Missed chances give UTEP win
Loss forces Frogs to look for victory at WAC Tournament

By Matt Stiver
Skiff Staff

Junior guard Greedy Daniels has called getting steals his “joy.” However, Daniels probably did not find much joy Saturday night in El Paso.

Daniels had the ball stolen from him twice in the final 17 seconds to give Texas-El Paso a 92-89 victory. The loss drops the Frogs (16-7, 5-4 Western Athletic Conference) into a four-place tie with Tulsa in the WAC.

Tulsa lost to Southern Methodist 64-59 Saturday.

Linda Stelter, El Paso Times TCU senior point guard Thomas McTyer and UTEP junior forward Brian Stewart fight for possession of the ball during the Frogs’ 92-89 loss to the Miners Saturday. The loss drops the Frogs into a fourth-place tie in the Western Athletic Conference.

Taking an in-bounds pass with 17.3 seconds left and TCU trailing 90-89, Daniels set up for the final shot. With the clock under 10, Daniels drove into the lane and watched the ball get stolen out of his hands.

Daniels protested that there was a foul on the play.

“All I know is I was fouled,” he said.

Tubbs was out of town Monday and unavailable for comment.

The ending seemed ironic, given the game Daniels had played. He single-handedly kept the Frogs in the contest, scoring 29 points while shooting 10-of-13 from the floor and 6-of-7 from beyond the arc.

With the Frogs trailing 63-56 and 13 minutes left, Daniels went on an 8-0 run that gave the Frogs their first lead of the game. During the run, he nailed consecutive three pointers from NBA range with defenders’ hands in his face. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the game, with three points marking the largest lead.The Frogs had one more chance, trailing 91-89 with 4.8 seconds left. Daniels took an in-bounds pass from senior point guard Larry Allaway at midcourt. As Daniels attempted to split two defenders with a crossover dribble, UTEP’s Roy Smallwood swatted the ball, and TCU’s chances, from Daniels’ hands.TCU had other missed chances as well. Senior forward Ryan Carroll, TCU’s leading scorer and three-point shooter, missed twice on wide-open threes that would have given the Frogs the lead. With the game tied at 89 and 1:09 to play, Carroll took a swing pass from Daniels and stood alone at the three-point arc. His shot did not even draw iron.

After the free throw by UTEP’s Brandon Wolfram, Carroll would have another chance. With 20 seconds remaining, he had another open look at a three pointer. But again, his shot did not find the bottom of the net.

UTEP’s Brian Stewart scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Miners.

Though seven games remain on the WAC schedule, the UTEP loss may force TCU to look at the WAC Tournament, which will be held March 6 to 10 at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, as its only chance at an NCAA Tournament berth. The WAC champion will receive an automatic NCAA bid.

Tubbs said last week the Frogs would need to win the remainder of their games “for me to feel good about (getting a bid to the NCAA Tournament).”

The Frogs will have a chance to avenge a 73-66 loss Saturday when they play against Rice in Houston.

Matt Stiver
m.r.stiver@student.tcu.edu