Race to Fourth

[JCorona]

This past Saturday we needed five different games to go our way so that we could have sole possession of 4th place. Four of them were out of our hands and we depended on some underdogs to pull out upsets. We hit on three out of the five and would have been in a three way tie for fourth. Only problem is ODU stormed into Birmingham and outclassed UAB. Breaking UAB's 25 conference home game winning streak.

This Thursday it's not that complicated. To have sole possession of 4th we need to

• Beat North Texas.
• Marshall beat UAB at home or Charlotte beat ODU on the road. &
• UTSA beat RICE in Tudor Fieldhouse.

RICE beating UTSA is not necessary. If they beat UTSA then on Saturday night El Paso and Houston's RICE will duel it out for fourth place. In what would become a HUGE game. The winner would have inside access to a top four seed and the tiebreaker over the other.

I like Marshall's chances at home against UAB. They were up by 23 at WKU before a late heroic comeback from the Hilltoppers. UAB lost by 21 at home in a game they were small favorites.

UTEP could also find their way into third place if the above scenarios happen and Charlotte upsets ODU.

I feel confident that by the end of Thursday night UTEP will find itself in 4th place along with RICE and Marshall. Making that trip to Houston a big conference matchup. MTSU will visit Marshall Saturday so by the end of the week only one of the three might remain in the top four.

Picks Up!

 

[unihorn]

I think we beat the Mean Green.

How good is Rice?

 

[Cube Jack]

I think we beat the Mean Green.

How good is Rice?

17-8. Lost to MTSU by 3. Lost to LA Tech by 10. Beat USM by 3. On a 4 game winning streak

 

[unihorn]

17-8. Lost to MTSU by 3. Lost to LA Tech by 10. Beat USM by 3. On a 4 game winning streak

How do you think we match up with them?

 

[nattybry]

I think we finish 12-6 with our lone remaining loss to Rice. That still might have us in 4th when its said n done. Great improvement, when a month ago, we were talking about just making the tourney

 

[El Paso Sports Fan]

My predictions are beat UNT, lose to Rice, beat FAU, beat FIU, lose to ODU, and beat Charlotte.

 

[FiliUTEP]

why do we have 2 threads about this topic???

 

[JCorona]

why do we have 2 threads about this topic???

One is for last week this one is for the current week.

 

[MineroFanatico]

How do you think we match up with them?

We tower over them. If Matt and PT and maybe even Kelvin can have a good game, we have a really good shot. They are guard strong. But we Have some very capable guards ourselves. Advantage - UTEP. (imo)

 

[JCorona]

We tower over them. If Matt and PT and maybe even Kelvin can have a good game, we have a really good shot. They are guard strong. But we Have some very capable guards ourselves. Advantage - UTEP. (imo)

I've read RICE fans say something very similar. They do better against heavy guard teams and they don't have much of an inside game. I agree that our guards are very capable of holding their own. I hate to admit this but if a certain player hadn't quit we would be favorites over them. If Matt stays out of foul trouble he will cause them nightmares.

 

[EP Maximus]

My predictions are beat UNT, lose to Rice, beat FAU, beat FIU, lose to ODU, and beat Charlotte.

Nobody asked. Nobody cares.

 

[Roy_Bigwood_05]

Rice has two of the better guards in the league in Egor Koulechov and Marcus Evans. Egor is averaging 18 ppg, and 9 rebs per game and shoots close to 50 percent on over 100-attempts from long distance, and Evans is maybe one more season away from being legit NBA prospect a la Damion Lillard or Isiah Thomas.

We all seem pretty confident about mashing UNT who is reeling and straight dog do-do, but lose to that dumpster fire on Thursday and Tony Benford pisses right in the latest flavor of the Floyd kool-aid I've been taking baby sips out of the past nine games and kills any momentum built up over the past month imo. Really worried about that game in terms of a let up..

Hope our guys come out with an edge on Thursday and mop North Texas, that game on Saturday against Rice will be huge, plus Artis-Harris vs. Egor-Evans will be one hell of a matchup, but they don't have anyone who can give Willms fits.

Interesting week ahead, "boys win at home, men win on the road....."

 

[unihorn]

Rice has two of the better guards in the league in Egor Koulechov and Marcus Evans. Egor is averaging 18 ppg, ad 9 rebs per game and shoots close to 50 percent on over 100-attempts from long distance, and Evans is maybe one more season away from being legit NBA prospect a la Damion Lillard or Isiah Thomas.

We all seem pretty confident about mashing UNT who is reeling and straight dog do-do, but lose to that dumpster fire on Thursday and Tony Benford pisses right in the latest flavor of the Floyd kool-aid I've been taking baby sips out of the past nine games and kills any momentum built up over the past month imo.

Hope our guys come out with an edge on Thursday and mop North Texas, that game on Saturday against Rice will be huge, plus Artis-Harris vs. Egor-Evans will be one hell of a matchup, but they don't have anyone who can give Willms fits.

Interesting week ahead, "boys win at home, men win on the road....."

You should be a sports writer.

Watch us lose to NTSU and whip Rice haha.

 

[Roy_Bigwood_05]

You should be a sports writer.

Watch us lose to NTSU and whip Rice haha.

I once interviewed at the El Paso Times but skipped out on the drug testing part of the application process.....

 

[MineroFanatico]

You should be a sports writer.

Watch us lose to NTSU and whip Rice haha.

Haha. I was thinking the same thing as I read through his post.

 

[JCorona]

UAB @ Marshall about to tipoff in less than five minutes on CBS Sports Network. A game with huge implications on the top four seeding. I'm going to watch it until UTEP vs NT starts. Then I'll be flipping back and forth between the two.