Game Notes In PDF Format
OPENING TIP
The UTEP men's basketball team (13-8, 6-3 C-USA) will play at Rice (13-8, 6-4) in a Conference USA West Division showdown at 1 p.m. MT/2 p.m. CT on Saturday (Feb. 5). The Miners were slated to lock up with C-USA West Division leader North Texas on Feb. 3 but that match-up was postponed to Monday (Feb. 7) due to inclement weather. UTEP will now face the Owls on Saturday before challenging the Mean Green on Monday. The Miners have won five straight and six of seven, including most recently dispatching FIU, 79-68, on Jan. 29. The Owls are riding a two-game winning streak, including soaring past UTSA, 91-78, last time out at home. Rice stands 8-2 at Tudor Fieldhouse, including 4-1 in C-USA play. The Miners are 4-4 on the road, including 2-2 in league action. This is the first of two meetings on the year between the programs, with Rice making the visit to El Paso on March 3. The contest commences a stretch with the Miners set to play five of their next six games on the road. Jon Teicher (41st year) will be on the call, which can be followed on "The Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso, the UTEP Miners App and CUSATV.
SERIES HISTORY: UTEP LEADS, 28-14
The Miners own an 28-14 mark against the Owls, including a 9-8 edge in Houston. UTEP has won five of the last seven meetings. Last year the programs split a pair of games played in El Paso. The last time UTEP locked up with Rice on the road it emerged victorious, 72-64, on Jan. 23, 2020. The first meeting occurred in 1997 when both teams were members of the WAC.
THIS & THAT
- UTEP is 6-3 in Conference USA play, matching its best start through nine games since the league went to an 18-game format. It also happened in 2015.
- UTEP's five consecutive wins in C-USA action are the longest since also peeling off five straight in 2017. It is the seventh winning streak of at least five C-USA games since the Miners joined the league in 2005-06. The last time they won six straight C-USA contests was 2016.
- UTEP won its last five games in January for the first time since also doing so in 2014.
- The Miners are 12-2 on the season when drilling at least eight 3-point shots. That record includes a school-recording tying 15 makes from distance against Southern Miss in the win on Jan. 8.
- The Miners stand at 10-1 when scoring 70+ points (4-0 getting into the 80's).
- UTEP sports a mark of 12-3 on the campaign when limiting foes to 72 points or less, including 5-1 when keeping them in the 50's.
- UTEP is 13-2 when making at least 40 percent of its shots and 6-0 when the opponent falls shy of that figure. It is also 9-0 when shooting better than foes.
- The Miners are 11-1 when leading with five minutes to play.
- Eleven of UTEP's 13 wins of the year have been the come-from-behind variety, including the season-best 13 points overcome against UTSA on Jan. 11. There have been rallies of at least seven points six times total this season.
- UTEP is 4-4 on the road, including back-to-back victories in league play. That hadn't happened since the end of the 2020 C-USA campaign. The four road triumphs are already the most such victories since the 2016-17 season (5-6 mark).
- The Miners have secured a win in all four mainland timezones in the US.
- UTEP's 13 total wins surpasses the effort from last year's Covid-affected season when it finished at 12-12. The Miners were 17-15 in 2019-20.
- UTEP has had its top three scorers (Souley Boum-18.6 ppg, Jamal Bieniemy-14.6 and Keonte Kennedy-13.3) on the court in the same game just six times out of 21 total games this season.
GET TO KNOW RICE
Rice enters Saturday's match-up at 13-8, 6-4 in Conference. It has won two straight and four of six, including most recently powering past UTSA, 91-78, on Feb. 3. The Owls are off to their best home start in league play (4-1) since they were 5-0 in 2006-07. Carl Pierre (15.3 ppg-seventh C-USA) and Travis Evee (14.6 ppg-12th C-USA) lead the way offensively for Rice, which is putting up 76.5 points per game (third C-USA/64th NCAA). Max Fiedler stuffs the stat sheet with 9.5 ppg, while pacing the team in rebounding (7.9 rpg-third C-USA), assists (3.2 apg-12th C-USA) and blocked shots (0.9 blocks per game). Pierre (3.2-second C-USA) and Evee (2.7-fourth C-USA) both make multiple treys per game for Rice, which connects on 9.6 triples per contest (second C-USA/22nd NCAA). The Owls are also among the league and national leaders for defensive boards per game (28.0-first/30th), for assists per game (16.0-first/33rd), fewest personal fouls per game (14.3-third/31st) and field-goal percentage (46.5-second/62nd). Notable Rice alumni include Lance Berkman (former MLB All-Star), Peggy Whitson (U.S. Astronaut) and Tim League (Founder of Alamo Drafthouse).
