UTEP got UTEPed by a mediocre Tulsa team that used inside defense to crawl-on-its-knees to a 45-42 win at Tulsa Wednesday. Neither team would have beaten any other Conference USA team on this anemic offensive night. It wasn't just good inside defense, it was horrible offense.
Now UTEP has seven losses (9-7) and isn't in the RPI mix for the NCAA Tournament unless it can go to Memphis and win the conference tournament. Odds of that? Underdog.
So bad. UTEP reverted to its early season problems in scoring. You get only 42 points and you lose, even though this (11-7) Tulsa team got only 45. Did a Division I team actually win with 45 points?
UTEP shot poorly and continued to miss inside shots when it looked like that early season problem was solved. Perhapsit was just a back-to-December nightmare? If so, you can't do that in mid-January.
A little bit of Tulsa defense shut down what had been a good-looking young UTEP team.
Conference tournament will be in Tulsa.
Posted by: Gerald | January 16, 2013 at 08:44 PM
What does "UTEPed" mean? The conference tournament is in Tulsa. What are the odds..
Posted by: David | January 16, 2013 at 09:56 PM
And Floyd is doing a tremendous job in his third year?
Posted by: Figmund Sreud | January 17, 2013 at 02:06 AM
Joe must have gone to the same Manti Te'o school of journalism. Otherwise simple fact checking would have revealed that this year's C-USA basketball tourney is in TULSA!!!
How the hell do you still have a job Joe? Then again, this is the El Paso Times we're talking about! Man do I miss the El Paso Herald Post. Maybe El Diario will someday publish an English version of their newspaper.
Posted by: Miner Maniac | January 17, 2013 at 08:55 AM
Miner Maniac, give Joe a break. A considerable number of CUSA tourney's have been played in Memphis, which is the place they should be played. Bealle Street after a good tournament game is a good time to be had by all - it was a simple mistake on his part.
CUSA, prior to UTEP/SMU/Houston/etc. joining the league, used to hold ALL post-season b-ball tournaments in Memphis. That was the leagues glory days.
This is going to be a season of peaks and valley's for Floyd's Miner team. I'm going to give them a mulligan this season, but plan to rip into them next season if they lose more than 5 games and fail to make it to the NCAA.
I will be pleased this season with a 4th (or better) standing in CUSA, and pray they can get into the CBI w/that poor a showing. This is a good team, but immature and inconsistent. Floyd needs another year to lean up the younger Washburn, knock some sense into Bohannen's head to make him believe he can dominate the interior; as well as make Julian believe he's a special player. He reminds me of Clyde Drexler - I think he can score 25 to 30 pts. every night. The offense needs to play off of him 100% of the time - with UTEPs size factor, a triangle offense would be fitting to showcase Julian. Much like the Heat run their offense thru Labron James. Though UTEP is no Miami Heat, they have a great deal of similarities (team makeup wise).
Go Miners!
Posted by: Pascal Fortran | January 17, 2013 at 09:25 AM
Labron James?!? Who's that?
Posted by: Miner Maniac | January 17, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Pascal Fortran breaks it down well and should write this blog instead of Joe (anyone please instead of Joe) - inconsistency is a product of an immature young squad. I also agree with his Bohannon remark - what's up with Bo? He's rarely making a move to the basket anymore. He catches it down low, looks around like "ah heck I'm covered again" and passes it back out. And yes, Julian is going to be a dominant player soon.
Last night's loss was a bitter pill to swallow given that Tulsa is weak this year and has players injured. But I think UTEP will make it up somewhere - winning a game we don't expect them to like maybe So Miss or Memphis.
Posted by: Canaima | January 17, 2013 at 06:34 PM
Joe tells it like it is, sorry to say Utep peeps. The Miners should of dominated that game. They looked soft, no toughness under the board, too many easy put back misses, poor free throw shooting. When Bo is under the board, he get's double teamed, where's the help? The Miners desperately need accurate perimeter shooters, they shouldn't just rely on Tucker. Chris Washburn needs to step it up several notches. What's going on with Hooper Vint? For crying out loud son, you're taller than most opposing players!!!
Posted by: Jay | January 17, 2013 at 08:07 PM
Pascal,
Every wonder why there aren't any CBI banners in the DHC? The CBI is a buy in tourney pretty much, allowing the dregs in to play. The Miners can get into "postseason" by opening the pocketbooks of the university.
Wouldn't it be better if the Miners actually earned their way into post season?
Posted by: A Fan | January 17, 2013 at 10:42 PM
A Fan,
I often ponder why there aren't any CBI banners in the Don. I also often ponder why the word abbreviation is so long.
I don't think this team will have the record to earn their way into a worthy post-season tournament this season. Their early season losses, and their anemic RPI will not permit it, if they don't win the conference tournament in Tulsa (outright). It's doable, but they will need to shore-up the outside game.
Washburn is a tremendous athlete, I wish Floyd would just tell him to shoot the darn rock (selfishly), and let the others play off him; similar to how the Heat play off of Lebron James - UTEP has the personnel. In fact, I'd put the ball in Washburn's hands 90% of the time the remainder of the season. He's a special player, with the ability to play at NBA level. He's the only Miner w/that ability at this juncture. He reminds me of Judan Smith (a Miner from back in days - 1980s).
The CBI, while a less than desirable option, will permit the Miner's to oppose teams they aren't likely to see, unless it's in a tournament setting. What I like about the CBI (and I don't like much about it), is that the Miner's (potentially) get 1 to 4 more games, and 5 to 10 more practices before they have to shutdown. Nice way to prep for next season.
Barbee's Miner's, as well as the team they opposed in the CBI a few years back (Oregon I believe), transitioned well to the subsequent season following their appearance in the CBI.
Posted by: Pascal Fortran | January 18, 2013 at 08:00 AM
Jesus F'N Christ, one loss and everybody is crying, "The sky is falling!" When they win this Saturday vs. SMU everyone will be back on board the bus, including Joe.
Posted by: Miner Maniac | January 18, 2013 at 08:26 AM
Miner Maniac: Not so much the sky is falling; but, the window is shutting on a worthy post-season bid w/o having to win the league tournament outright. That will be a tall task, especially in Tulsa where Memphis, So. Miss., and Tulsa will likely be favored.
They're backed into a corner to receive an NIT bid at this juncture - their RPI, which is what ultimately matters, is terrible (currently 82 & dropping). Here's the real-time RPI link:
http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html
Posted by: ed | January 18, 2013 at 09:17 AM