE PICKING UP SCORING
After combining for a total of 13 points the first three contests of the campaign, Evansville transfer Shamar Givance is picking up his scoring. He has posted back-to-back double-digit totals, including a season-high 14 points in the OT win against CSUB on Nov. 23. Two of those points came at the charity stripe with 3.0 seconds remaining in OT  to send the Miners to the win.
 
ONYEMA STEPPING UP
After failing to reach double figures in scoring over his first two seasons with the Orange and Blue, forward Ze'Rik Onyema has done so in all five games this year. He's the lone Miner on the squad to do so. That includes recording his first career double-double (10 points, career-high 10 rebounds in the win vs. Alcorn State on Nov. 22. He tops the squad in rebounding (5.8 rpg), is second in field-goal percentage (72.4) and third for second in scoring (10.8 ppg). He put up 2.0 ppg and 1.6 rpg in 2021-22.
 
KALU FINISHING AT THE RIM
Kevin Kalu has done good work inside, making 11-of-15 for a team-leading 73.3 field-goal percentage on the season. Overall, he is putting up 5.6 ppg (1.5 ppg as a freshman last year).
 
POINTS ACROSS THE BOARD
Seven different players are scoring between 7.0 and 12.0 points per game thus far, with Tae Hardy (11.8 ppg), Otis Frazier III (11.0 ppg) and Ze'Rik Onyema (10.8 ppg) and Mario McKinney Jr. (10.3 ppg) are all in double figures to lead the way while Shamar Givance (7.4 ppg), Jamari Sibley (7.4 ppg) and Calvin Solomon (7.0 ppg) have also shown off their offensive prowess thus far. It's very early in the year, but the last time the Orange and Blue had at least seven plays contribute 7.0 or more ppg in a season was in 2017-18 when seven players pitched in at least 7.0 ppg.
 
VAULTING UP THE RANKINGS IN STEALS
UTEP's pressure defense has resulted in 9.6 steals per game to rate second in Conference USA and 47th in the country. Aiding that figure was a school-record 24 steals in the victory against Sul Ross State on Nov. 15. Six different Miners had at least three steals in the contest to help them surge past the prior school standard of 21 which had stood since 1994 (against Cardinal Stich on Dec. 20, 1994). Several of those thefts were the result of UTEP players hitting the deck in pursuit of loose balls, even with the game well in hand.
 
THE BENCH BUNCH
The Miners' bench has provided at least 15 points in all four games this year, including going off for a season-high 51 against Sul Ross State on Nov. 15. Overall, UTEP reserves are contributing 26.6 points per game to place sixth in Conference USA and 101st nationally.
 
GET OUT AND RUN
The Miners' have used the opponent's 20.2 turnovers per game to help them get out into transition for easy baskets. The Orange and Blue are accounting for 14.0 fastbreak points per game, which is third in Conference USA and 69th in the country.
 
DON'T TRY THE 3
UTEP has been stingy at shutting down opponents from 3-point range, with foes shooting 26.7 from beyond-the-arc. That effort is second in Conference USA and 40th in the nation.
 
TURNOVER MACHINES
The opposition has had a hard time of taking care of the ball against UTEP, with foes averaging 20.2 turnovers per game (first Conference USA/14th NCAA). That figure was aided by forcing the most turnovers (32) by a Miner opponent in nine years in the win against Sul Ross State on Nov. 15. All five foes have recorded at least 15 giveaways, with a pair making 20+.
 
KNOCKING DOWN SHOTS
UTEP has connected on 48.2 percent from the floor, which is third in Conference USA and 67th nationally. Making that feat even more impressive is the fact that the Miners thus far are shooting 20.5 percent (16-78) from beyond-the-arc.
 
THERE WAS PLENTY OF PRODUCTION TO REPLACE
Between Jamari Sibley, Kevin Kalu and Ze'Rik Onyema, the Miners returned just 20.8 percent of their rebounding, 11.1 percent of their scoring and 9.0 percent of their assists from the 2021-22 squad. In total, the Miners lost four starters and 12 letter winners from last year's squad, including a pair of All-Conference USA performers in Souley Boum (second team) and Jamal Bieniemy (third team).
 
WHAT A CROWD
UTEP played in front of an almost capacity crowd of 11,315 fans in the win against NM State on Nov. 12. It marked the largest home attendance for the Miners since an actual sellout (12,000) of the Don Haskins Center when they beat WKU, 93-89, in a game commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1966 Texas Western NCAA Champions.
 
NEW-LOOK TEAM
UTEP lost four starters and 12 letter winners from last year's team, giving the Miners a new look in year two under head coach Joe Golding. UTEP brought in six Division I transfers (Otis Frazier III, George Mason, Shamar Givance, Evansville, Tae Hardy, Southern Miss, Garrett Levesque, Tarleton State, Mario McKinney Jr., NM State and Calvin Solomon, Stephen F. Austin) while adding four junior-college transfers (Jon Dos Anjos, Florida SouthWestern College), Derick Hamilton, Bossier Parish CC, Carlos Lemus, Chipola College and Malik Zachery, South Plains) and two true freshmen (Antwonne Holmes, Chapin HS, El Paso, Texas, and Jamal Sumlin, Rhodes HS, Cleveland, Ohio). It should be noted that Dos Anjos spent his freshman campaign at Loyola Marymount (Calif.) before going the junior-college route.
 
EXPERIENCED D1 TRANSFERS
The Miners' six DI transfers combined to play in 312 contests, including making 150 starts, prior to their arrival in the Sun City. Shamar Givance (Evansville, 118 GP, 63 GS) and Calvin Solomon (Stephen F. Austin, 82 GP, 56 GS) are the most experienced of the bunch, but Otis Frazier III, George Mason, 35 GP), Mario McKinney Jr. (NM State, 38 GP, 5 GS) and Tae Hardy (Southern Miss, 30 GP, 26 GS) also have 30+ appearances.
 
