Washington St. @ Texas-El Paso preview
Don Haskins Center
Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2015 ) Texas-El Paso 68, Washington St. 84
The holiday blues have hit Washington State which has suffered back-to-back double-digit losses after starting the season 6-0. The Cougars will try and right themselves on the road Saturday night when they visit west Texas for a game against UTEP.
Washington State’s undefeated start included a 3-0 run through the Wooden Legacy tournament en route to the championship. The Cougars knocked off St. Joseph’s (75-71) and nationally-ranked Saint Mary’s (84-79) on the way, but a home defeat to UC Davis (81-67) and a blowout loss (91-64) at border-rival Idaho have followed. Against the Vandals on Wednesday, Washington State hit season lows in points (64), field-goal percentage (26.9) and made 3-pointers (seven) as it suffered its worst loss in the annual series since 1962, and while coach Ernie Kent has his concerns, he also cautioned that there’s no room for overreaction. “It’s a long season,” Kent said Wednesday in his post-game news conference. “You don’t get too up when you’re 6-0, and you don’t get too down (after two straight losses). You just get ready for the next one.”
TV: 9 p.m. ET, None
ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (6-2): Forward Robert Franks was the lone Cougars player to score in double figures (16 points) against Idaho, and he’s pacing the squad at 19.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Malachi Flynn (16.8 points) is the only player averaging double figures, but he’s totaled 28 points over the last two contests while losing eight turnovers and committing five fouls. Overall, the Cougars are in need of some better starts as they fell behind Idaho 22-6 scarcely five minutes into Wednesday’s game and have trailed by 17 and 19 at the half, respectively, in their last two contests.
ABOUT UTEP (2-6): The Miners dropped six straight after a season-opening win and along the way lost six-year veteran coach Tim Floyd, who abruptly announced his retirement Nov. 27 following a 66-52 defeat to Lamar. Long-time Floyd assistant Phil Johnson has taken over as the interim head coach, and after debuting with a loss to rival New Mexico State (80-60), Johnson’s Miners beat visiting New Mexico 88-76 last Saturday for their first win since the opener. Leading scorer and rebounder Matt Willms (14.8 points, 6.3 boards) has missed the last four games with a broken hand, leaving senior guards Keith Frazier (13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds) and Omega Harris (11.8 points, 2.4 assists) as the active team leaders.
TIP-INS
1. Washington State and UTEP have met in three of the four previous seasons, with the Miners winning on the road in 2013 and at home the following season and the Cougars prevailing 84-68 at home in 2015.
2. Washington State G Carter Skaggs has made an immediate impact as a sophomore transfer, averaging 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and shooting a team-best 17-of-34 from 3-point range, but he’s cooled off of late, scoring only six points and hitting 2-of-8 from long range during the last two losses.
3. Johnson says Willms is nearing his return but added it likely will come next week instead of Saturday night’s contest.PREDICTION: Washington State 74, UTEP 72