Joe on utepia | The place for commentary for UTEP athletics

Glory times

Think back. When has it been this good in Utepia?<p>

UTEP won a road game vs. a nationally ranked (No. 25) UAB 74-65 in double overtime Saturday. It was a road game. It was the third straight Conference USA road win in a row; UTEP had lost its previous 13 games against nationally ranked teams.<p>

And, late in this season, it put UTEP in a tie with UAB and Tulsa for the conference lead. When was the last time?

Statistics could go on and on.<p>

But there's some nitty-gritty for the 15-5 Miners, who are 6-1 in C-USA and 15-5 overall. So here's why the Miners won - again! It was because the nationally ranked Blazers were afraid to go inside against UTEP. We saw this start happening at the University of Central Florida last weekend. The Miners now have a name for themselves as in-the-lane cloggers; it is the biggest, tallest team in some two decades, you know.<p>

Early in Saurday's game, UAB could get inside for layups and bankers, as have others of late. In the second half UTEP continued to play its tighetest inside defense in many, many years. Just clog it up. That's what UTEP does. And UAB didn't make a befy of outside shots. That was the difference - overall.<p>

Now UTEP coulda/shoulda won the game in regulation. But a game-winning drive-and-score was negated because Arnette Moultire (take some laps, Arnette) interfered with the basket. Keep your mitts off, Arnette, and UTEP wins in regulation.<p>

In the overtime, the chance to win at near-buzzer time was blown when (shades of past teams) Jeremy Williams stepped out of bounds and gave UAB a last-second shot, which it missed.<p>

But in double-overtime, UTEP dominated all the way. It was finally a pounding.

1) On the road.<p>

2) Against No. 25 in the nation.<p>

3) When it meant tying for the conference lead - clutch, clutch. clutch<p>

What's next?<p>

OK, home games Wednesday and Saturday vs. more UABs. First Houston, which beat UTEP in Houston, and then  league favorite Tulsa Saturday.<p>

Tough games? Yes. For oldtimers, this is when the good BYU and Utah teams would come to El Paso.<p?

 But that was long ago. that was yore. Now, for the first time since heydays of Minerdom , this UTEP team is poised to handle a big game.<p>

Caracter?

What's with the Derrick Caracter injury? One report: Tweaked a knee in practice Tuesday. Another report: Injured a quad.

The 6-foot-9, 280-pounder didn't play in UTEP's easy win over Tulane, 81-74. Tulane is a 6-12 team, and played without two of its better players, including its team-leader point guard.

You have to ask about Caracter, though, since he has a past of being in the doghouse. That's why he's here instead of at Louisville, where Coach Rick Pitino called him a thorn in his side. The rub was this talented player's ho-hum attitude about being part of a team.

And it is normal for some coaches to save a player's face by saying he's hurt a little bit when the truth is the player missed a class or something minor, and is getting a little disciplining. Not saying that's the case here, but you've gotta ask when it comes to Caracter.

Here's a case of fans hoping it is actually a minor injury, as UTEP reports, and not a mental "injury?" A tweaked knee or an injured quad. A minor injury, keeping a guy out of one easy-win game still beats trouble in the lockerroom.

Real UTEP?

UTEP's 37-point win was courtesy of Randy Culpepper and his nine 3-point baskets.

But the second-half physical takeover at the University of Central Florida Saturday (96-59) was accomplished by the style of play UTEP is supposed to be unleasing - terrifying opponets under the basket with Derreck Caracter and Arnette Moultrie.

UTEP turned a 44-41 halftime lead into the Conference USA victory when UCF just plain gave up trying to break UTEP's big-guy wall and go to the basket. In the first half UCF got some pick-and-screen easy layups off the half-court game, but when UTEP closed that down there was nothing the Knights could do but futz around the perimenter. And they had a cold shooting game. Actually, UCF had good strategy vs. the Miners, perhaps the only strategy that can lift good teams over this tall Miner teams. That is, clog the middle and make Miner guys shot from outside, where on most night the shooting percentage is far below than a shooting percentage from inside with 6-9 and 6-11 tremendous athletes such as Caracter and Moultrie - and some subs just as big. In games the Miners are hot outside, such as Saturday, then you'd better be a Kansas or North Carolina or one of those types.

