UTEP vs. Syracuse basketball recap

CUSA-fans.com has a new staff of team correspondents this fall to help bring you, the fan, more detailed Conference USA sports coverage. Today, our new UTEP Correspondent Robert Robles brings you a recap of the basketball game between UTEP and Syracuse.

One number that may be haunting is 41. No, 41 is not the score that either the UTEP Miners or the Syracuse Orange were limited to, but the amount of free throws Syracuse was allowed to make due to fouls by the Miners.

The Orange were victorious over the Miners in the last game, and considered by many to be a championship game, of the BCA Invitational on Sunday night in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York by the final score of 83-69.

Foul trouble continues to haunt the Miners, more than likely due to the youth that has been brought in to the team. Committing 27 personal fouls overall and having two starters foul out is never an event that Head Coach Tony Barbee wants. Jeremy Sampson fouled out, as did Victor Ramahlo who continues to struggle in committing fouls.

Limiting turnovers wasn’t an issue for the Miners, turning the ball over only 16 times compared to the Orange's 23. Progress is obviously being made in that department as this is the second straight game the Miners have forced more turnovers than committed.

The Miners shot 30.3% from the field, going 23-of-76 in the game; a lower percentage than Coach Barbee expected surely. The Orange shot 43.6% from the field, going 24-of-55.

The leading scorers for the Miners were Darren Clarke and Stefon Jackson with 17 points each, followed by Malik Alvin with 11. The leading scorers for the Orange were Eric Devendorf, an impressive Sophomore Guard, with 19, and Demetris Nichols and Matt Gorman both with 12 points.

The Miners finished up a 3-night, 3-game tournament much better than most people had anticipated with such youth on the basketball team. Going 2-1 was a pleasant surprise for most Miner fans that were questioning the team going to Syracuse for the tournament. Tony Barbee’s debut as a head coach thus far seems very promising for Miner fans.

The Miners play the University of California-Davis Aggies Thursday night at the Don Haskins center in El Paso to start their first home game at 9:05 EST. Let the home season for the Miners begin!