Joe on utepia | The place for commentary for UTEP athletics

UTEP underbelly shows

Inside most often beats outside, shooting that is. And UTEP did not get inside enough Saturday night and lost by 1 point, 69-68, to a two-decade-long sturdy Tulsa program in Tulsa, Okla.

This is a "UTEP" year, and the Miners are still atop the Conference USA standings, tied at 5-2 with Memphis - a  loser at Marshall Saturday.

Going into this season, UTEP's soft underbelly was its body-lack of oomph inside the paint. Tulsa dominated there Saturday, and by early in the second half had UTEP in foul trouble in there.

Tulsa, always good since El Pasoan Nolan Richardson coached there in the 1980s, never pulled away. This is not Tulsa's best team (11-10 overall, 4-3 in the league). But the Hurricane did know to go inside while the Miners couldn't. Miner big guy Claude Britten is no scorer, and was in early foul trouble. Freshman John Bohannan is still ... Coach Tim Floyd obviously doesn't trust the 6-foot-11 guy with ups and down the floor.

So, in a close game, it went like this: UTEP shootists Christian Polk and Randy Culpepper each hit big-time clutch 3-pointers in the waning seconds. But Tulsa's season leading-scorer, Justin Hurtt,  made the game-winner fome in closer in than "way out there."

Marshall beat Memphis. UTEP is still at league co-leader. The conference tournament is in El Paso ... UTEP didn't lose much Saturday, except a win. That might matter if the Miners don't win the C-USA Tournament at get an automatic bid to the NCAA Touranement.

This was not a loss at a so-so opponent. This, though was an opportunity lost for UTEP.

 

 

Why UTEP must win a lot more

Let's forget the "dee-fense" accolades for today. Yes, defense is why UTEP is so much better this basketball season. Today the subject is changed in order to chew on something else.

Let's talk having won a close game Wednesday, at home, against a team that is, at best, a long shot for the Conference USA title. UTEP held off Tulane by four points on a night UTEP had a cold hand shooting, but won with defense.

UTEP (17-4) will have games like Wednesday's,  every team does. And winning these close ones — not getting upset by a littler guy - is so important. And a home-court loss is even worse because cold shooting/good defense isn't usually enough to win on the road.

This is because, while a 17-4 record looks good now, a 23-7 regular-season record means you're on the bubble these days if you are an "at-large" candidate for the NCAA Tournament. Maybe you get in, maybe not.

UTEP has nine games to play and it can't afford to lose more than two of them.

Since UTEP is host for the C-USA Tournament in March, and is presently atop the league standings, it appears the Miners would be favored in the tournament, and that means an automatic NCAA berth.

But C-USA is not a Big 12, Big Ten ... SEC  that gets five, six or seven teams in the NCAA field. It gets two - or one!

Remember last year. UTEP won the regular-season C-USA  title, but lost to Houston in the C-USA tourney title game. UTEP made the NCAA field, all right, but some think the Miners were the last team chosen. We don't know that for sure. And the Miners were 26-6 on NCAA Selection Sunday. (They'd lose to Butler in the NCAA First Round and finish 26-7).

It used to be 20 regular-season wins was an NCAA lock. Then teams started playing more games, so it became 4 or fewer losses was a lock.

This year, because of playing in that early season Atlantic City tournament, UTEP has 30 regular-season games.

I'm saying UTEP has to win more than six of its final nine games or win the C-USA tournament (not a given) - or the Miners will be sweating it out as did the Billy Gillispie team the year he left UTEP for Texas A&M and as did last year's Tony Barbee team, although most fans are happy Barbee left for Auburn and Tim Floyd is the new UTEP coach.

Floyd's advantages over His Coachency

I'm saying Coach Tim Floyd is working with two advantages his mentor, the late His Coachency, went without.

Many ares  comparing the two as clones. Here is where some separation takes place:

1) Floyd is a better recruiter at his age than was Coach Haskins. Recall it was Floyd, followed by Rus Bradburd, who brought in the great Miner teams of the 1980s. By then Haskins wasn't traveling to many homes, anymore.

When UTEP was hit with two NCAA probations in (circa) the 1990s, it didn't matter who the recruiter was. The ensuing loss of scholarships kills just about any program for several years. You cannot miss any ANY recruit when you have fewer scholarships to give in the first place. And even the best recruiters make some mistakes. Haskins finished his career under that drape.

NOTE: But I know he was having fun. Sometimes he'd wink at us  after getting a technical foul. He was always jolly in his post-game conferences.

2) Floyd is healthier than was the aging, ailing Haskins during the last 15 or so years of his Hall of Fame career. He even missed a season with a throat condition (when Norm Ellenberger filled in). Remember he once or twice got "the flu" when it was time to fly to a game in Hawaii. He hated flying. By the time he retired he was at 300,000 miles on his odometer and had more new body parts than a 1966 Chevy pickup.

