Evolving Miners

It's still infancy time in regard to Coach Tim Floyd's re-making of UTEP's basketball program into a clone of by-the-book offense and guard your man. That's the way the bigs in the world of college basketball play.

This is a team that won 26 games under the departed run, gun and ho-whee Coach Tony Barbee. Everybody's back except the two big guys, 6-10 Arnett Moultrie (transfer to Mississippi State) and 6-9 Derek Caracter (to the LA Lakers). That's going to hurt the Miners big on some nights.

At 3-1 after Tuesday's 73-56 long-range bombing of rival New Mexico State, this infant's features are beginning to take shape.

There will be no power and might, and no pizzaz, by the big men, at least not in the immediate future. They might look good against some of the little twerps left on the pre-conference sked. NMSU outrebounded the Miners 40-27 and now UTEP goes under the big-time lights in Atlantic City Friday and Saturday vs. Georgia Tech and then the winner between Michigan and Syracuse.

Do you believe in miracles? I don't, in Atlantic City, anyway. UTEP will be 3-3 when it goes to New Mexico State Tuesday - and that will be tossup on the betting board.

All was well last night. It was the adage of looking good when your shots fall. The Miners made 12 baskets from 3-point range on 24 attempts. (Polk 5-8). Hitting half one's 3-point attempts is well above average; it isn't going to happen most of the time. NMSU made 3 of 13, a statistic that belongs in a freezer. So that was the scoreboard difference. NMSU's big rebounding advantage couldn't overcome that shooting. You can't rebound if the ball goes swish.

Yes, it's still infancy time and much too early to think the win over those Aggies is cause to whoop it up.

But, yes, UTEP will be well ahead in the win column when Conference USA play starts in early January. Note: UTEP still has a road game at BYU and a home game vs. Texas Tech prior to C-USA play. Do you believe in miracles vs. those two? Well, maybe one. And a win over either would be Floyd's first big imprint on turning the Miners from  run, gun and ho-whee to a team that plays the in-control style of the real big schools in college basketball.

The future?

Forecast a mostly sunny season.

Comments

[minerville]

u suck joe

[joe sucks]

why even read this blog? true miner fans go to miner rush

[Manny]

Miner Rush is where its all about! I hate all the negativity that this d**chebag JOE MUENCH Brings to his blogs! Quit Trying to brainwash people and go write elsewhere if you dont like UTEP! Quit Bashing the team, And YES they will do good in Atlantic City just watch! And they will win against BYU and TExas Tech I will put Money on that!

[Brad]

Manny.. what did d**chebags ever do to you? They definitely do not deserve the nasty insult of being equated with "Phaggie" Joe.

[James]

Hey Joe, DEFENSE baby! DEFENSE! Aggie turnovers! The "formidable" Aggies couldn't hit the broad side of a barn! Even when it was a freebie! They couldn't use there " formidable" presence inside to thier advantage either! I guess last night they (UTEP) didn't really miss it! The big guy's, I mean! And let me see if I've got this straight! The "formidable" Aggies are a " toss-up" at home? C'mon Joe,! Quote, "you can't rebound when it goes swish!" What did they ("the formidable Aggies")do with the ones that didn't! Get your ORANGE ON! NO Fair Weather Fan's Needed! Go MINERS!

[Xavier Bermudez]

The Miners are in for a tough season after yesterday's win over the NMS Aggies. There is no chemistry with the team and at times they looked they'd given up on rebounding at all. They hardly drove to the paint and the ball movement was stagnant or non-existant with Culpepper "ball huging" most of the time and challenging "team play". Coach Floyd sure had words with several players after making just lazy mistakes. It's early in the season, definitely, yet the sluggishness of the team and lack of desire to play like a champion was cause for worry. Inspect what you expect. Miners, it's all about who wants it more. How bad do you want it Miners?

[Baskerville]

What happens when the Miners run into a team that rebounds and shoots the ball? Ouch.

[John Franco]

When did the name callers show up on this blog? I only heard the game on the radio, but it seems if this team is a consistently good 3 point shooting team, they will do some damage, but lack of passing and penetrating to the basket will hurt them. Still no inside presence, still no leadership. Hope the name callers don't abandon ship if the Caracter-less Miners lose some games this year.

[James]

I thought rebounding and shooting was part of the game? ouch! No Fair Weather Fans Needed! Go MINERS! P.S. Joe,have a good thanksgiving to you and your family!

