Utah coaches beginning to know all about UTEP

One day later, the Utah basketball team knows a lot more about its first-round NCAA opponent this week. At least the coaches do.

Before practice Monday afternoon, Ute coach Ray Giacoletti talked about what he has learned about the Miners, whom the Utes play Thursday afternoon at the McKale Center. Tipoff will be approximately 1:15 p.m. or a half hour after the Oklahoma-Niagra game.

After watching three tapes of the Miners, Giacoletti came away most impressed with UTEP point guard Filberto Rivera, who averages 12.9points and 7.2 assists per game.

"He's one of the best point guards in college basketball,"Giacoletti said. "I had heard about him, but hadn't seen him play. He's as good as advertised. He had 18 assists in one game this year and has a 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He's extremely unselfish and very smoothand under control."

Giacoletti said Marc Jackson will get the start on Rivera. Jackson has had some great defensive games, shutting down Arizona all-American Salim Stoudamire and Wyoming's Jay Straight twice, but has also struggled against some players.

Jackson knew nothing about Rivera as of Monday, but looks forward to playing against him.

"I haven't seen him," Jackson said. "But I like that kind ofchallenge."

SAD TIME: Ute forward Bryant Markson wasn't around for Sunday's celebration. He was back home in California because of the death of an aunt to whom he was especially close. He found about Utah's NCAA draw from a text message from teammate Richard Chaney.

It was the second time in two years Markson went home because of a death in the family. Last year he missed the New Mexico game to go home to attend the funeral of an uncle.

Markson was back for practice Monday. He said "it was very hard, but he is glad he went home to be with his family. He actually found out the news before last week's tournament, but he still played and played well, making the all-tournament team.

"I'm usually a little more excited," he said. "I just had to suck it up for my team and come through and play as hard as I could."

MATCHUP PROBLEM: After losing to UTEP in the finals of the Western Athletic Conference Saturday, Boise State coach Greg Graham said the Miners would be a tough draw in the NCAA Tournament.