GOING BACK IN TIME (AT UTEP 79, FIU 68, JAN. 29 2022)
Souley Boum poured in a season-high 32 points (two shy of career high) while Tydus Verhoeven had a double-double (14 points, career-best 13 rebounds) and Jamal Bieniemy (13 points, six assists) and Alfred Hollins (11 points) also reached double figures in scoring to help the UTEP men's basketball team surge past FIU, 79-68, inside the Don Haskins Center on Jan. 29. The Miners trailed 48-40 with 14:52 to play in regulation before unleashing a 21-5 run to lead by eight (61-53) with 8:36 to play. The Panthers made a couple of attempts at getting back into the game, but UTEP would not let them get closer than eight the final five minutes.
TIP-INS FROM THE FIU GAME
- UTEP improved to 8-0 when Tydus Verhoeven reaches double figures in scoring during his Miner career.
- The Miners tied for their second-most assists (19) on the season.
- UTEP converted 17 FIU turnovers into 17 points
- Thee Miners made 18 free throws, their most in a league game this year.
- Christian Agnew tied his career high with four assists.
- Souley Boum nailed a career-best 11 field goals
- Ze'Rik Onyema recorded a career-high two steals
- Tydus Verhoeven set career bests for both rebounds (13) and field goals attempted (11).
BOUM NAMED C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Souley Boum was named the Conference USA Men's Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Jan. 31. He became the first Miner to be so recognized since Daryl Edwards on Feb. 24, 2020. Boum had the best two-game scoring stretch of his career in helping lead the Miners to a perfect 2-0 record with wins over Florida Atlantic and FIU. He put up 60 points on the weekend (28 vs. FAU) and a season-high 32 points against FIU on 21-of-34 shooting, including 9-18 on 3-point shots.
LOCK DOWN ON DEFENSE
UTEP has kept 12 of its past 18 opponents to at least five points below their scoring average entering the contest, including most recently FAU on Jan. 27. Those 12 foes have been held to a total of 132 points combined under the expected output, which works out to 11.0 fewer points per game by the opposition across the board. The overall affect has been a scoring defense of 65.0 to rank third in C-USA and 71st nationally.
ON THIS DATE IN UTEP HISTORY
Omar Thomas is 14-14 in the line, helping UTEP post a 73-71 win at Rice on Feb. 5, 2005.
ALL ABOUT THE FANS
UTEP is averaging 4,671 fans per home game in 2021-22, which trails only the seasonal home average of 5,092 for ODU among C-USA programs.
TALKING STARTING LINE-UP COMBINATIONS
UTEP has used 12 starting line-ups in 20 games, but has found stability of late with the same starting five for eight straight games. Overall, 11 different Miners (out of 15 on the roster) have started. Injuries, illnesses and Covid-19 protocols have played a big factor in the mix and match this season. It's a huge change from a year ago when the Miners utilized two starting line-ups with a total of six different players starting on the season. In 2019-20 there were eight, seven in 2018-19, 17 in 2017-18, eight in 2016-17 and 14 in 2015-16.
ALL ABOUT THOSE POINTS
UTEP poured in a DI season-high 87 points in the rout of Southern Miss, its fourth game with at least 80 points this year. That is the most such efforts in a campaign by a UTEP team since 2018-19 when it also had four in the entire season. The Miners also eclipsed 70 points in each of the first four contests for the first time in six years. Guards Souley Boum (19.9 ppg), Jamal Bieniemy (14.6 ppg) and Keonte Kennedy (13.3 ppg) and are all in double figures for scoring average while Jorell Saterfield is at 8.1 ppg. The last time UTEP had a player account for at least 20.0 ppg was in 2008-09 (Stephon Jackson), something Boum is 0.1 ppg shy of currently doing. Tydus Verhoeven (5.7 ppg) and Christian Agnew (5.1 ppg) are also above 5.0 ppg.
THAT'S A GOOD MARGIN
UTEP has caused 17+ turnovers 10 times on the year while committing 14 or less on 16 occasions (10 games with 10 or fewer). Furthermore, the Miners have made the same or fewer amount of turnovers compared to the opposition in 17 of the 21 games this year. The result is a +4.0 turnover margin (second C-USA/22nd NCAA). UTEP is making 11.7 turnovers per game (third C-USA/66th NCAA) while forcing 15.7 (third C-USA/43rd).
