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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle SPORT Friday, February 26, 1999 Brandon Winn, Sports Editor: winnchronicle.utah.edu The Daily Utah Chronicle - 9 'On the Path to Perfection. . . Utes stay perfect in the WAC by surviving UTEP while Miller hurts wrist Brandon Winn Chronicle Sports Editor It's only a bruise. Relax everybody. Everything is going to be just fine. Andre Miller hit the floor with about 45 seconds left in the Utes' 0 victory over the UTEP Miners on Saturday night, rolled onto his back and was still. So were the hearts of every Ute fan in attendance and watching on television. Flashes of a NCAA Tournament buzzed through the minds of everybody who has watched Miller guide the Utes to the brink if a historic season. But it's all right. It's only a bruise. Utah trainer Gerald Fisher said so. Never have four simple words eased the pain and suffering 75-7- of a congregation of over 15,000 that attended Thursday's game. "I'm fine," said Miller, who led the Utes with 17 points. "It's only a bruise. It doesn't hurt that much." Miller is expected to play against New Mexico, where the Utes will be trying to pull off an undefeated run through the WAC season. But before the Utes could worry about win No. 14, No. 13. They almost blew it. UTEP led 6 with 11:20 left in the game after William Smith nailed creating a sense of queasiness to fall over the crowd. That's when the Utes finally dug up some of their emotion that seemed to be buried deeper than a corpse for the 28:40 of the contest. Miller matched Smith with his own outside bcmb, putting the Utes up by two, which proved to be the catalyst for a 5 run. Alex Jensen scored 10 points during the spurt. "I think we played tougher in the second half," said Miller. "We came out and didn't have any intensity to start the' game. We didn't play good defense and weren't very physical." As a result, a Miner team that employs far less 47-4- 17-- j W I Alex Jensen scored 14 points on Thursday. talent than the Utes was able to put a Shockwave on the Utes, rendering them motionless and stagnant. At least that's what Utah Coach Rick Majerus saw. "We weren't really competing the way we have been," said a disappointed Majerus. "It was a very, very mediocre performance for us. The guys didn't feel good in the locker room after and I certainly don't feel good about this game." The lack of effort on the defensive side was the particular thorn that irritated Majerus. The Miners shot 53 percent against a Ute defense that doesn't allow teams to shoot 40 percent, on average. Sharif Fajardo, the Miners' top weapon on offense, treated the Ute post players like rented mules, beating them and beating them all evening long. Fajardo finished with a game-hig- h see Men page ' 14-- 0 10 Alex Jensen went high to try to snatch this rebound while Jarvis Mullahon (24) struggles. Waits for Utah Saturday Only New Mexico stands in the way ofperfect WAC year Brandon Winn Chronicle Sports Editor i - j VVii - If you were on a collision course with perfection, how would you react? Some teams shy away, not wanting the added pressure that comes with being the best. The Denver Broncos choked away their chance at an unbeaten season, losing to the Giants and the Dolphins near the end of the regular season, but admitted that the pressure was taken off their shoulders the moment they had a glitch at the end of their record. This is the position Utah sits in as it heads into the final game of the WAC season Saturday against New Mexico. After disposing of UTEP Andre Miller injured his wrist against UTEP, but it was only a bruise. Thursday evening, the Utes find themselves in a strange position. With a win against the Lobos, the Utes will secure a 0 record their first undefeated WAC season in school history. Other than that, what is the point? There really isn't one. But Andre Miller won't letup. The lone Ute senior, who will be honored before the game, is biting at the prospects of an undefeated conference record. "That's been my goal," said Miller. "We've kind of surprised ourselves with how much we've been beating people by, but I thought we could win all our conference games." Surprised is a good word for things. Two months ago, the Utah-NeMexico game promised to hold championship ramifications. Now, it will be lucky to hold anybody's attention. The Lobos are a disappointing 4 in the WAC. Kenny Thomas, who was expected to rule the country after his brilliant freshman season three years ago, has never blossomed into a star. The only thing that has grown in his four years is his waist 14-- w 9-- line. You just know CBS, which will be televising the to a.m. contest, is con- sidering the termination of its program director. The game just doesn't many anything on a large scale. The Utes have the No. seed at the WAC Tournament and are locked for the NCAA Tournament. Saturday's game is for one thing a reason to let the head swell. Even Majerus is already congratulating his team. "What a tremendous accomplishment for these players to win the championship," said Majerus. "Particularly to have a team so young and so inexperienced to be able to win. It's an unbelievable achievement and I tip my hat to the players." If the 0 Utes do beat the Lobos, the pressure to win the WAC Tournament could became like a strangle hold, which has happened to many teams in the past. But rest assured, the Utes can handle the pressure. They have 13 reasons to believe that, and zero reason to think otherwise. 1 13-- |
