Broncs spending Thanksgiving on the road

EDINBURG - Another road trip will keep the University of Texas-Pan American away from home for Thanksgiving.

The Broncs left Wednesday afternoon for the conclusion of the Las Vegas Tournament on Friday and Saturday, having to spend the holiday in the Nevada city.

Although most of the players and coaching staff are from out of the Rio Grande Valley, Broncs coach Tom Schuberth said no matter where his team is during this time of the year, he attempts to make up for most on the team being away from their families.

"We will have Thanksgiving together in Las Vegas," Schuberth said. "We have a couple of options right now. We always try to do it as a team whether we are at home or on the road, try to make it a family atmosphere. I know the guys are looking forward to it."

Schuberth said Tuesday the team has not made a final decision on where they will have their Thanksgiving dinner.

"We will probably do a buffet," Schuberth said. "We want to go somewhere where they can get all they want, somewhere where they can get all their traditional Thanksgiving-type foods.

"They have their immediate family that probably cares about them more than anybody. They also have their basketball family. You can never replace your immediate family but we can certainly be there for them."

ROAD WARRIORS

All this traveling does make it tough on the players, junior guard Ben Smith said. Quite a few hands went up when Schuberth asked his team after practice Wednesday who was sick.

"It definitely takes a toll on you, not only academically but physically and mentally," Smith said. "We have to wake up early to get on flights and have to deal with changing time zones. Then you have to worry about making up exams and assignments that you missed. It definitely takes its toll."

BACK TO VEGAS

The Broncs have already competed in Las Vegas this season. They opened the first round of the Las Vegas Tournament last Week against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The Rebels won 73-48.

UTPA is 0-2 in the tourney, also dropping a game to California last week in Berkeley, Calif.

The Broncs conclude the tourney in Las Vegas against North Carolina A&T (Friday) and either Western Illinois or Coastal Carolina (Saturday).

HONORED

Sophomore guard Nick Weiermiller was named to the All-Tournament team of the Air Force Tournament last weekend.

He recorded 19 points and eight assists in a win over the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Sunday and 12 points and four assists in a losing effort against Wofford on Saturday.

Peter Rasmussen covers UTPA athletics for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448 or via e-mail at prasmussen@themonitor.com.