Miners: Major chin-up win.

Great win for UTEP! Really. Tulsa could have taken sole possession of first place in Conference USA, but the  young Miners, on a four-game losing streak, not only just held on, but continually pushed back, for a 64-55 win Wednesday. 

It was the biggest conference win of the season, no doubt. Call it a big-time chin-up.

This does not mean the Miners (11-13)  are NCAA-, or even NIT- bound this season. But when any team of freshmen and sophomores can really whip up on a conference leader  after four losses in a row,  well,  it means a lot for the future of a program when even more talent is signed up for next season.

Yes, Tulsa stunk it up. That is, considering Tulsa is a good team that was on a seven-game winning streak. But UTEP made the Golden Hurricane stink it  by using with some good defensive strategy that sunk into the mind-sets of the players.  Perhaps the biggest note on this was UTEP didn't let Tulsa get inside for good percentage shots. That has been a Miner bain this season, giving up too many layups.

Meanwhile,  UTEP did get inside. The Miners owned the paint. And that's usually a win no matter who is playing who.

This was a good one. UTEP was ahead by double digits by late in the first half, and Tulsa really never did/could make a dent. UTEP won by 9 points, but was ahead by double digits virtually all of the second half.

 

Comments

[VivaRedd]

Great on national tv, even though it was CBS College Sports channel. Good job.

[johnqpublic]

The Miners are a dangerous team. They are young and have a record that isn't indicative of their potential. Plus, a losing record garners no respect. You don't respect a team, don't play up to your potential, and you get hammered just as Tulsa did.

The CUSA tourney will be interesting.