[Prospero]

Georgia Tech only has one loss, but it was to Kennesaw St, and they lost by about 20. So if Kennesaw St beat them by 20, so can we! THink big!

Also Syracuse beat William Mary Pride Something by only 3 or 4 points. We can do it! Think BIG!!

[UTEPfan4life]

a well coached team can always make up for a lack of talent.

UTEP is now a well coached team, and playing with defensive tenacity not seen in many years.

It will probably be an up and down season for obvious reasons, but don't be too surprised if the Miners pull off a couple upsets that they "so called" have no business winning.

[Alex]

It is funny how many fans react when faced with reality.
I was at the NMSU game and although the Miners won, it seemed to me it was just a not so good team beating a worse team. I hope I am wrong but I think they're in for a mediocre season. I am not bashing the Miners, I just judge from what I saw, your are not going to shoot 50% from 3 point land every night, and no driving in the lane seems like a big handicap for any basketball team, also the lack of toughness from the big guys seems to be another issue. I see a lot of individual talent but no chemistry yet, hopefully it will come. I feel good about the long term, but presently it's more like ouch. Keep speaking truth Joe, this world needs it. Reality sucks sometimes but that's all we have.

[lee]

JOE'S BLOG ON EVOLVING MIMERS IS PROBABLY PRETTY ACCURATE. THEY DON'T HAVE A DOMINATE BIG MAN AND WILL PROBABLY GO WITH A LOT OF LINEUPS WITHOUT THE 5 POSITION. THEY WILL BE BETTER IN MARCH THAN NOVEMBER. HE DID PREDICT THE FUTURE AS A MOSTLY SUNNY SEASON, WHICH IS A STEP UP FROM HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM AS A "TERRIBLE PROGRAM".

[James]

Blah Blah Blah! Joe's prediction of a" mostly sunny season" is a cowardly way to CYA. Meanwhile he takes his shots at the program. It doesen't take a genius to realize the departures of some of last year's players will have an impact. However, I'm confident it's not the first rodeo for coach! He'll know what to do and ensure these guy's do too! Randy Culpepper is the reigning conference MVP, and the rest of the team are exellent atheletes. NMSU is still smarting over last years physical beating at the hands of Caracter! Playing thugball was just a way of trying to even the score. Didn't work! I can assure you coach will have a new game plan come tuesday in Cruces! Get Your ORANGE ON! No Fair Weather Fans Needed! Go MINERS!

[Baskerville]

For UTEP, no rebounding and no interior play leads to the kind of game the Miners played against the Aggies. Trouble is, against Tech, the shots weren't falling.

Michigan won't be as nice as Georgia Tech was to the Miners.

Ouch.

[James]

Good game guy's! From what I've heard and read concerning the game, it was hard fought! Coach was happy with the defensive effort, and if not for the dry spells we'd be looking at a different outcome.DEFENSE Baby!DEFENSE! I'm looking forward to this afternoon's game v. Michigan! Let's play with defensive intensity and will be there right in the thick of things! Good Luck guy's! No Fair Weather Fans Needed ! Get your ORANGE ON! Go MINERS!

[John Franco]

Starting to see a pattern. Team is coming out sluggish in second half, loses lead, starts taking bad shots, can't make free throws like last year, loses game. Coach Floyd please bring the magic, it isn't looking good.

[James]

Great game guy's! Thanks coach,way to go! Played two good halves and beat the "formidable" Wolverines! Next the "formidable" Aggies in thier house. Coach Floyd will have the team ready come Tuesday in Cruces and I expect a hard fought contest! So to all you "naysayer's" who doubted our ability to win even one of these games!(Road Trip) How do you like us now! No Fair Weather Fans Needed! Get your ORANGE ON! Go MINERS!

[Frank]

Joe, you were wrong. UTEP won the game against Michigan and comes home with a 4-2 record. Go Miners.

[Manny]

Where are u at now Joe??? So quiet lately!! I bet your next blog your going to praise the Miners and say that they are a good team afterall and they are only going get better with time. Nobody said they were going to go undefeated, but you have to admit that they are playing better defense. So give them credit as this is a good team weather you like it or not! Go Miners!

[James]

Miners 75-Michigan 65 Ouch! No Fair Weather Fans Needed! Get your ORANGE ON! Go MINERS!