GAME NOTES: A pair of teams trying to avoid their first Conference USA loss of the season collide at Hofheinz Pavilion today, as the Texas-El Paso Miners clash with the Houston Cougars. The Miners come into the game well rested, as they have been out of action since trouncing Rice in a 71-43 final a week ago. It was the second win in a row for UTEP, which improved to 11-4 overall and 2-9 in C-USA play. The team, however, now hits the road where it has gone just 2-3 thus far. As for Houston, it opened the C-USA portion of its schedule by steamrolling SMU, 99-71, on Wednesday. The victory put an end to a brief two- game slide and pushed the team to 12-3 overall. The Cougars now return to the friendly confines of Hofheinz Pavilion whey have won nine of 10 outings this season. In terms of the all-time series, UTEP owns a 6-3 edge over Houston and it has won two of the past three meetings.

The Miners have done a good job scoring points this season, as they are averaging a hardy 78.7 ppg behind 43.7 percent shooting from the field. Stefon Jackson is one of the premier scorers in the nation and he leads UTEP with 23.7 ppg. Randy Culpepper is a distant second at 13.4 ppg, and Marvin Kilgore adds 12.5 ppg and a team-high 5.4 apg to the mix. In the team's last game, Jackson poured in 22 points to lead the Miners in a lopsided win over Rice. Culpepper turned in 17 points for UTEP, which knocked down 46.3 percent of its field goal tries. The Miners forced 24 turnovers and that isn't a big surprise considering they are generating 19.7 tpg on the season.

The Cougars have fared well at both ends of the floor this season, as they are scoring 75.1 ppg and limiting their foes to just 61.7 ppg. Robert McKiver leads Houston in both scoring (19.3 ppg) and steals (24), and he is also shooting 39.3 percent form long distance. Dion Dowell is the squad's top rebounder at 7.7 rpg and he ranks second in scoring with an average of 13.1 ppg. Brockeith Pane rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.5 ppg. In the club's previous contest, Dowell poured in 21 points and ripped down nine caroms to lead Houston in a rout of SMU. McKiver logged 20 points and five assists and he also sank 6- of-12 three-point tries. As a team, the Cougars bombed away from beyond the arc, making good on 16-of-38 attempts.

Houston has the luxury of hosting this game and behind another super three- point shooting performance, should be able to get past a scrappy UTEP club.