Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs-Miners Hook Up in Crucial WAC Showdown
2/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2005
- Game Notes (PDF)
Fresno State (13-7, 7-4 WAC) at UTEP (18-5, 8-3 WAC)
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 10
- Time: 6 p.m. PT
- Location: El Paso, Texas; Don Haskins Center (12,000)
- TV: KFRE WB 59 (Ralph Wood, Randy Rosenbloom)
- Radio: KMJ AM 580 (Bill Woodward, Dave Severns)
- Spanish Radio: KOOR AM 790 (Jess Gonzalez)
- Live Audio: www.gobulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State remained in third place in the WAC standings by splitting its last homestand, but on Thursday the team will be faced with one of the toughest tasks in the conference - playing at UTEP. The Bulldogs (13-7, 7-4 WAC) are just 3-9 all-time in El Paso, but a victory would move them into a tie for second place with the Miners. UTEP (18-5, 8-3) has gone 28-2 the past two seasons at the Haskins Center, including a 72-58 victory over Fresno State last year. Thursday's game is being televised by KFRE WB 59 (Comcast cable 5).
No matter where a team plays UTEP, transition defense is always going to be vital. But when at the Haskins Center - where the Miners are averaging nearly 78 points per game this year - the opponent must be particularly wary of UTEP's ability to speed around the court. In defeating the Miners on Jan. 15, Fresno State did a solid job of getting back on defense, limiting UTEP's fast-break chances and holding them to only 63 points, 11 below the team's average.
Thursday's game is expected to attract a full house of 12,000 to the Haskins Center. Last year's game between Fresno State and UTEP in El Paso attracted also gathered a sellout crowd to a contest won by the Miners 72-58.
