Box Score
BOX SCORE (.PDF) - Radio Call - Final 7 Seconds - Sless Postgame Interview - Jude Young's Closing Thoughts - Higlight Video
EL PASO, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team upset the Tim Floyd-led UTEP Miners, 71-69, on Monday night in the Don Haskins Center.
The win broke a 25-game road losing streak for the Privateers against Division I opponents. The last road win prior to tonight's victory for the New Orleans basketball program was on February 18, 2010 at Louisiana-Monroe.
"This win is big for us not only as a program, but as a team. We continue to improve each day and we remain hungry to get better and move the program forward," said Head Coach
Mark Slessinger. "I am extremely proud of our players and coaches. I cannot express it enough."
"We are humbled that one of the UNO greats [Tim Floyd] would bring us down to play in a historic building. We are who we are because of Tim Floyd and other greats like Bennie Dees, Ron Greene, Don Smith and Tic Price."
The Privateers (3-4) started the game on a tear, coming out of the gate red-hot and racing to a five-point – 19-14 – lead over the Miners (5-5) at the 12:43 mark in the first quarter. UTEP continued to challenge and erased the deficit to take a 36-32 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
In the first half, the Privateers were deadly from 3-point range by shooting 40 percent (6-of-15) and held the rebound edge, 17 to 14, over the Miners. For the game, New Orleans maintained its fine 3-point shooting for a 40 percent (8-of-20) mark, and barely relinquished the rebound margin, 33-32.
"We knew coming in that it was very important for us to have a good first half; we've had slow starts against other good teams like Boise State, Minnesota and Hawaii and we lost those games. Our coaching staff emphasized having a good start all week in practice," said Slessinger. "We had huge contributions from so many of our guys, including the bench. They collectively elevated our play as a whole, making us better as a team."
The most glaring stat of the first half box score was senior
Cory Dixon being held to no points and no rebounds; however, that changed in the second half with the Argyle, Texas native scoring 12 points and pulling down six rebounds. Dixon also played with four personal fouls for the remaining 8:05 of the game.
But Dixon did not carry the Privateers on his own in the second half, and New Orleans – bench and the few faithful there – grinded their way to the school's biggest victory since defeating nationally ranked NC State, 65-63, on the road in 2007.
"In the second half, UTEP made an adjustment defensively and we were able to put together a great run. Our team held their composure and showed patience offensively and found ways to get stops and rebound through team play and toughness," said Slessinger.
With the change in the Miners defensive philosophy, New Orleans went on an 11-0 run starting at the 10:10 mark to give the Privateers a 60-55 lead three minutes later. The lead matched the Privateers biggest of the game and New Orleans never trailed again.
Dixon and junior
Matt Derenbecker led the Privateers with 12 points each, while senior
Tradarrius McPhearson tallied 11 while senior Isacc Mack rounded out the double-digit scores for the Privateers with 10. Derenbecker also had a career-high nine rebounds.
All 11 Privateers that played in the game scored, as the Privateers shot 50.9 percent (27-of-53) from field goal range on the night.
New Orleans will travel next to No. 5 Michigan State on Saturday, December 28.
