It would have been a signature win for UTEP. Instead, it was a so-so Houston team winning a down-to-the-buzzer 81-76 overtime win over the frosh-sophs.
Had UTEP won this one, it would have been young guys maturing in a road game by first taking a 13-point lead, losing it in the second half, regaining it in overtime ... ohhhhhh. It was a loss and the Miners are now 10-11 and may not see an above-.500 record again until they're soph-juniors.
This year? The frosh/sophs had Houston blown out by halftime (38-25), held on ... on, on.
Ohhhhh. It was 66-66 at the end of regulation. Houston finally took advantage of UTEP's inside foul problems.
Then, after UTEP took a 4-point lead in overtime, well, home-team Houston did just enough plodding to not dominate, but win.
UTEP, as expected, got into inside foul trouble early. But Houston (the dummies) didn't take advantage until its second-half run. OK, UTEP was in a zone. So?
But that was the difference. Houston finally went inside.
The young Miners first got really good overtime clutch play, again from John Bohannon, and especially from Mike Perez (two last-minute-type baskets and a free throw).
Then two turnovers from C.J. Cooper.
It was enough for a so-so Houston team (11-9), that made four straight free throws in the final ticks.
UTEP won't be losing like this much more.
Young team getting into overtime is pretty good. There's still more games to play. All is not lost this season.
Posted by: Earl | January 28, 2012 at 11:33 PM
I was there in the first row screaming my head off. A couple of things that really swayed the game. Of course i though the last second shot in regulation was good! But in OT lack of experience took affect. Bohanon had a monster game, but was shakin when UH went to a full court press on a inbounds and threw it away. I believe it was streeter had a path to the basket, only to charge into the center who seemed to be ready for the charge once the play started to run. Finally one play where we were up, UH guy clear path and we jump in and foul and he gets the and one and the lead with the free throw....that one really through me for a loop. One thing that got to me was all the pick and rolls with Bohanon, he clearly could have posted up his defender ever time him and Lang were on the floor together, UH player #2, dont know his name was no match.
Posted by: Eberry | January 29, 2012 at 10:24 AM
There will be games like these as the Miners gain experience - and with all the injuries, the Miners just don't have the depth to hang in there when their top players get into foul trouble. The positive (as I see it) has been that the Miners keep battling and manage, in their losses, to keep it close right to the end. In a season or two we are going to be watching a good team win a lot of games.
Posted by: Canaima | January 29, 2012 at 03:36 PM
Joe, can you write normal sentences ( like the rest of us), so we don't have to decipher, your so-so comments ( about the "frosh-sophs") ; whatever that means?
WHAT?
Posted by: David | January 30, 2012 at 08:20 AM
I'm impressed that the team is good enough with the young uns to be able to do as well as they have. Bodes well for the future.
Posted by: A fan | January 31, 2012 at 03:59 PM