EL PASO, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers will square off against one of its former leaders tonight at the Don Haskins Center, playing against the Tim Floyd-led UTEP Miners. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT
The Privateers (2-4) are fresh off of a 101-38 victory over Champion Baptist, while UTEP (5-4) is also riding the waves of a win having defeated Sacramento State, 69-51, last time out on the hardwood.
New Orleans senior forward
Cory Dixon is atop the team in points (15.5 ppg), rebounds (7.7 rpg), blocks (1.6 bpg) and assists (2.5 apg) heading into tonight's contest. Junior forward
Matt Derenbecker joins Dixon in averaging double digits with a 12.6 per contest average, and has scored 10-plus in his last three games. Derenbecker has also been deadly from 3-point land in his last two outings, making 6-of-9 attempts from downtown.
The Miners are led by Floyd who coached the Privateers from 1988-94 before departing for Iowa State. Floyd posted a 127-58 mark while atop the UNO program that included five postseason appearances. After his stint with Iowa State, Floyd went on to coach the Chicago Bulls and then the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA, before returning to the collegiate ranks to lead the USC Trojans and now the Miners. In between the Trojans and Miners, Floyd rejoined the Hornets organization as an assistant to then general manager and interim head coach Jeff Bower.
Floyd and the Miners will be without their leading scorer McKenzie Moore, who is averaging 13.6 points per game. Only one other player, Julian Washburn, is averaging double figures for the Miners, right a 10 points per game.
Be sure to tune into the call tonight on 990 AM WGSO with pregame starting at 7:50 p.m. Also follow us on twitter @UNOPrivateers for all the in-game updates.
