SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The UTEP men’s basketball team starts its 106th season far from El Paso on Monday, facing Northern Kentucky at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls as part of the Field of 68 24-Hour Marathon. Tip-off is set for noon Mountain time.
It is a break from routine for the Miners, who had opened at home in 18 of the last 19 seasons. This is their first neutral-site opener in 20 years, since a 69-66 win over Penn on Nov. 10, 2006. Nov. 2 is also the earliest start in program history for a third year in a row. The game is the sixth of eight in the event, which brings 16 mid-major programs together for a full day of games.
UTEP enters with an almost entirely new team. Not one player returns from last season’s 11-20 squad, and the 15-man roster was built with eight Division I transfers, four high school recruits, two international players and one junior college transfer. The Miners have a strong history in openers, with a 78-27 record that includes wins in 59 of the last 65.
Northern Kentucky is coming off a 20-14 season and plays fast. The Norse scored 83.1 points a game last year and took 28.2 of those from beyond the arc, according to last season’s numbers. They bring back six players, including point guard Ethan Elliott, who averaged 4.6 assists and 5.1 points a game, but lost their top five scorers and were picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League. Coach Darrin Horn is in his eighth year in charge.
Fans in El Paso can watch the game on the Field of 68 YouTube channel. Monday’s game is also a first look at a coaching staff that added three new members alongside the rebuilt roster.
Section: More El Paso TX sports news
Filed under: El Paso TX Sports News
