UTEP: Chance for winning season now

Back in town now; no more ice on the windshield.

Of course I have an opinion on the UTEP basketball win at Memphis. And thanks for asking, "UTEP fan in SA."

Because this was such a major feat for UTEP,  I think the biggest thing about winning at Memphis is a renewed chance for a winning season. That's so important because that's always a big deal when a team heads into the next season. That's always a big off-season topic.

Example UTEP football: What do you talk about when you discuss UTEP's new season? Are you talking about positives or about another losing season?

UTEP is now 13-13 with a better than  50-50 chance of finishing with two wins in the final three regular-season games. Then a win in the first game in the C-USA Tournament will guarantee the Miners will end above .500.

What'll  happen:

1)  Lose here Wednesday vs. Southern Miss (22-5, 9-3). This is the best "keep-your-head-straight" team in C-USA, although UTEP probably gets "Rookie of the Year" honors in this category.

But UTEP has, indeed, won three games in a row. To beat So. Miss, which will be going for sole possession of first place, it will take UTEP having a great game plan and pulling it off while shooting well in the process. And So. Miss must have a bad game. But that's nothing new. What's new is that Coach Tim Floyd has been putting this year's team in a position to do that.

2)  Win here vs. Rice (15-12, 66). UTEP lost by only two points at Rice earlier this month.

3) Win at SMU (11-16, 2-10). SMU is reeling.

4) Win first-round in C-USA, and that equals a 16-14 record. Then even a loss in the second round means a winning record overall. I don't see UTEP going to the NIT. Season over at 16-15.

It's now clear UTEP is a well-coached, young team that doesn't get blown out (even at Oregon and UNLV). And now UTEP has won against a good team like Memphis (19-8 with killer schedule) on the road. To do this, it means UTEP is a team that listens to the coach. So important.

I see 16-15 for a final record, and that's over the hump. Off-season talk will be about really breaking out next season, not ... getting over that hump next season.

That's why finishing as a winner, even by one game, is so important. It's a perception thing. And the perception factor in sports is almost as strong as a sheet of statistics.

Comments

[Ben]

According to ESPN there are actually 4 games remaining in the regular season which gives the Miners an even better chance of finishing with a winning record! GO UTEP!!!

[Treavor Pence]

what about the CBI or collegeinsider tourney this young team would benefit from extra march games?

[David]

All that careful calculating and you don't even know the Miners have 4 regular season games left, lol!

[UTEP fan in SA]

I like the insight Joe. UTEP has always played Memphis tough no matter if it's at home or away. A win against a team like Memphis means a lot young team like the Miners because they now know what they are capable of and should hopefully set the bar high for themselves going into next year.

[rj]

I think we can go 3-1 down the stretch with a loss at UCF, that gets us 2 games over .500 heading into the CUSA tourney, hopefully we can get one there and maybe end the season at 17-15...that would not be bad at all considering I thought we would be lucky to win 10 games all year. The UTEP optimist in me says we can get at least 2 in the tourney based on our seed. If we can get to the 6th seed, I think we'll have a decent shot to do damage. Big game this Wed against USM, hopefully there's a good crowd at the DHC. And please Joe, don't tell me you overlooked the UCF game. You get an ESPN "C'MON MAN!"

[A fan]

No one will want to play the Miners in the CUSA tourney as they are a dangerous, nothing-to-lose team. Should be fun to watch, winning record or not.

[me.yahoo.com/a/OS5JCN02q5N801aDQGFrskrx]

We saw the Memphis game out here in AZ on tv. UTEP beat Memphis on Memphis'floor on a night when Memphis was playing to get a "good" seed in the NCAA and playing for the lead in the conference and at time when UTEP was not at its best game, without its head coach all week, in front of 17,000 wannabe yokels. UTEP out gutted them, outcoached them, out played them. Nope, we out here disagree with this 2-1, 3-1 stuff. I think Tim Floyd has proved his point with this kids, just like Haskins did to his teams. With Gabe's leadership, I think this team can now beat anybody in the conference and it can give the dance a run if it gets in. I would not like to be a number 4 or 5 seed team playing the Miners on a neutral court to start the dance. GO MINERS !!! !!!

[justin bieber shoes]

I couldn't even fathom what was happening or why. All I knew was that a plane flew into the tower. I didn't know details.