All week long there was grumbling that the Western Athletic Conference had given an unfair homecourt advantage by selecting Salt Lake's Delta Center as the permanent site for its post-season tournament, but that turned out to be so much bunk. On Friday night, just hours after BYU lost to New Mexico, Utah fell to the University of Texas-El Paso 90-85 in overtime.
Ute coach Rick Majerus has only himself to blame. For the second time in a week, a technical foul against Utah's fiery coach probably cost the Utes the game. Utah held an eight-point lead with less than five minutes remaining when Majerus was whistled for the technical. The Miners turned it into a five-point swing and started on a 9-0 run that cut Utah's lead to one point. Moments later, Eddie Rivera sank a three-point basket to put the Miners on top 69-67.They never trailed again, although Jimmy Soto's two free throws with five seconds left, tied the game at 73 and forced the overtime period. The Miners started the overtime with a 13-5 run to secure the victory.
"The technicals were my fault," Majerus said. "I didn't say anything to them (officials). They've got in for me. I hope they suspend me. I truly feel I cost my team the game, just like against Notre Dame last year (in NIT semifinals) and I'm sorry for that. The officiating is either incompetent, dishonest or both."
The outcome of the game will send No. 4 seeded UTEP, 20-11, will meet No. 3-seeded New Mexico tonight at 7:30 in the WAC tournament championship final.
The Utes, 23-6, will now sit out the weekend and await word on Sunday as to their fate in the NCAA tournament.
The Utes can only be glad they won't have to face Rivera again. Rivera and Utah's Jimmy Soto - who both stand about 5-foot-8 and were both selected to the allWAC first team earlier this week - went head to head much of the night. Rivera totaled 32 points; Soto had 21.
Darroll Wright, who returned to the team this week after serving a three-game suspension, back from a three-game suspension, had 17 points off the bench. Josh Grant had 21 points and nine rebounds.
From the outset, the Utes had difficulty handling the quick, athletic Miners, just as they did six days earlier in a 79-70 loss in El Paso. Ralph Davis scored six straight points to give UTEP a 20-17 lead.
The Utes rallied. Grant made a pair of free throws and followed with a floating jump shot down the baseline. Phil Dixon scored on a reverse layup off a fastbreak feed from Soto, and Darroll Wright soared and scored after making a spectacular one-handed rebound, tying the game at 25.
With Grant on the bench with two fouls, the Miners made yet another move. Antoine Gillespie sank a trey, and Hector Gonzales scored on a tipin and a foul shot to give UTEP a 37-34 halftime lead.
The Utes battled back and forged a solid 65-57 lead with 4:36 left. Then disaster struck. Majerus made another of his famous outbursts and was slapped with a technical foul. He should have known better. Last week in El Paso, the Utes trailed by one in the first half when a Majerus technical meant a seven-point swing. Majerus later said it cost his team the game and few disagreed.
Then on Friday Majerus did it again. Majerus protested a foul, slamming a brief case down on the scorer's table and was penalized for it again.
This time it cost the Utes five points. Johnny Melvin made a pair of foul shots, Rivera made one of his technical foul shots and, on the resulting possession, Rivera drew another foul and made both free throws. Just like that the Utah lead had shrunk to 65-62.
Moments later, Gonzales scored on a dunk to make it 65-64 with 3:33 left. The rally continued. With some three minutes left, Gonzales scored on a rebound dunk, giving UTEP a 66-65 lead. Following a pair of foul shots by Soto, Rivera made a three-point shot to give UTEP a 69-67 lead.
Though the Utes would tie the score four times, they never recovered the rest of the night.