Broncs back at home for Lumberjacks

EDINBURG — The University of Texas-Pan American Field House isn’t the setting the men’s basketball team is used to.

The Broncs are accustomed to the more hostile environments. Broncs senior guard Ben Smith admitted it feels somewhat “weird” when UTPA plays at home.

“You are used to getting booed and yelled at,” Smith said. “But when you have people cheering for you, it’s a lot nicer.”

For only the third time this regular season, the Broncs play at the Field House when they host the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at 2 p.m. today.

The Broncs (1-12) have played in 13 games this season and all but two have been away from Edinburg. For that reason, one would assume the Broncs would play sharper at home. If the University of Texas-San Antonio game 10 days ago was of any indication, that is not always a given.

UTPA didn’t look like a team that was glad to be home when it hosted UTSA, resulting in a 72-48 loss. The story leading up to that game was that the Broncs were competing in a home contest after nine away.

“We should have come out with a lot more energy, but we didn’t,” Smith said. “We just have to learn from that. We have to pick up the energy for (the Northern Arizona) game. I know everyone is pumped up for this game.”

Broncs coach Ryan Marks is taking a different approach in the team’s preparation for today’s game, adding that he may have over prepared his squad for UTSA.

“I prepared them like we would for any other game, and that was too much to throw at our guys at that time coming off all the travel and exam week,” Marks said. “We probably needed to sort of simplify and reduce our preparation. I’ve kind of have been kicking myself about that ever since.”

With the players traveling for the holidays, Marks has pulled back on the intense prep time for today’s game, hoping for the team’s first regular season home victory.

“We are certainly happy to play at home,” Marks said. “… We want to play well for us to win. We also want the people supporting us to get some benefit from it too.”

FREE THROWS: Many of the players’ flights back from their short break were delayed or canceled, hindering the Broncs’ weekend practice schedule. Matt Mierzycki and Julius Hearn did not arrive in time for Sunday’s practice. Saturday’s practice was reduced to a shootaround. … The Lumberjacks are 4-7 on the season and are 2-0 all time vs. the Broncs.

Peter Rasmussen covers UTPA athletics for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.