Joe on utepia | The place for commentary for UTEP athletics

A day on the job

UTEP dunked a lot, because it could. It shot 3-pointers ... well, they were falling (Jeremy Williams was hot, 24 points with six 3s). So there can't be a lot of complaining about a somewhat sloppy game in a 78-64 romp over Rice. Rice now has 20 losses this season. UTEP (22-5, 13-1 in Conference USA) had subs in after pulling ahead by as many as 24 points late. The win also meant UTEP has clinched at least a tie for the regular season conference title.<p>

This breather for the Miners came at a good time. On Tuesday, they play at second-place Marhsall, which has the home-court advantage, but was taken into triple overtime before beating the University of Central Florida Saturday. Most pundits have Marshall a slight favorite in this one- and UTEP hasn't been very sharp of late, although using talent to keep winning. Coach Tony Barbee said the Miners are suffering from a lack of focus of late. And, yes, UTEP will have a long day of travel Monday - to West Virginia - but at least Marshall will be a tad tuckered, too.<p>

The Miners' grit will be tested at Marshall, and then the final regular-season game is home Saturday against UAB, the only team in Conference USA that has a higher RPI than UTEP.

Two tough games coming up. A trip to the NCAA Tournament is not in the bag yet.

Wake up, posters!

If you're content that "a win is a win" then you are a fan only and a basketball pundit NOT!<p

"A win" is not "a win" in sports. In sports it's how are you playing right now and who do you play next?<p>

By almost blowing a big lead late in Wednesday's game, UTEP reverted back to the teams of last year and before. The team let up, the team took really stupid shots and the team made turnovers. UTEP was on its way to a 20-point win with less than 10 minutes to play, but had to hold on to win by three — and So. Miss missed the last shot to tie it.<p>

When UTEP gets to the NCAA (it appears likely), it will certainly be playing a team that does not let up, take bad shots and turn the ball over in the clutch. That's why last night's Miners were not an NCAA caliber team.<p>

Here's the best UTEP team:

Caracter getting fed inside (he's almost unstoppable). Why doesn't UTEP go to the big 6-9 guy a lot more<p>

Williams slashing to the basket.

Culpepper poking balls away from the opponents, not shooting 3-pointers at every opportunity. Yes he can be really hot, but you really can't live for long periods of time on outside shooting.<p>

Moultrie playing garbage detail under the hoop. He'll get his double-digit points, and if he can get his eight or more rebounds, he's doing a good job. He must be content to let Caracter be the go-to guy.<p>

Wednesday it was really good that UTEP hung in with So. Miss in a close game for a long time. Then UTEP's might took over and it looked like a 20-point win, and no stopping the Miners in Conference USA now! Then the old UTEP returned.<p>

UTEP wins, but disappoints

This was not an NCAA Tournament team that hung on (some fingernail clinging to the cliff here) to win at Southern Mississippi Wednesday, 59-56.<p>

UTEP had a 14-point lead, and had worked hard for that lead, only to be taken down to Southern Miss missing a 3-point shot with time going out. It should have been a rout by the Miners.<p>

UTEP entered the game having played well to achieve the No. 25 ranking in the Coaches Poll, and got enough votes to be No. 26 in  The AP rankings. But you don't almost blow a 14-point lead late in the second half and figure you can win a round or two when the big 64 get together in the NCAA Tournament. UTEP has to be a lot tougher, and the Miners have not really shone they can be.<p?

This blog should have read like this: "Power and might ... and real fast hands! That's how UTEP won at a school that came into the game with a 10-2 home-court record this season. It was a close game until UTEP slapped enough loose balls, and got some running layups, to lead by a comfortable margin at a time fans usually start to head for the exits."

The win means UTEP remains decent in the RPI rankings, perhaps moving into the top 50, and being an almost-for-sure winner Saturday at home against poor Rice.<p>

But is says here that UTEP, 21-5 now, didn't show toughness, in the clutch, in a road game against a decent opponent.<p>

It was nice UTEP won. It was not impressive for a team that needs all the NCAA Selection Committee members to open their eyes to Conference USA.