UTEP is now 13-5 and tied for second in C-USA at 4-1. Next is a Wednesday home game vs. not-so-good Tulane, followed by a road game against a smart opponent, University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB will get better position on offense and defense than did UCF.

The Miners, with their upset win at Memphis Wednesday, and then the rout at UCF, are on their biggest roll in Coach Tony Barbee's four seasons here.

Watching Culpepper be so hot-of-hand shooting was entertaining, very much so. Seeing that UTEP is starting to intimidate other teams - so they won't attack close in because they're scared - shows the Miners can be a really good team this year. And remember there are no seniors on this 13-5 team.

More than a big win

This was much more than the biggest win for UTEP since some Don Haskins pull-offs of yore. Now the particulars:

The 72-67 (yes dominance) over C-USA's long-time king meant Memphis DID NOT set an all-time NCAA record for most consecutive wins over conference teams. Memphis remains tied with the Kentucky teams of 60 years ago at 64 in a row. How in the world could a good Memphis team, with all that on the line, lose? Call it a big program achievement for UTEP.

UTEP, with some bad baggage on the scoreboard this year, played gutso in the clutch, and all through the game - and in front of 18,000 fans - and ... Let's say that Barbee's recruiting strategy of trying to match Memphis showed dividends Wednesday night. He had a taller, deeper and as-talented team as Memphis - and the Miners kept their heads enough to win the game on the road - with Memphis and its fans having all that going for them. That's something to let sink in: with ALL that going for them, and UTEP came up dominant.

This game's score was close all the way. Nobody put on a rally. That's to UTEP's plus side because home teams usually have a run at some time in the game. But Wednesday, in the second half, UTEP closed off the inside and Memphis couldn't score enough from the outside. UTEP is usually weak under the hoop. Not Wednesday - against the elite team.

No rips and rags on the 12-5 Miners this time. They hit their press clippings with a bulls-eye vs. 13-5 Memphis.

OK, a win

Can't complain about winning. UTEP, at home, did what it was supposed to do - beat a so-so team. It was 56-49 over Southern Mississippi Saturday in The Don.

Perhaps the best news was that the Miners defeated a good coach, Larry Eustachy, whose style is ... not letting the opponents score a lot.

Perhaps the question must be asked: If the Miners (11-5) are a break-through team this year (NCAA Tournament), how come they couldn't crack up, then run over, the Golden Eagles?

This has to go down as a good-news night because it was the first time in several games that the Miners actually held - and held onto - the upper hand throughout the game.

Next is the big one - at Memphis Wednesday.

The Miners held control against now 10-7 So. Miss. That's a plus. Now it's time to go get a really big win - a type of win that has eluded the team all season.

UTEP loses to itself

UTEP is now losing to teams that play the same style of basketball. This bodes awful because the Miners are now losing to anybody who can play the major-college game.

The Miners lost a road game at so-so Houston, 75-65 Wednesday. Houston was 8-7 and isn't really going anywhere in the March post-season. UTEP was 10-4, and with the loss it looks like Coach Tony Barbee's fourth edition of another "so-so" team is going anywhere, either.

This was supposed to be a really good, tall-and-talented team. Shooters. Dunkers. Rebounders. Rally-makers.

Well, UTEP is really run-and-dunk impressive when the opponents are easy. Thus the fast, winning start. The Miners lost to real teams Mississippi, Texas Tech and BYU - and also to rival New Mexico State. Now that Houston has won, there's a question about beating anybody with a good coach.

Has Barbee lost this team?

UTEP: Terrible public relations

UTEP asks loyal support, yet it tries to hide things. The loyal fans don't have to be let in on any of the negative stuff. That's bad public relations, and UTEP looks bad when the news hits. You can't hide in the Internet era.

Is UTEP dumb, or what? These things get out. Lewis is in Florida, and those around him there say he is looking for a job. He says he has no comment until UTEP has a comment. What? That says he's gone. It's not like he's a hot-ticket item for a better job, not after his defense was awful in his only two seasons in Utepia.

