Tonight's Game

[50's PONY]

http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/sports/todaysstories/20040129-74403.shtml
Sports Thursday, January 29, 2004

Miners respectful of talented Mustangs

Bill Knight
El Paso Times

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Game details


Who: SMU Mustangs at UTEP Miners in a men's WAC basketball game.

When: 7 p.m. today.

Where: Don Haskins Center.

Tickets: $6, $12, $15, $18.

Information: 747-5234.
Read more about today's game in UTEP basketball section


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


UTEP has had quite a turnaround basketball season, and tonight the Miners will try to turn the dial a bit more.

Southern Methodist will visit the Don Haskins Center, bringing a team with some talent and some quality wins. Sophomore guard Bryan Hopkins, the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year last season, averages 15.7 points, 4.25 assists and nearly two steals per game.

But it is hardly a one-man pony show.

"They've got great size and great athletic ability," UTEP coach Billy Gillispie said. "They are capable of beating anyone, as they have shown. They really have a strong inside game."

SMU has 6-foot-9 Patrick Simpson, who is averaging 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds, and 6-8 Eric Castro, who averages 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds an outing.

UTEP has answered last year's 6-24 season by going 13-4 to this point, 4-3 in the WAC. SMU, with early season wins against Texas Tech and Purdue, has dropped to 8-9 on the season, 2-5 in the WAC.

"They were 2-5 a few years ago and won five straight," Gillispie said.

Miner sophomore guard Jason Williams said, "We know they've got a very good point guard and they have some good inside people. Everybody rebounds the ball better than we do, so I guess we have a challenge there. They run a good zone, but it doesn't really matter to us if a team runs zone or man-to-man. We have to run our offense, look for each other and get each other shots."

UTEP point guard Filiberto Rivera said, "The first thing and the most important thing for us is to go hard. I know their point guard can really be a problem, so I know I have to play my best defense this year. They have good post players, too. So we have to go hard and go rebound."

And so tonight, UTEP will try and keep its season turning in the right direction, while the Mustangs will be trying for a mid-season turnaround.


Bill Knight may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6171.


Copyright © 2001 El Paso Times.
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 8/10/2001)

[Pony_Fan]

"Talented and a strong inside game" - he can't be talking about SMU