Floyd seems to thrive on the recruiting aspect of the job.

Haskins is a genius coach. Floyd is a top-notch coach, but has the above going in his favor.

UTEP basketball: Clutch

It was a fortunate UTEP win over Houston Saturday, 57-52,  but by no means was it lucky. Call it an earned win. And think back when UTEP did something like this on the road.

It's difficult for a road team to play a close game all through the first and second half, then be dominant in the end, "The final seconds," you know. Home team and all. Atmosphere and all. The past three or four seasons, and all.

Enter a true leader: Julyan Stone, point guard/assist leader/rebounder, was 0-1 shooting all night. Clutch time: He hit a corner  shot at the "tick-tick" of the clock. It gave UTEP a 4-point UTEP lead (ticking down now),  and the win. He has low shooting pecentates in field goals and free throws. But he is a "Tim Hardaway" team leader, too. So, he made the shot that had to be made.

This was a back-and-forth scoring game all evening. UTEP was not at its best,  but the Miners held on. Homestanding Houston was not at its best (was on a 3-game conference winning streak), but the Coogs held on.

Clutch!

A big positive for UTEP basketball.

 

 

 

 

 

UTEP at Houston/Mountain West talk

First some UTEP-at-Houston game stuff, then something UTEP President Diana Natalicio told me this week:

GAME:

Of late, UTEP has overcome it's "too small" roster and been a rebounding winner. To me that's the winning edge for Saturday's  game at Houston (6 p.m., Time Warner Cable 24).

Houston has 6-foot-9 senior Maurice McNeil,  who gets 8.3 boards, and scores 12.9 points a game. UTEP's taller Claude Britten has been playing well of late. If he can just hold his own?

I think UTEP's guard defenders, Julyan Stone and Randy Culpepper (his steals), win that battle.


UTEP is  better overall against a Houston team that's on a three-game winning steak. And Houston 6-foot-7 sophomore Kendrick Washington (11.2 points, 6.0 rebounds) has one game under his belt after sitting out four with a staph infection. Uh-oh! Could be under-the-hoop trouble for UTEP.

For the record, the records are: UTEP 15-4, and 3-1 in Conference USA. Houston is 11-6 and 3-1 in C-USA.

I'll give the slight edge to UTEP over the team playing on its home floor.

UTEP TO MOUNTAIN WEST?

There's more talk about UTEP and perhaps Utah State being invited to join the Mountain West Conference. There's a big MWC meeting Monday.

UTEP president Diana Natalicio told me Thursday that UTEP is committed to stay in a league with Houston, Rice, SMU - the western C-USA. A Texas school (UTEP staying with Texas schools is key, she said. Yes, there are some advantages to playing schools in your own state. Exposure in Houston and Dallas helps recruting (does it?)

My point is this. Former UTEP associate AD Mack Rhodes did not take the Houston AD job last spring to keep the Cougars in C-USA. Houston boosters would not hire someone who wants to remain in a league that has been often raided by bigger conferences and may be again.  Houston has it's eyes on something bigger, likely joining TCU in the Big East.

Some in Houston, one of the nation's largest cities, and with a lot of money to throw around, want Houston in the Big 12. No chance fort that, I say.

But in the Big East the Cougars could be travel partners with new member TCU. That would help the Big East with travel costs. Remember, all sports teams must travel, not just football and basketball teams.

My bottom line: I'm for UTEP moving to the Mountain West because I'm afraid the Miners will be stranded on "Gilligan's Island" if Houston ... or SMU ... go to a bigger conference.

UTEP on TV Saturday

Good news!

We're reporting now that Time Warner (Cable Ch. 24) will televise Saturday's 6 p.m. UTEP basketball game at Houston.

Earlier reports were that Time Warner was considering only the Feb. 16 game at Southern Mississippi.

I'm still saying UTEP needs a regular TV package if it wants to cultivate new fans.

Reason for poor UTEP attendance

You posters are missing the real reason attendance and enthusiasm at UTEP basketball games are  not what they used to be.

Irregular TV appearances. That's why. Don't see 'em, don't think about 'em. So much for being a fan. UTEP needs to find a way to sell its games for TV as it does for radio. Other schools do it.

UTEP has lost a segment of its normal fandom because children don't often see the Miners, anymore. "Take us to the game, Dad," is no longer heard in El Paso. Children, 12 and up, don't know the Miners. That used to account for quite a few tickets sold, the difference between 8,000 in attendance and near sellouts.

In the past kids saw the games on TV and became fans. If the Dallas Cowboys were not on TV, El Paso wouldn't be Cowbows territory, either.

Not everyone can go to all the games. So season-ticket holders and a segment of a large fan base makes for big crowds. UTEP has lost its large fan base by not being on TV very often.

If a dad takes a son or daughter to one game a year, that doesn't make a fan out of the child. It's like going to the zoo once a year.