TURN IT OVER
UTEP is third in Conference USA and 47th in the country by forcing 15.6 turnovers per game, which is aided by coming up with 7.8 steals per game (fourth C-USA/72nd NCAA). Keonte Kennedy (2.1 spg), Jamal Bieniemy (1.7 spg-fifth C-USA/99th NCAA) and Souley Boum (1.5-eighth C-USA) have all been key to leading the charge.
SCORING STREAK
Souley Boum (73), Keonte Kennedy (36) and Jamal Bieniemy (21) and Alfred Hollins(12) all have scoring streaks of at least 10 games Furthermore, Kennedy is at a career-long five for double-digit streaks while Bieniemy stands eight in a row, his longest streak of his career. Boum has hit double figures in seven straight and 16 of 17 games total this year.
CALLED FREE THROWS FOR A REASON
UTEP is taking care of business at the charity stripe, connecting on 75.6 percentage at the line (second C-USA/43rd NCAA). Three different Miners have hit at least 80 percent from the charity stripe this year (min. 20 attempts). They are Souley Boum setting the tone at 86.8 percent (sixth C-USA/46th NCAA) followed by Jamal Bieniemy (85.8 percent) and Christian Agnew (80.6 percent). Boum is 105 (second C-USA/15th NCAA) for 121 (second C-USA/25th NCAA).
WIN BIG
The Miners have 10 wins by at least eight points. UTEP even managed that feat at Old Dominion despite only having five minutes in OT (W, 78-70 on Jan. 15).
WIN SMALL
The middle three victories of UTEP's five-game winning streak were all by five points or less. They were by a combined 13 points.
NOTHING STOPS SOULEY
Souley Boum has dealt with both a broken finger on his non-shooting hand (missed one game), Covid-19 protocols (missed two games) and illness (missed one game) but he continues to produce. He is pouring in 19.9 ppg (second C-USA/24th NCAA), aided by 20+ point-outings in back-to-back games and four of the past five. He has 16 double-digit scoring efforts (in 17 appearances), with nine efforts of at least 20 points. He also has produced three other contests with 17+ points. Boum has also come up with 1.5 steals per game (seventh C-USA) and 2.9 assists per game
JB'S WORLD
Jamal Bieniemy has played big across the board this season. He is currently riding an eight-game double-digit scoring streak, the longest of his career. It eclipses a seven-contest effort out of the games (then prior long) before he went down with an injury at No. 8 Kansas that caused him to miss the ensuing two tilts. He also leads the team in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5-ninth C-USA), assists per game (3.7-ninth C-USA), 3-pointers made (45-ninth C-USA) and attempted (155-ninth C-USA) while rating second on steals per contest (1.7-fifth).
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PILING UP THOSE MINUTES
Souley Boum (36.2 mpg-second C-USA) and Jamal Bieniemy (33.2 mpg-eighth C-USA) both find themselves in the top 10 in Conference USA for playing time.
KEONTE DOES IT ALL
Keonte Kennedy was having a career year before sustaining an injury against Bradley that has forced him to miss nine consecutive contests. He leads the team in rebounding (5.9 rebounds per game) and steals (2.1 steals per game- while rating third on the squad in scoring (13.3 points per game). He has started all but one game he has appeared in (11 of 12), and is playing 34.0 mpg (second on team).
SATERFIELD FROM DOWNTOWN
Jorell Saterfield is proving to be a big-time threat whether he's starting or is coming off the bench. That is especially true from 3-point range. The Ranger College transfer is leading the team in 3-point percentage (min. 30 3FGA), nailing 47.6 percent (40-84) in 20 games played. That figure has been helped by him going 31-61 the past 13 contests totals. Currently, he is on pace to break UTEP's single-season record for 3-point percentage (min. 1.0 3/game) that is held by Roy Smallwood (1999-00, 28-61, 45.9 percent, in 28 GP). Overall, he is putting up 8.1 points per game (fourth on team) in only 22.6 minutes per contest.
TYDUS DOING THE DIRTY WORK
Post Tydus Verhoeven is doing a little bit of everything down low for the Miners. He leads the team in blocked shots (1.3 blocks per game-eighth C-USA) and offensive rebounds (31). He is also second on the team in rebounding (5.1 rpg). He is making 50.6 from the floor, which has been helped by hitting 15-26 (57.7 percent) the past three times out. He has reached double figures in scoring in back-to-back games for the first time this season, lifting his seasonal average to 5.7 ppg.
TALKING 20+ POINT GAMES
Souley Boum has nine 20+ point games this season and 35 in his career between San Francisco (seven-2017-18) and UTEP (28). Jamal Bieniemy has surpassed 20 points four times in 2021-22, doubling his total (two) from 23 contests played a year ago.
