In their first regular-season match, UTEP will take on UT-San Antonio at 7 p.m . Nov. 11 at the Don Haskins Center.
For the second year in a row, the Miners will face the task of opening the season against a Division-1 opponent that finished with a 20-win season. This is the fifth time in school history that UTEP has begun a season in such a manner.
UTSA is returning 12 letter-winners from last year's 20-14 season as they won the Southland Conference tournament title, clinching the school's first 2011 NCAA Tournament berth in any sport. In addition, four of their five starters are back from last year's team. The Roadrunners beat Alabama State 70-61 in the opening round then fell to top-seed Ohio State 75-46 in the round of 64.
Contrary to UTSA, the Miners have the fifth-most inexperienced team in the country. UTEP returns just three letter-winners with their lone senior, forward Gabriel McCulley, out with an injury until Christmas.
"We have a brand new group and they have not experienced a D-1 opponent yet. We are just trying to figure out a way to win," head coach Tim Floyd said. "We are going to go out there and be as competitive as we possibly can and come out with a win and start learning how to win."
To come away with a win, the Miners must slow down the Roadrunners' top scorers from last year, junior guard Melvin Johnson III and sophomore forward Jeromie Hill. In their exhibition game against Southeastern Oklahoma State, they combined for 32 points. Last season Johnson III averaged 14.9 a game, while Hill averaged 13.4.
"We just have a set based defense we run. We will try to gear things towards the two leading scorers on the team and try to limit those guys as best as we can," Floyd said.
One of the Miners' struggles has been rebounding, dating back to last season. However, the Roadrunners did not have a player rebounding in 2010-11 in double figures with Hill leading the way with only 6.6 per game.
"We have to win the battle on the boards and outrebound them," freshman center Hooper Vint said. "We have to play great defense, we have to get back on defense and limit turnovers."
This will be the fifth meeting between UTSA and UTEP and the first since 1998, when the Miners defeated the Roadrunners 78-61. UTEP leads the series 4-0, in which three of those were at home. The Miners all-time record against the Southland Conference opponents is 29-2, including 24-1 in El Paso. The only loss came to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 77-72 in 2001.
The newcomers have a feel for the collegiate level of play, but have yet to experience the challenges a Division-1 NCAA Tournament opponent will bring.
"The season so far is feeling good. It is definitely a different level of basketball coming straight out of high school," freshman forward Cedrick Lang said. "It is a good experience though and we will keep getting better."
Floyd, being the defensive-minded coach he is, has emphasized that in practices to slow the high scorers on UTSA.
"The last couple of days we have been doing a lot of defensive stuff. We put in some new stuff that we have been working on a lot, but mostly just defensive stuff," Lang said.
According to Floyd, the starting lineup for the Miners is still under evaluation and pending.
"We are still in the process of who we can trust in game situations," Floyd said.
Frankie Rodriguez may be reached at prospector@utep.edu
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