I know its virutally financially impossible for the four network stations here to carry the road games, as had been done before. Network limitations on cutting into programming often cannot be overcome. The games have to sell to advertisers, too.

I know UTEP is part of the Texas network. but we don't get many games on basic cable, or we get just a few. We got UTEP at UAB, and word is we might get UTEP at Southern Miss.

Satellite TV? Kids don't go to bars to watch games. And satellite often means picking up a signal from another school's TV package. UTEP needs its own package.

I don't think it would hurt UTEP to televise home games, either. I think it would build the fan base even faster. "Take us there, Dad."

But, for sure, all road games should be on TV so UTEP can build a fan base.

As far as enthusiasm at games? Yes, those in the stands are older people who can afford season tickets. They're not zany madcaps like at Duke games.

By showing so few games on TV, UTEP has lost a generation of fans.

UTEP Top 25 votes?

UTEP is 15-4 and doesn't screw up. What better resume.

That's Coach Tim Floyd's immediate thumbprint on the Miner basketball program.

UTEP is 3-1 in Conference USA - and rolling. Nobody in the league is looking better.

If the Miners were in most other leagues they'd be getting some votes as a Top 25er. I don't think they really ARE among the best because other programs have good coaches like Floyd and get better picks for overall team rosters. But good things have happened in Minerdom, with similar teams, come March.

Rice, which earlier beat LSU, was dispatched with yeomanship Saturday, 66-43, as was Tulane on the road Wednesday. The only C-USA loss was at UAB in triple overtime. Next comes a graduation- gutted Houston Saturday.

The Miners show no signs of being on a nova-like hot streak; they are only amid a workmanship agenda initiated last spring when Floyd stated, "My way!." There are no signs there's a tumble coming; this is not fortunate rolls of dice or being dealt face cards in Blackjack.

This is going to be a special season in Utepia.

 

 

 

 

Major Miner situations

BASKETBALL:

 I see UTEP having problems tonight with tiny Fogelman Arena (3,600 capacity) as much as with 12-3 Tulane.

Backgrounds are important when it comes to the delicate art of shooting. Fogelman was built in 1933. I've been inside. I thought I was part of an old late-night movie set. Where was Spencer Tracey bouncing a ball that had laces?

Most players are used to some open space and an arena-like atmosphere. Or at least a real big gym, like at Rice.  This is darn near like shooting with a backboard bolted to a wall. If that affects shooting by even five or so percentage points, that's a big advantage for Tulane.

Otherwise UTEP (13-4) enjoys a rarity. It's as tall, or taller, than the Tulane guys who go about 6-foot-5 under the hoop.

This game is important as far as an adage goes: Win all your home games, split on the road, and you win the regular-season conference championship.

UTEP is off a physically draining triple overtime loss at UAB Saturday and has been in New Orleans since. The Miners will have been living out of a hotel for five straight nights when they take the floor tonight.

FOOTBALL:

This is huff-and-puff  by Coach Mike Price:

Over the weekend he said his returning roster quarterbacks didn't do anything to help themselves win a starting job. They basically sat around all year, he said. What a dis! Or was it a setup for the announcement:

Voila! He's signed a junior-college transfer, who played at Tennessee, left there, and then led Mount San Antonio College (Calif.) to the national championship.

OK. But can this guy learn the Price offense in just spring and Camp Socorro practice sessions? And learn it well enough to win some games - when the Miners are coming off five losing seasons in a row?

Price doesn't run simple sets. Plus it's not like new guy Nick Lamaison can be started from scratch. He'll be a junior with only two years of eligibility.

No, UTEP's quarterback problem has not been solved, at least not yet.

UTEP! Hail Mary/Holy Cow!

In triple overtimes it can be said neither team should have won because it's also true neither team should have lost.

In Saturday's 100-97 UAB win over visiting UTEP there were heroes providing clutch, and there were no goats.

Here's what I saw as the heart and soul of what occurred: UTEP accomplished what's highly rare. It never once let the home team - a well-coached, talented home team - go on any semblance of a scoring run. Usually a good team has a 10-point run, or a couple of quick offensive streaks on its home floor. That's usually the difference when two good teams meet.

UTEP allowed none, and that's why the Miners were always in the game. That allowed Christian Polk to hit a Hail Mary-ish 3-pointer from way atop the key to send the game into overtime. It allowed Randy Culpepper to send the game into a second overtime with another Hail Mary-ish baseline 3-pointer, the kind he makes while wiggling as he rises high into the air. Clutch! Clutch! Holy Cow!

In the third overtime, it was UAB's turn to hit a long shot. With 3 seconds to play, Cameron Moore hit a 3 for the final 100-97 margin.

Another UTEP Hail Mary for UTEP? No, three Hails and you're apparently out. Culpepper's try from about mid-court didn't go.

But the shots by either team were not THE STORY. The determined play by UTEP is why this game required three overtimes.

Hail Mary. Holy Cow!