Tucson, AZ (Sports Network) - The 12th-ranked Arizona Wildcats continue a four-game homestand to being the season when they welcome the Texas-El Paso Miners to the McKale Center.
Sean Miller is in his fourth season at the helm in Tucson. A lot is expected of this talented team and the Wildcats didn't disappoint in the season-opener, knocking off Charleston Southern, 82-73.
The Miners are also 1-0 on the young season, opening the campaign with a 69-49 rout of Oral Roberts. Tim Floyd hopes his team's road woes from last season don't carry over, as UTEP went a miserable 1-11 in true road games a year ago.
These two teams have a rich history, as former members of the Border Conference (1935-61) and then again in the Western Athletic Conference (1961-78). This is the 90th meeting, with Arizona holding a 59-30 advantage. However, this marks the first meeting since 1995.
Four players finished in double figures for UTEP in the season-opening win against Oral Roberts. The Miners shot 46.9 percent from the floor, despite a mere 1-of-7 from 3-point range. Defensively, UTEP put the clamps on the Golden Eagles, limiting them to 49 points, and a mere 37.5 percent shooting. In addition, UTEP forced 20 turnovers. The Miners trailed 38-37 at one point, but used a 26-5 run to turn it into a 20-point lead. John Bohannon led the way in the scoring column, with 17 points. Chris Washburn came off the bench to pour in 14 points in 16 minutes of work. Julian Washburn added 11 points, followed by Jalen Ragland's 10.
The Wildcats showed off their depth and versatility in the win over Charleston Southern, as five players finished in double figures. The team knocked down 27 field goals in the game, racking up 25 assists along the way. Mark Lyons netted just two points in the first half, but poured in 15 after the break to finish with a team-high 17 points. Solomon Hill added 14 points, while Nick Johnson chimed in with 12. The bench was productive for Arizona as well, with Brandon Ashley and Jordin Mayes adding 12 and 10 points, respectively. Charleston Southern knocked down 10 3-pointers in the game, but Arizona showed its range as well, with 11 treys.