Meanwhile, it was obvious UTEP Coach Mike Price had to do something to renew fan interest in his team - four losing seasons in a row. When the question of Lewis' job security came up right after the season (obvious question), Price said he saw no changes. Baloney! That's a Price negative. That's playing "closed door" with the fans. Maybe Price was hoping Lewis would get a new job, then be able to say he left on his own?

C'mon. Be honest. Lewis had to be GONE, not because he wasn't a good coach, but because his gimmick 3-3-5 defense was real bad in 2008 and it didn't get much better in 2009. And UTEP has to sell season tickets, based on optimism for the coming season. Price has to have some selling point.

UTEP should have made the announcement before those close to the departing coach, and close to any replacements, let the real story loose.

UTEP looks bad. But bet it will work up some weasel-worded explanation. Don't buy it.

Missed opportunity again

UTEP now goes full into Conference USA play with no gold nuggets to offer the NCAA Tournament Committee in March. Yes, it's early January, but UTEP did nothing to date to show it's one of the top 64 teams among the 320-ish.

The home loss, 82-77 to No. 25 BYU Saturday, means the Miners haven't defeated a nationally ranked teamed in a basketball eon, and any future wins over the so-so Conference USA opponents won't wow any tournament selection committee.

BYU is a top team this year. The Cougars came to El Paso minus their star play, but they still out-played and out-smarted the Miners. When the game was close, BYU didn't mess up. UTEP's best player (in a long time) Derrick Caracter threw away a pass, and UTEP big guy Arnett Moultrie stepped on the out-of-bounds line. Again, just like at Texas Tech, it was late enough in the game that BYU could control the ball, get fouled and make its free throws to run out the lock. These are things that have killed the Miners in close games throughout Coach Tony Barbee's four years in Utepia. Little, dumb-play things in big moments.

So UTEP is 10-4. Don't look for the Miners to be rated much better than in the 130s in the next RPI rankings. The Miners haven't beaten any "anybodys," and that includes the win vs. worse-than-ever Oklahoma.

C-USA matchups

It's always been clear that UTEP Basketball Coach Tony Barbee is attempting to build his team into another Memphis — just blow everybody else away with sheer talent.

In that sense, he's about pulled even with Memphis in this his fourth season.

But there just may be "new strategies on the block." For example, UAB plays smart-style basketball under its coach, Mike Davis, formerly of Indiana. And UTEP, especially in its last two games, has not looked good against teams that pass the ball around, set screens and get good position for rebounds.

What do you posters think? Can UTEP blow away the likes of UAB, Marshall, Tulsa and Memphis?

So far, statistics on the five best teams, scoring and defense, are about the same. And UTEP's home/away schedule against them is not favorable.

UTEP plays at Memphis and Marshall, with no home game in return. And it has a home-and-home with UAB.

Here are some numbers:

SCHOOL.................REC....OFF PTS...DEF. PTS

UAB....................13-2.....71........60

Marshall...............12-2.....82........64

Tulsa..................11-3.....77........62

UTEP...................10-3.....79........63

Memphis................10-4.....76........59

I think smart team play will be the difference-maker. UTEP needs to get smarter (no silly fouls, no stepping on out-of-bounds lines late in game ... and how in the world can Polk pick up three fouls in one possession down the floor. And, as some posters have pointed out, what's Derrick Caracter doing guarding guards when he should be getting rebounding position?)

Not a good showing

UTEP is supposed to be better than that. Overcoming a lame (now 5-8) SMU basketball team by 49-45 is not what makes a Conference USA ... contender.

More and more, and as some have said, Coach Tony Barbee can recruit the flash, but there's serious doubt he can coach "the game of basketball." Three games have been blown late, and it was difficult for the Miners to defeat this weak SMU team in a home game.

So UTEP is 10-3 now. The only "quality" win was over a questionable Oklahoma team. The Miners' lack of floor knowledge resulted in all three losses, despite somewhat comfortable(?) late-game leads vs. New Mexico State, Ole Miss and Texas Tech).

Wednesday, in a 49-45 win over SMU, the Miners couldn't take the lead for good until two minutes to play. This is not going to position the Miners as one of the good teams in not-so-good Conference USA. UTEP led by 13 in the second half, but couldn't put forth the will to put SMU away. UTEP is in trouble. It may not be a good overall season for the Miners.