C-USA tourney boost

Look for the El Paso Sports Commission to make the first big financial ante in El Paso's bid for the 2011 Conference-USA men's and women's basketball tournments.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, the Sports Commission is expected to guarantee $50,000 to C-USA if it chooses El Paso over any other bidders. Brian Kennedy of the Commission said his group will also guarantee $100,000 in case there is that much in financial losses (poor ticket sales.)

Now if other entities (city/county) add guarantees in case of losses, that helps make El Paso look good to the conference. It would mean the conference is guaranteed to make money here.

The near week-long event is expected to mean a $3.5 to $4.5 million economic impact on El Paso's economy. The tournament will see 10 other conference members' men's and women's teams eat, sleep and recreate in El Paso.≤p≥ This year's event is at Tulsa. Here's some thinking: UTEP men's team is leading the conference this season, and there are no seniors on the squad. Conferences make money if the home team lasts at least into the championship game, and don't usually make much money if the host is knocked out early (ticket sales).

UTEP looks to be the team favorite next season, thus would be a good bet for C-USA.

UTEP at Tulsa

I'll be out of range Saturday. Use this space for comments on UTEP's basketball game at Tulsa.

Conference realignments

It appears the Pacific-10 is serious about adding two schools; form a 12-school league with two six-team divisions, at least in football. So does UTEP fit into any game of "who winds up in which league?"

First the explanation most of you posters already understand: Twelve  schools sets up a nationally televised football championship between the first-place finishers, just like the Big 12 and some others. It's a lot of TV money.<p>

The Big Ten, now at 11 schools, looks to add one more. But UTEP would not be involved in any  domino effect there. Missouri or Nebraska could be courted from the Big 12, or perhaps Pittsburgh from the Big East. If it's the Big 12 needing to reload, then Houston would be the favorite.<p>

The Pac-10 would likely offer membership to the Big 12's Colorado (Denver market) and the Mountain West's Utah (Salt Lake City market). Remember, the Pac-10, as has the Big Ten, makes clear that any new members must fit in with the culture of the present members. That means, above all, first-class academic programs. Don't look for the Fresno States, UNLVs  or Boise States to be in the mix in the Pac-10 mix.<p>

No, no, no. BYU does not join Utah in the Pac-10. Two reasons:  The Pac-10 would get only one new TV market and BYU causes scheduling problems. It won't play on Sundays. Some games are on Sunday in many conferences, especially basketball games made for TV - and in the NCAA Tournament.<p>

If Utah leaves, the Mountain West is down to eight teams - and might consider going up to 10. UTEP could well be a fit considering the Mountain West is basically UTEP 's old league, the Western Athletic Conference. But you know all that.<p>

Whereas UTEP isn't a "The University of," such as New Mexico or Wyoming, of a "State," such as Colorado State or San Diego State, it is a school growing in academic name due to its border location and its securing of research funding in bother health, research and security. And it is in the nation's 22nd largest city in one of the nation's top 100 TV markets.<p>

If the Mountain West would decide to expand, who better than UTEP? At least who better in this region of the country?<p>

UTEP belongs in the Mountain West, and always has. It was left out when the Mountain West was formed  because it was a little border school with not much to crow about in academics or football. Things are different now.<p>

UTEP should poise itself to be with one of the dominoes when conference alignments start to change again.<p>

What do you posters think? And remember to play this speculation game correctly. Look at the big pictures. What do potential newcomers have to offer big conferences needing a new member or two?

Romp!

No analyizing on this one. UTEP could have been playing the Downtown YMCA Saturday instead of the deadbeat East Carolina Pirates. When you go on a 42-7 run in the first half the other team is awful.<p>

But UTEP, on a big run ,including decent opponents in Conference USA, is definitely a contender for the league title, having beat other "bigs." That includes some road wins against "bigs."<p<

And Saturday the Miners must be regaled for some numbers, other than the 100-73 win.<p>

It's something that UTEP has won nine conference games in a row, a record for all time in Utepia. That includes the Border Conference of yore and the WAC starting back in the early 1960s. And Randy Culpepper scored 31 points in the first half and finished with 45. And the team got a record 15 3-point baskets.  And UTEP didn't even need its main strength, the power big guys under the hoop such as Derrick Caracter.<p>