MILESTONE TRACKER
Souley Boum (started at San Francisco) joined the 1,000 point club at UTEP, the first member in five years and 35th overall. He is now up to 1,2,01 points (20th all time at UTEP). For his career he boasts a total of 1,595 points while appearing in 109 games (73 at UTEP). He has also made 197 3-pointers, with 150 at UTEP (fifth all time at school). Christian Agnew (started at North Alabama) has gone past 900 points for his collegiate career (909). Jamal Bieniemy (started at Oklahoma) has moved past 800 career points (804) for his college career, including 475 at UTEP. He's also eclipsed 350 assists (369) for his college career, including 163 helpers at UTEP. He has appeared in more than 100 collegiate games (107), including 42 (all starts) at UTEP. Alfred Hollins (started at Oregon State) has moved beyond 550 career points (590) and surpassed 100 career games played (116). Tydus Verhoeven (started at Duquesne) has more than 370 rebounds (372) for his collegiate career, with the majority at UTEP (266). He has also topped 100 career blocks (130), with 59 at UTEP. Verhoeven is past100 games played (104), with 78 at UTEP.
CAN'T CATCH A BREAK
Due to injury or illness, the Miners have lost 30 man games this year (Keonte Kennedy-nine, Christian Agnew-six, Souley Boum-four, Cam Clardy-three, Tydus Verhoeven-three, Jamal Bieniemy-two, Alfred Hollins-one, Bonke Maring-one and Ze'Rik Onyema-one). No individual has started in every single contest, and UTEP has used 12 different line-up combinations. At least one starter has missed a game in 13 straight games and 16 contests total this season. Additionally, no one on the roster has appeared in every contest.
THE BASIC FACTS ON UTEP
- This is the 101st 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 26 seasons with at least 20+ victories (last in 2015).
- UTEP is 13-8 in 2021-22, which surpasses its win total from last year's Covid-affected season (12-12 finish). There are 17 home games (9-4 thus far) and 13 road contests (4-4 thus far) prior to the C-USA Championships (March 8-12, 2022).
- The Miners returned four starters (Jamal Bieniemy, Souley Boum, Keonte Kennedyand Tydus Verhoeven) and eight lettermen overall. Other returning lettermen areChristian Agnew, Cam Clardy, Gilles Dekoninck and Ze'Rik Onyema. Emmanuel White, who redshirted, also came back.
- UTEP has six newcomers: Kezza Giffa, Alfred Hollins, Kevin Kalu, Bonke Maring,Jorell Saterfield and Jamari Sibley.
- The Miners brought back four of their five leading scorers from 2020-21 in the form ofSouley Boum (18.8 ppg), Keonte Kennedy (8.6 ppg), Jamal Bieniemy (8.6 ppg) and Christian Agnew (6.1 ppg).
COMING SOON TO EL PASO
JUCO standout Jon Dos Anjos (nationally-ranked Florida SouthWestern State) has signed a national letter of intent to enroll at UTEP and play for the men's basketball team beginning in 2022-23. Dos Anjos will have two years of eligibility for the Miners. He was a first-team all-league performer for the Bucs in 2020-21, helping them go 18-5 and advance to the semifinals of the FCSAA State Tournament. He averaged 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds while playing in all 23 games, including 20 starts.
SPORTSCENTER TOP-10 PLAY
Senior Alfred Hollins tipped in a shot at the buzzer to lift the UTEP men's basketball team to an exhilarating 70-68 win over Conference USA East Division leader Florida Atlantic at home on Jan. 27. The play went on to gain national notoriety, earning the number three spot for the daily Sportscenter top-10 plays list on ESPN's signature program.
THE COMEBACK AT CHARTWAY
UTEP trailed Old Dominion by seven points (63-56), with 77 seconds remaining before tallying the final seven points in regulation to force OT. The Miners went on to claim the 78-70 triumph for one of their most memorable comebacks. Here's the breakdown to force OT before Souley Boum tallied 13 of UTEP's 15 points in the extra session for the notable win.
Team Play Time UTEP ODU
UTEP Tydus Verhoeven free throw made 1:08 57 63
ODU C. Smith missed 3-pointer 00:57 57 63
UTEP Tydus Verhoeven defensive rebound 00:57 57 63
UTEP Jamari Sibley 3-pointer (Souley Boum assist) 00:39 60 63
ODU A.J. Oliver two missed free throws 00:32 60 63
UTEP Tydus Verhoeven defensive rebound 00:32 60 63
UTEP J. Bieniemy 3-pointer made (Souley Boum assist) 00:13 63 63
GOING BACK IN THE ARCHIVES
After research from local media, members of the athletic department and even the Miners' passionate fan base (via Twitter), the closest comeback that can be found similar to that was in the 1987 NCAA Tournament at Arizona on March 13, 1987. In that tilt, UTEP trailed by five with 50 seconds left (78-53) before forcing OT on the way to the 98-91 OT win.
