Nov. 9, 2009

Photo Gallery vs New Mexico Highlands by Ivan Pierre Aguirre

Media from around the league expect the UTEP men's basketball team to contend for the 2010 Conference USA title. The Miners are picked third in the Orlando Sentinel's inaugural C-USA media poll, released on Monday. A total of 21 media members representing all 12 Conference USA markets participated in the poll.

Tulsa is the preseason favorite with 249 points, followed by Memphis (224), UTEP (202), Houston (186), Marshall (154), Southern Miss (113), UCF (98), Tulane (95), SMU (84), UAB (81), East Carolina (75) and Rice (68).

The Golden Hurricane received 18 of 21 first-place votes, with Memphis getting two and UTEP one.

The preseason Player of the Year in the conference is Tulsa senior center Jerome Jordan, and the pick for Newcomer of the Year is Memphis sophomore guard Elliot Williams, a Duke transfer.

UTEP sophomore forward Arnett Moultrie joined Tulsa's Jordan and Ben Uzoh, and Houston's Aubrey Coleman and Kelvin Lewis as first team all-league members. The Miners' junior guards Randy Culpepper and Julyan Stone were tabbed to the second and third team, respectively.

The Miners open the regular season at home versus Texas Southern on Friday at 7:05 p.m.