So, nothing but kudos for the Miners Saturday.<p<

Now it's on to Tulsa (the pre-season conference favorite) on Saturday. And bet that Tulsa will be favored by the bookies on its home floor. I'm going to guess - 3 points.<p>

Yes, now it's back to real life in college basketball/the conference. Next up is a real team, pre-season favorite in Tulsa. UTEP beat Tulsa in El Paso; great game by UTEP. Now, to insure their long first-place in the league, these red-hot Miners must play good basketball against a good team.<p>

Wow! Did East Carolina wilt  Saturday, or what? But that wasn't UTEP's concern. UTEP kept up its month-long momentum. The Miners continued their march toward their best season in ... decades.  UTEP is 19-5 and already and 10-1 in the league.<p>

A "team" team now

UTEP used its power and might, plus its new-found patience, to show it has become a "team" team. That's a good sign for this squad that just might advance in the post-season playoffs if the guys keep it up. The Miners are now 18-5 and still lead Conference USA all alone.<p>

The 62-51 win at SMU Wednesday was another example of a clock-draining/lesser talent trying to coax UTEP into fraying what Coach Tony Barbee has been preaching. That is defense under the hoop and at least a decent selection of outside shots.<p>

Again. And the word "again" has been used over and over of late, the opponent dared not go inside with its offense. And SMU had some big guys. But UTEP is too big under there. And because SMU was not hot with 3-pointers, it's home-court advantage was worn down by the persistence of a Miner team that didn't let a close score most of the way bring out the "I-gotta-shoot" jitters. <p>

Power underneath with Derrick Caracter. Newfound smarts on the perimeter.  UTEP won on the road and now comes home to play the bottom team in C-USA on Saturday, East Carolina.<p>

Good times in Utepia. Perhaps a win, thus a 19-5 record, will move UTEP  from "getting votes" to one of the Top 25 spots on next week's AP Poll. A 19-5 record, with wins at Memphis and at  UAB, looks good.<p>

UTEP beat a really good team

UTEP beat a really good Tulsa team Saturday ... with defense! The "D-word" hasn't been around here for a long time. Perhaps that's the catapult to the NCAA Tournament?

UTEP's 73-59 win puts the Miners in sole possession of first place in Conference USA, a league the national smart guys still think will get only one berth in the 64-team NCAA field. So let's not assume UTEP (17-5, 8-1) gets onto a top 25-list Monday. It could happen. But there are games to play.

The point here is UTEP has a great record and is getting better on the floor of play. We've seen the Miners get better and better since 6-foot-9 Derrick Caracter joined the team in mid-December and slashing forward Jeremy Williams got into the starting lineup. But what we're seeing in the last two or three games is UTEP playing great defense under the hoop and great defense stealing the ball. That was the difference vs. Tulsa (18-5, 7-2).

A 30-30 halftime score was riddled by UTEP doggedness. UTEP started a second-half dominance because of defense. Tulsa always plays smart, but smarts don't make outside jump shots when the middle is clogged and you're jump shooting is ker-clanging.

UTEP went on a 15-3 scoring spree to break the game open.

There are still games to play in the league, then there's the conference tournament. Only the tournament winners is assured of an NCAA berth.

But we all know that in Utepia.

Bottom line: UTEP is now atop the standings after having played, and defeated, the three other top teams: Memphis, UAB and Tulsa.

Caracter and Bad News Barnes

Is there any doubt that Derrick Caracter is the best big man, offensively, at UTEP since Jim "Bad News" Barnes in the early 1960s?

He sloughed off triple teams, at times, to score 22 points. He also got 13 rebounds in the 65-58 win over Houston Wednesday. Did you notice Houston didn't even try going inside against UTEP's Caracter-led tall talent?

Caracter and Jeremy Williams are the main reasons this is a special UTEP team, which is tied for the Conference USA lead with Tulsa at 7-1. Tulsa comes to El Paso Saturday. And you know who leads Tulsa — its best big man in a long while, 7-footer Jerome Jordan.

For a great show of two future NBA players, hope there is no foul trouble betweeen 6-foot-9 Caracter and Jordan.

Of note: The 6-foot-7 Williams, who out-skilled Memphis to make a name for himself at UTEP earlier this season, made the four straight free throws to ensure UTEP's win over a hanging-around Houston team.