UTEP basketball preview: UTEP @ SMU

CUSA Fans UTEP Correspondent Robert Robles brings you a preview of the upcoming basketball game between UTEP and SMU.

For the Mustangs, playing at home against an undersized UTEP team while quite possibly having the biggest starters in Conference-USA must make the players salivate to the point where they require bibs. Saturday’s game brings an opportunity for the SMU Mustangs to finally get into the win column in Conference-USA, after starting with a three-game skid in the league. For the Miners, it is an opportunity to keep a very respectable and well earned 3 rd spot in C-USA.

The Miners arrive in Dallas having won five of their last six games and a lot of momentum. The Miners, who came away with a win at home against a much-improved Southern Miss team via a defensive slugfest, are hoping to duplicate that performance.

For SMU, it is a time that they badly need a win. After a promising 11-3 start in out-of-conference play, the Mustangs have dropped three straight—losing to Southern Miss, Houston, and Central Florida. It is almost desperation time considering they are 0-3 and tied for last place.

The Miners are averaging 43.8 rebounds per game, which is currently 11 th in the nation. Considering the team starters’ average height is 6’ 3 ½”, that is quite a feat. The Mustangs are averaging 39 rebounds a game, a trend that they need to continue in order to come away with a win against a very fast UTEP team. It is very possible considering the smallest SMU starter is 6’ 4”. SMU must be aware of the Miners’ defensive prowess, as their recording 8.8 steals per game.

The Mustangs leading scorer, Forward Ike Ofoegbu, is averaging 12.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The other starting forward Devon Pearson, who is averaging 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, follows him. This duo will have to be the focus of the Miners’ defense for Saturday night’s showdown.

Stefon Jackson, the leading scorer for the Miners, is averaging an impressive 19.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Guard Marvin Kilgore, who is averaging 10.2 points per game, is second on the team in scoring.

When an animal is backed into a corner, it is a time where it would likely gnash and gnarl at will in order to get out of it, and that is almost the spot where SMU is in. The Miners will have to wear down a bigger SMU team and neutralize the Mustangs’ post play. The last time the Miners faced off against a team of this size was against the New Mexico State Aggies, and the results were not very desirable. SMU will have to outrebound the Miners and take advantage of the turnovers they force.

Final Prediction:

UTEP 80 - SMU 71