UTEP Visits Dome on Jan. 4
1/2/2006 5:10:45 PM | Men's Basketball
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Game Notes (.pdf)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The 11-2 Orange men's basketball team has won eight-straight games and is set to play its final non-conference contest of the season at home against Texas El Paso on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. It will be the first game of the new year for Syracuse.
Time Warner 26 in Syracuse will televise the tilt. The Syracuse ISP Radio Network (WAQX - 95.7 FM and WNSS - 1260 AM) is the place to listen to all the action. The broadcast can also be accessed via the internet right here www.suathletics.com
SU had five players reach double-figure scoring in its most recent win against Kent State on Dec. 30. Junior forward Terrence Roberts registered a team-high 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Senior guard Gerry McNamara moved ahead of Dwayne "Pearl" Washington into fourth place on the school's all-time steals list (223). He is leading the squad in scoring (17.2 ppg), assists (6.7 apg), steals, three-pointers made (42), three-pointers attempted (126) and free-throw shooting percentage (.934).
Junior Demetris Nichols is averaging 16.1 ppg through 13 games. He has made 35-of-83 shots from beyond the three-point line (.422) and is the team's third-leading rebounder with 6.4 an outing.
Roberts is averaging 12.2 points per game and a team-best 8.5 rebounds per game.
Freshman guard Eric Devendorf contributes 9.5 points per game. He has started SU's last eight games and is shooting the ball 44.3 percent from the field (43-of-97).
UTEP (7-4) lost a heart-breaking 61-60 decision to Texas Tech in Lubbock on New Year's Day. The Miners' wins this season have come against Western New Mexico (78-51), UT Permian Basin (97-54), New Mexico State twice (64-55 and 80-67), Texas Southern (82-59), Pacific (72-66 OT) and Mississippi Valley State (74-58).
This will be the Miners' second game against a team from the BIG EAST Conference. On Dec. 29, UTEP lost to Georgetown, 76-64, in the championship game of the State Farm Sun Bowl Basketball Tournament.
John Tofi (15.4 ppg) leads four UTEP players who are averaging double-figure scoring. Jason Williams (14.0 ppg), Stefon Jackson (11.4 ppg) and Miguel Ayala (10.1 ppg) all make important contributions. Tofi is also the squad's top rebounder with 9.9 per game.
This is the second season as head coach for UTEP's Doc Sadler. His 2004-05 Miners posted a 27-8 record, won the WAC Tournament Championship and earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
