SAN ANTONIO – Coming off a 1-1 week in C-USA play, UTSA looks to earn its second conference win of the season when it travels to El Paso to face off with the UTEP Miners this Wednesday, Jan. 11. This Wednesday's game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. (CT), will be streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
The Roadrunners (7-9, 1-4) look to end the Miners' three-game winning streak in a series that dates all the way back to 1981. UTEP (8-7, 1-3 C-USA) is also trying to snap a streak of their own as the Miners have lost four straight games, having not won since December 21. During that streak, UTEP wet toe-to-toe with the preseason first-place team UAB, eventually falling in 2OT in Birmingham.
UTSA, like UTEP, has yet to win on the road this season as the Miners boast an 8-2 record in games played in El Paso this season.
Leading the Roadrunners
UTSA is led on offense by a quartet of double-digit scorers through 16 games of action. Leading the way is JUCO transfer Japhet Medor who churns out a team-high 13 points per game. Medor not only leads the team in scoring but also in assists (64) and steals (23) while pulling down 3.7 boards per contest – the third most by any Roadrunner. Medor has three 20+ point outings this season.
Flanking Medor in the backcourt is fellow JUCO newcomer guard John Buggs III. Buggs chips in 11 points per game and has scored in double-figures in seven of his last eight games. Through 16 games, Buggs is shooting a team-high 42.9 percent from downtown which is the third highest in C-USA. Freshman DJ Richards also averages double-digit points as the rookie has upped his average to 10.1 points per game. Richards, a two-time C-USA Freshman of the Week (D12, D19), is shooting the three ball at a 38.6% clip, the second-best on the team behind Buggs.
Senior stalwart Jacob Germany is the final double-digit scorer and averages 11.7 points per game. The fourth-year Roadrunner out of Kingston, Okla. is pulling in 7.6 rebounds per contest too, the second-most by any player in C-USA. Germany, a 2021-22 Conference USA All-Conference Honorable Mention, adds 12 total blocks to the team, ranking tenth among all conference players.
Overall, the Roadrunners are shooting 40.2 percent as a team from the field and holding foes to 44.1 percent. UTSA averages 68.9 points, 35.1 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 3.9 steals and 2.8 blocks per game as a team.
Scouting UTEP
UTEP has a new-look roster from last season, being led by two transfer guards on offense. Former Southern Miss guard Tae Hardy paces the Miners, averaging 12.3 points per contest while backcourt mate Mario McKinney Jr., who started his career at Missouri, chips in 10.2 points.
Down low, the trio of Calvin Solomon, Ze'Rik Onyema and Kevin Kalu crash the glass as each averages over 4.5 rebounds per game. Point guard Shamar Givance runs the show for UTEP as the 5-10 senior averages 4.5 assists per game, putting his teammates in the best position.
Solomon (30) and Givance (28) are active on defense as they lead the team in steals while Georgetown transfer Jabari Sibley leads the team in blocks with 11.
Overall, the Miners are shooting 45.1 percent as a team from the field and holding foes to 40.5 percent. UTEP averages 69.5 points, 37.2 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 9.1 steals and 3.1 blocks per game as a team.
Series History
Wednesday's game between UTEP and UTSA will be the 25th all-time meeting between the two programs. UTEP enters the contest winners of the last three meetings between the two Texas programs and holding a 14-10 advantage over the years. The Roadrunners are 3-10 against the Miners in games played in El Paso. UTSA is 8-5 against UTEP in the Steve Henson era.
Up Next
Following its game against UTEP in El Paso, UTSA will continue its road trip as it heads east to the Queen City to face the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