HOME COOKING
Friday's contest is the fifth of 18 at home (4-0 thus far) for the Orange and Blue this year. They will have 10 Conference USA tilts. UTEP is in the midst of playing three home tilts in four days this week as part of the inaugural Jim Forbes Classic Presented by Speaking Rock (a multi-teams event). It will also have the 61st-annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational (Dec. 21-22). The Miners entered the 2022-23 campaign having registered three straight seasons with 10+ wins at home, including compiling 12 victories inside the Don Haskins a year ago. Aiding in that effort was UTEP leading C-USA in total attendance (88,125) with nearly 90,000 fans passing through the turnstiles.
 
LIFE ON THE ROAD
UTEP fell at No. 12 Texas, 72-57, in its season opener on Nov. 7. It marked the first time to begin the season with a true road game since a
73-61 victory at Pac-12 foe Washington on Nov. 21, 2000. Overall, the Miners will have 13 road games (0-1 thus far) on the year (three nonconference, 10 C-USA). UTEP went 7-6 in 2021-22 on the road, its first winning road record since forging a mark of 8-2 in 2013-14.
 
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
The Nov. 7 opener at No. 12/12 Texas was broadcast nationally on the Longhorn Network. It marked the first of 17 contests to be broadcast/streamed on nationwide platforms, with 13 on ESPN+, and one each on ESPNU, FS1, the Longhorn Network and Stadium.
 
A YEAR IN REVIEW
-    UTEP (20-14) posted its first 20+ win season since going 22-11 in 2014-15. It marked the 27th 20+ win campaign in program history.
-    The Miners notched their first postseason appearance since 2015 and first postseason win since 2009.
-    The Miners finished 11-7 in league play to secure their first winning conference record since forging a mark of 12-6 in 2016-17. That was aided by winning 10 of 14 down the stretch, including halting back-to-back C-USA West Division Champion North Texas' 15-game winning streak, 70-68, on "Senior Day" on March 5.
-    UTEP downed Old Dominion, 74-64, on March 9 for its first victory at the C-USA Championships in five years.
-    UTEP's seven road wins were the most since going 8-2 in 2013-14.
-    The Miners had their first winning road record (5-4) in league play since 2016-17.
-    UTEP's five league road wins surpassed its total (four) of such games from the prior three seasons combined.
-    UTEP had a six-game conference USA winning streak (Jan. 15 to Feb. 5), which was its longest since also posting six straight wins  in 2016 (2/4-20/16). It marked the fifth winning streak of at least six C-USA games since the Miners joined the league in 2005-06.
 
THE BASIC FACTS ON UTEP
-    This is the 102nd season of UTEP men's basketball. The Miners made history by starting five African-Americans to defeat Kentucky, 72-65, and win the 1966 NCAA Championship on the way to inspiring the Disney hit movie Glory Road. Overall, UTEP has 17 NCAA Tournament appearances (last in 2010), 11 NIT bids (last in 2015), 12 conference championships (last in 2010) and 27 seasons with at least 20+ victories (last in 2022). The Miners have won five league tournaments (last in 2005).
-    The Miners have a strong presence in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with Don Haskins, Nate Archibald, Nolan Richardson, the 1966 team and Tim Hardaway all representing UTEP.
-    UTEP finished 20-14 in 2021-22, which was its most wins since going 22-11 in 2014-15.
-    The Miners returned one starter (Jamari Sibley), and eight letter winners overall. The two other returning letter winners are Kevin Kalu and Ze'Rik Onyema.
-    UTEP has 12 newcomers: Jon Dos Anjos, Otis Frazier III, Shamar Givance, Derick Hamilton, Tae Hardy, Antwonne Holmes, Carlos Lemus, Garrett Levesque, Mario McKinney Jr., Calvin Solomon, Jamal Sumlin and Malik Zachery.
 
GET TO KNOW COACH GOLDING
Joe Golding is in his second year at UTEP, and is the 20th head coach in program history. He is the eighth head coach for the Miners since legendary Hall of Fame Coach Don Haskins retired following the 1998-99 season. Golding is 182-159 in his 12th season as a collegiate head coach, including 24-15 at UTEP. Last year he became the fourth head coach (20 total) in program history to have a winning season in their first year on the sideline. Don Haskins was the first when he directed the Miners to a mark of 18-6 in 1961-62. Doc Sadler (27-8, 2004-05) and Tim Floyd (25-10, 2010-11) also achieved the feat. Overall, the prior 19 head coaches combined to forge an average record of 9-13 in their first year with UTEP. Previously Golding  spent 10 years at Abilene Christian (158-144), helping it transition from a Division II to a Division I program. Golding led the Wildcats to the 2019 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, including a stunning upset as a 14-seed of third-seeded Texas in the first round of the 2021 Big Dance.
 
PRESEASON PREMONITIONS
UTEP was predicted to finish eighth out of 11 teams in Conference USA for the 2022-23 season, but keep in mind that last year's edition of the Miners was underestimated. The Orange and Blue were tabbed to finish in 10th place a year ago before tying for the fifth-most wins in league play by forging a mark of 11-7 in 18 C-USA tilts. Overall UAB was predicted to finish first, followed by WKU and North Texas at second and third, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
UTEP returns to action when it plays at I-10 rival NM State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Miners will be vying for a season sweep of the Aggies after having bested them, 67-64, on Nov. 12 in El Paso. The game will be broadcast on 600 ESPN El Paso and streamed on ESPN+.
 
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