Feb. 5, 2007

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NEW ORLEANS - The Tulane Green Wave basketball team will look to improve its placement in the Conference USA standings and get back into the win column at home when the UTEP Miners pay a visit to Fogelman Arena this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

TU (10-10, 3-5 C-USA) is currently sitting in a two-way tie for eighth place with UAB, but is just two games out of second place entering Wednesday's game. The Green Wave sports a 7-4 record at Fogelman, but is just 1-3 during conference play. However, all three losses have been close. TU fell by one point to Tulsa (79-78) on a last second three-pointer in its last home contest. Previously, Tulane fell to Marshall (79-73) and UAB (67-60) in the final minutes.

Tulane will rely on its stingy defense against UTEP. TU is allowing just 65.6 points per game and limiting its opponents to 38.1 percent from the field. The Wave ranks first for its field goal percentage defense among Conference USA schools and seventh nationally.

For the year, Tulane is averaging 67.8 points and 38.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 33.5 percent from behind the three-point line and 66.2 percent from the free-throw line.

Junior David Gomez is TU's top scorer with 14.2 points per game and is also the leading rebounder with 6.4 boards per contest. Freshman Kevin Sims in the only other Green Wave player averaging double figure scoring with 10 points per outing, and is averaging a team best 3.5 assists per clip. Sophomore Robinson Louisme is the top shot blocker with 1.5 rejections per outing.

UTEP (13-10, 5-4 C-USA) snapped a three-game skid with a 79-71 win over Houston at home last Saturday. Despite the three consecutive losses, the Miners enter the Tulane match-up sitting alone in fifth place in the conference standings. Prior to its skid, UTEP won four of its first five contests to open league play.

The Miners have a 1-5 overall road record this season and are 1-3 away from home in conference play. UTEP's last win on the road was at SMU, 72-67, on Jan. 20.

Stefon Jackson is one of two Miner players averaging double figures with 18.9 points per game, while Kevin Henderson is second with 10.6 points per outings. Henderson and Maurice Thomas are tied for the in rebounding with 6.1 boards per contest. UTEP is averaging 77.9 points, which ranks second among C-USA schools, and 39.1 rebounds per game, and is shooting 43.2 percent from the field, 34 percent from behind the three-point line and 66.4 percent from the foul line.

Wednesday's game marks the third all-time meeting between Tulane and UTEP, and the Miners lead the series, 2-0. UTEP won the first-ever meeting with a 76-59 victory over the Green Wave at the Arkansas State Tournament during the 1963-64 season. Forty-two years later, the two teams met as Conference USA rivals in El Paso, Texas, and UTEP came away with a 75-47 victory. Wednesday's contest marks UTEP's first-ever visit to Fogelman Arena.