UTEP: Confusing or just not really good

It's confusing now.

Coach Tim Floyd's Miners (13-9) lost to barely .500 Tulsa (12-12) by 74-70 Saturday. Tulsa dominated the entire game,and was not in danger of being overtaken as the clock ticked into crunch time. It was a home game for UTEP.

What's up? This is year No. 3 for Floyd.

UTEP has been giving up points galore on opponents' rush down the floor. That's not Floyd. UTEP has feeble inside positioning on defense. That's not Floyd.

 There just isn't any muscle, and perhaps that's the problem. It appears UTEP has "big man on campus" high-school talent, but opposing college coaches shut that down in NCAA Division I.

UTEP needs more than it has to defeat good college basketball teams.

 

 

Comments

[Miner Maniac]

(1 of 3)
Bad loss tonight. We were just simply out-played and out-coached. Can't believe a freshman coach in Danny Manning can trump a veteran coach like Tim Floyd. It just seemed like every time the Miners came close, Tulsa was able to pull away time and time again. Once again opportunities lost at the free throw line resulted in UTEP losing another close game. At this point UTEP needs to start looking towards next season. They can probably win one game in the C-USA tourney, maybe two, but that'll be it.

[Miner Maniac]

(2 of 3)
Once again John Bohannon did not play, and based on my observation of him throughout the evening, as well as previous games, this is his last season at UTEP. Bo was dogging it during the pre-game shoot around and before the start of the 2nd half. During the timeouts Bo didn't seem to have a care in the world during the team huddle. At one point I saw Floyd chewing Bo out on the bench, as if to say "If you had your head screwed on straight you'd be in there helping your team". In the last minute of the game Bo had his head sunk underneath his arms, knowing that after this season he's done at UTEP. There was a guy sitting behind me yelling throughout the game for Floyd to put Bohannon in. Towards the end the same guy was yelling at Floyd that this loss was on him, and for Floyd to swallow his pride and play Bohannon. Obviously this guy knows nothing about coaching. The inmates don't run the asylum. If that's the kind of athletic program you desire, head up north and cheer on the NMSU Aggies. They have a bunch of inmate quality players there! Floyd is from the Don Haskins' school of basketball. Haskins didn't put up with players that slacked off and didn't give it their all towards the program, and neither will Floyd.

[David]

UTEP Is good at one thing right now, killing momentum. Every time they get it, they lose it. I mean they are at home with one of the best crowds of the year and they lay an egg against a mediocre .500 C-USA team. Thats with a chance at 2nd place on the line? They can't get back on defense. There is nobody to guard the paint. Nobody to finish strong at the rim. One of their best players can't get into the game presumedly due to his inconsistent play and inability to buy into the coaches and the team. The miners will win again, but this is just not their year. They are just too immature, too inconsistent and have too many ups and downs. There is not enough depth for CTF to make changes on the fly. Nobody to take over the game like years past. Maybe next year.

[Miner Maniac]

(3 of 3)
Bohannon has yet to use his redshirt. He'll be able to transfer to another school and sit out a year per NCAA rules, then be able to play for one season. The UTEP coaches will help him find a new home, just like they did for Arnett Moultrie at Mississippi State. If Bo hasn't realized it yet, and maybe he finally did towards the end of the game, he's hurting his team and letting his teammates down. Bo was suppose to be one of the leaders on this squad. Instead he became a prima donna, me first, I'm entitled to start crybaby! Look at the name of the coach that's on the basketball court. Look at the banners hanging from the ceiling of the building named after said coach. Look at the banners of the retired numbers and honored players of those who came before you. Playing NCAA Division I basketball is a privilege, not an entitlement! You earn your spot on the team, you earn the right to be a starter, and you earn your right to play! That's UTEP basketball - take it or leave it!

I wish you well Bo. You were one of my favorite players since your freshman year. You were destined to be a great Miner player, and perhaps someday would have had your own banner hanging from the ceiling of the Don. Whatever troubles you're going through right now, I hope you can get them all straighten out when the time comes to play basketball again. It just won't be for UTEP anymore. You're time here is done.

[Miner Maniac]

Sorry for having to post three times. Apparently there is a limit to how many words that can be included in a single post. I had a lot to say and wanted to say it.

