Powerful Miner win over Memphis

Such a powerful win, 74-47 over Memphis, might best be noted by using some power points.

But first this message from the win's sponsor, UTEP Basketball Coach Tim Floyd: "Defense! See what it can do for you."

* UTEP worked hard for a 13-point halftime lead. By my count, Memphis got 1 - only 1 - good look at the basket that entire 20 minutes. One good look is all. It was a baseline runner for two points. Everything else was a low-percentage forced-up shot, or a barge in.

* Some Floyd strategy was already paying off in the half. He was using forward Gabe McCully and freshman John Bohannon instead of 6-foot-11 senior Claude Britten to defend and rebound under the hoop. If there was a top-25 poll based on just talent, Memphis, albeit mostly freshmen, would be fairly high on the list. McCulley and Bohannon lived, ate and thrived among Memphis' top-notch recruits. Britten is too slow afoot to have done what McCulley and Bohannon did.

* Still in the first half: While Memphis was getting virtually no good looks at the basket, UTEP was in run and fly mode. Three times in the first half, either Randy Culpepper or Julyan Stone ran the gut, and when Memphis came over to defend, they dropped passes off to Bohannon for easy baseline dunks. Bohannon got three times as many good looks in the half than did the entire Memphis team. The strategy worked into the second half, as well. McCulley got under there some, too.

* Early the second half, as Memphis was still being so well defended it couldn't get good shots, it continued to make mistakes while forcing its offense, an offense met everywhere by a well-positioned Miner. There were several just plain-out traveling turnovers, calls not seen much anymore - at least not so many in one spree. UTEP's defense caused Memphis to hesitate on the full dribble, enough to cause a drag or a hop.

* So why didn't Memphis just shoot 3-pointers with so much of Conference USA's horses and so much of its outright talent? Memphis tried. UTEP was in the Tigers' face there, too. Memhis was held to 1-for-17 for the game from 3-point range. You've got betters odds, I'd think, of winning $5 on a $1 lottery scratchoff than 1 for 17.

In the end, all the good things that made UTEP look so great came about because of defense. Defense on this Saturday afternoon kept UTEP in the chase for the regular-season league championship.

Comments

[MinerMike]

Good win and still have a lot of work to do! We just need to focus on getting a first round bye and let all the other chips fall where they may.

[Morgan]

Pretty solid buttkickin' today, to be sure.

[Jay from San Antonio]

This win against powerhouse Memphis should warn other teams....when UTEP is shoved against a wall, the MINERS will bounce back with vengeance. Let's keep doing the same UTEP, penetrate the paint, draw fouls and play smart and tough!!! San Antonio TX, UTEP fanatic fans behind u, GO MINERS!!!

[Lowercase Ray]

Man, I've never read so many depressed posts at Memphis blogs; you'd think that the season just ended today and they went nowhere. Actually that's about how I was felt after the ECU game; after having lost 3 out of the last 4 games. They've still left themselves with having to win the CUSA tourney in order to get themselves into the dance, but an A$$ whooping of a rival such as Memphis has left me feeling a little better about our Miners.

Just heard ESPN's Lunardi is placing Memphis on the last four out list of the bubble. Logically with all the beating up of the CUSA front contenders, it has diminished the chances of this conference getting more than one bid. That's just how it goes in this doggy dog conference we're in. We are again in the the top four of CUSA right now, so let's hope the Miners can win out and get that first round bye in the CUSA tourney.

[Prospero]

We needed that one. Hopefully we can play like that every game in the conference tourney!

[AggieFan]

A good sign when the team outscores scores the opponent in both halves going away.

[James]

Hey Joe! Defense! Baby! Defense! See you on selection Sunday! Give'em hell coach! Were behind you and love you! Thanks for the job you've done with the guy's! Stick it to'em team! Go ORANGE! Go MINERS! No Fair Weather Fans Needed!

[Pickup Andropoff]

Hey Lowercase Ray . . . the term is dog eat dog. Not "doggy dog". You are saying our conference is lousy. You weren't were you?

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

This senior class may not win an NCAA tournament game, but they will go down as one the the great classes in UTEP history. They matured as a team and set many records as individuals. They also exemplefied what it means to be a student athlete by graduating and being good citizens. I, along with my family, will be out there tomorrow night to thank them for the great moments they helped bring us as Miner fans. Thank you Seniors!

[Bleeding orange since '85]

@cleo - you mean to tell me the year our miners beat the globetrotters was not the best... im sorry but i beg to differ that class of seniors was our best in a long VERY long time. This batch is good but if they cant get a win in the big dance they'll just go down as another squad that went dancing and got called home early.

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

I didn't say the best. I said one of the great classes. Some of our best NCAA runs came with a mix of Seniors and underclassmen. I am simply paying respects to the Senior class. They have been a great class.

[jt]

@ bleeding orange you mean to tell me the year our miners beat the globetrotters was not the best...

if i remember correctly, that team did not even make the ncaa tournament that year. the next year, as seniors they did, and won exacly as many ncaa tournament games as this team, 0. no doubt both were good teams, but why when someone says something nice about this group, you have to try and spoil it?

[Jake]

Who cares what they did in the NCAA tournament? They have helped in the community, graduated early, put on a great show, and set records.

These guys have managed to stay out of trouble throughout their time here, and they also appreciate the city!

[Bleeding orange since '85]

-jt
yes our miners did make the tournament in fact we lost to utah. and yes that is one of the GREATEST for the simple fact that they beat the trotters and really challenged the WAC that bore the great rivalry Nevada and UTEP.

[Bleeding orange since '85]

- on a side note... its not spoiling if you speak the truth.. i appreciate cleo's view on this special senior class since their providing a very exciting 2011 C-USA run, but until our miners can post a win in the big dance or a 2nd round NIT victory.. any class will just be moderate.

[Prospero]

the year we beat the globetrotters was the 2004 season and we played Maryland in the first round.

*the next year, with gillespie gone, and doc sadler as our head coach we played UTAH.

*i say its hard to compare those teams with the one we have right now.

they were in a different conference. and for all we know, C-USA is alot better than the WAC conference of those years. but thats debatable.

[Bleeding orange since '85]

thank you for clearing that up for me propero, and you are correct comparing those squads is very difficult. however at the time UTEP was in WAC it was incredible compeition we had mainly the same teams were playing now plus Nevada. Now in C-USA its basicly WAC jr, with a couple changes.