Looks Deceive as UTEP Beats Aztecs Again

SAN DIEGO —  For the first time since Jim Brandenburg took over a decimated San Diego State basketball program three years ago, a touch of vulnerability surrounded Texas El Paso on its annual visit to the San Diego Sports Arena.

The Miners were off to their worst Western Athletic Conference start since 1981-82. Something about this UTEP team was different.

Missing was its star guard, Tim Hardaway, now making his living as a starter with the Golden State Warriors, and its coach of 29 seasons, Don Haskins, back home in El Paso nursing a severe case of laryngitis that has kept him from coaching on the bench since the 10th game. Hanging over the program is an ongoing NCAA investigation into car loans to players.

All of this while assistant Norm Ellenberger, in charge of a college team for an extended period for the first time since he left New Mexico in 1980 in the midst of a recruiting scandal, tries to carry on as if nothing has changed.

The time seemed right for the Aztecs to end their nine-game losing streak to the Miners. But for SDSU, when it comes to UTEP, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

UTEP continued its dominance Saturday night, coming back from a 15-point first-half deficit for a 71-63 victory in front of a season-high home crowd of 5,946.

The Miners (10-7, 3-3) did so in accustomed fashion. They used inside intimidation, in the form of six blocked shots; they applied pressure defense, as evidenced by 15 SDSU turnovers, and they turned their 41-36 edge on the boards into easy put-back and layup baskets.

UTEP scored 12 points off its 13 offensive rebounds, compared to the two the Aztecs managed on their 12 offensive boards.

It was a familiar ending for SDSU in a game that for the first half held the promise of a much different outcome.

Playing an up-tempo style uncharacteristic of a team averaging 64.9 points per game, the Aztecs (11-8, 3-3) opened an 11-3 lead in the first four minutes and led, 25-13, after 9:15. They stretched their advantage to 34-19 at 6:42 and still led by 13 points (43-30) with 2:10 left.

But that hard work was negated quickly as the Aztecs painfully discovered that a fast start did not assure a strong finish. The Miners outscored them, 8-1, over the final 1:58 to close to within 44-38 at the half.

Two bad Aztec passes in the final 30 seconds, both converted by the Miners into fast-break baskets, did the most damage.

The Aztecs did not leave their troubles in the locker room. They came out and played even worse in the second half.

The uncharacteristic run of good shooting that had carried them through five consecutive halves in which the made at least 50.0% deserted them after intermission. They made just six of 25 shots in the second half, an anemic 24.0%. They were 19 of 50 (38%) for the game.

SDSU scored its first basket after halftime with 16:50 left and would not score another until 8:20 remained. They missing 10 consecutive shots along the way, and that was responsible for turning a 48-44 lead into a 61-52 deficit.

It was a team collapse.

Senior guard Michael Best, so brilliant with 24 points in a 78-62 victory over New Mexico Thursday, was held to five points and made only two of 11 shots, one of nine from three-point range. His five turnovers compounded his troubles.

Junior forward Shawn Jamsion, who had 19 against the Lobos, scored 12 against the Miners, was three of 12 from the field and had the indignity of being on the rejected end of several of the blocks.

And junior center Marty Dow, who was nearly unstoppable in the early going--scoring 15 of the Aztecs’ first 27 points in the opening 10:40--was held to four the rest of the game to finish with 19 and share game-high honors with UTEP guard Henry Hall.

The Aztecs did manage to get within four points at 65-61 with 2:42 to play. But the Miners would not let the game slip away.

Aztec Notes

The crowd of 5,946 was the largest of the season at home for San Diego State, topping the 5,750 that attended a 63-60 loss to Brigham Young Jan. 6. . . . SDSU travels to Hawaii for a game Thursday to complete its first run through the Western Athletic Conference. The Aztecs next play at the San Diego Sports Arena Jan. 29 in a rematch against Wyoming. The Cowboys defeated the Aztecs in Laramie, 76-60, on Jan. 11.