MEMORABLE WIN VS SOUTHERN MISS
UTEP blasted Southern Miss, 87-54, on Jan. 8. The 33-point victory was UTEP's biggest in league play in seven years when it waxed USM by 34 (74-40) on Jan. 10, 2015. The Miners nailed a school-record tying 15 triples, the most by the Miners at home 12 years when they also had 15 against East Carolina on Feb. 13, 2012. UTEP set season highs for field-goal percentage (56.1 percent), aided by a campaign-best 24 assists on 32 field goals made. The Orange and Blue also established DI opponent season highs for points in the first half (44) and total points (87).
KALU NETS FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
UTEP forward Kevin Kalu was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Dec. 20. He became the first Miner to claim the honor sinceJordan Lathon did during the 2018-19 season (Feb. 25, 2019). The Baltimore, Md., product came alive with career highs in points (eight) and assists (two) while adding four rebounds to help hold off upset-minded McNeese, 82-72, on Dec. 16. Kalu played 25 minutes and didn't miss a shot from the field (2-2) or at the charity stripe (4-4).
GOLDING ERA UNDERWAY
Joe Golding is in the midst of his first season with UTEP, and as 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 171-152 in his 11th season as a collegiate head coach, including 13-8 at UTEP. He spent 10 years at ACU (158-144), helping it transition from a Division II to a Division I program. Golding led the Wildcats to the past two NCAA Tournaments played, including a stunning upset as a 14-seed of third-seeded Texas in the first round of the 2021 Big Dance.
LOOKING TO JOIN AN EXCLUSIVE GROUP
First-year head coach Joe Golding (13-8 thus far) is hoping to be part of an exclusive group at UTEP. Of the previous 19 head coaches at UTEP, only three have put together a winning season in their first year on the sidelines in the Sun City. Don Haskins became 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 have combined to forge an average record of 9-13 in their first year with UTEP.
EXPERIENCED STAFF
The Miners have an experienced staff on the sidelines for the 2021-22 season, each of whom are in their first year in the Sun City. Between head coach Joe Golding (22 years), associate head coach Jeremy Cox (30 years) and assistant coaches Butch Pierre (37 years) and Earl Boykins (eight years), the Miner coaching staff has a combined 97 years of coaching experience at 26 different stops along the way at varying levels of competition. Boykins is the least experienced in terms of coaching, but he's the most accomplished on the court after playing 12 seasons in the NBA.
PRESEASON HONORS
Souley Boum was tabbed a Preseason All-Conference honoree, it was announced before the season by the Conference USA office. A 2021 All C-USA third team member, Boum ranked third in C-USA in scoring (18.8 ppg) and fifth in the league in total points (450). He also paced the conference and was 15th in the country with 130 made free throws. Boum knocked down his free throws at a rate of 81.2 percent, which was good enough for eighth in C-USA. He also led UTEP in steals (34) and dished out 60 assists.
PRESEASON PREMONITIONS
UTEP was predicted to finish 10th in Conference USA, according to the preseason poll that was announced prior to the season by the league office. UAB (190 points) was slated first, followed by LA Tech (second-184 points), WKU (third-162 points), Marshall (fourth-147 points), Old Dominion (fifth-130 points), North Texas (sixth-124 points), Charlotte (seventh-110 points), Rice (eighth-104 points), Florida Atlantic (ninth-84 points), UTEP (10th-82 points), UTSA (11th-48 points), Southern Miss (12th-42 points), FIU (13th-36 points) and Middle Tennessee (14th-28 points).
LOOKING TO REGAIN WINNING WAYS IN C-USA
UTEP (6-3) thus far in C-USA play) entered the 2022 league slate in search of its first winning record in Conference USA play since 2017 when the Miners went 12-6 in the league to finish tied for third. That year capped a run of five straight seasons with winning marks in conference action, the longest since 11 straight such efforts under Don Haskins from 1980-90.
UP NEXT
UTEP wraps up the road trip with the rescheduled game at North Texas at 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT on Monday (Feb. 7). Jon Teicher (41st year) will be on the call for, which can be followed on the "Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso, the UTEP Miners App and ESPN+.