[Pascal Fortran]

Miner Maniac: a sense of entitlement defines Generation Y kids. We should all be concerned about the future of this country.

Since this mindset is rampant amongst the college ranks, coach Floyd will need to learn how to adapt, or the game will pass him bye. Emotional hall of fame coaches like Don Haskins, Bobby Knight, and John Thompson, Sr. wouldn't make it with kids of today. Conformists like Jimmy Volvano and Dean Smith were ahead of their times (to include Coach K).

That's the reality of the state of college hoops, and helicopter parents don't help the matter much. Bo's an outstanding player - he'll be fine without UTEP.

[scoutwest]

It will be interesting to see the game this Wednesday when UTEP plays @ UH; UTEP should win in a close game and definetly at home....UTEP and UH hired their coaches at the same time, three years ago and both programs are still underperforming for a variety of similar reasons except they do not have a BO problem....UH head coach is feeling the heat...

[Canaima]

Tulsa is horrible this year so the loss was another bitter pill to swallow. And on a night when UTEP could have gained ground on the leaders. I guess I'm also just accepting the fact that the Miners really are not very good. I was disillusioned to think their raw talent alone might get them to a 2nd place finish in CUSA. I am in the camp that isn't happy with the effort of some of the Miners but rather than bashing them, I prefer to call out the gems: Ced Lang plays like his hair is on fire - all hustle and looks like he loves to be out there. Mc. Moore does not like to lose - he looks like he is doing all he can to take over games and get the Miners the W (unfortunate he was late to film study per Floyd). J. Wash is a terror on defense and gives great effort. K. Tucker gives 100% and plays like he wants to get the most out of his last year of eligibility. Thank goodness we've got these steady kids to hopefully keep the ship from sinking.

[Catalina Rincon]

Reading the comments about Bohannon are a little disturbing...as an educator I know first hand that you have to able to mold a person in order for them to reach their own greatness. Coach Floyd has to discipline, but at the same time realize the athletes are young men trying to find their way...A lttle patience from Coach Floyd will help his team and more importantly Bohannon. More losses will not help the morale of the UTEP Basketball Team.

[Rorange4]

This team has more issues than Bohannon. And Miner Maniac, after watching the Aggies lose three starters, the best of whom has been kicked off the team for good for punching a guy out, I wouldn't mind at all if we had their kind of team. Because you know what, they have good players who are good students and good people, just like UTEP. They play with fire and desire even though undermanned and are just as young as our Miner squad.

Since the Miners seem to have talent and desire, but have not progressed, I'd look at the team's coaching. Seems like that's what's left. It's certainly not the stiff competition in CUSA.

[MINER BA::]

all these players suck and are just looking for a free education, while people who will make a difference in the world have to pay their way through college, most of these player's dont appreciate UTEP in general walking around like their hollywood star's and in the end they are a bunch of loser's, Floyd makes mistakes in recruiting by getting players who look good on paper, rather than player's who hustle and get after it, these plaeyer's must have personal issues and are great and bringing their team mate's down, I have been a MINER FAN since I was five year's old and have always pointed out BOHANAN play on the court for the last two years, but since FLOYD ego gets in the way, doesnt get rid of this so called basketball player, Bohanon takes up space on the court, space on the basketball roster and takes up a scholarship, it's eas to say is these player's are not earning their free ride to an education, FLOYD leave, and to think I emailed Bob Stull three years ago to go out and recruit you, now I look retarded to all my friends, thanks for making UTEP basketball look worse than it did before you got back to El Paso, Texas. Then again well UTEP is a place that will make or break your career, in this case is breaking your career.

[Pascal Fortran]

Floyd's a tremendous coach; his problem is he's old school, and most kids don't respond well to that form of coaching any longer.

Kids that usually respond well to that form of coaching are generally from the Midwest and Southeast USA, or rural communities (i.e. Cedric Lang) where discipline is highly regarded & respected. Military dependents usually respond well to that type of environment as well. Inner-city kids not so much.

That's why his most successful stop in his coaching tenure has been Iowa State (Midwest).

I'm not ready to run Floyd off just yet, but if his team performs poorly next season, he should go. Bohannen's class represents the last of Barbee's recruits. It should be smooth sailing after the last of those guys are gone.

[Adam]

Floyd isn't going anywhere, especially with the Top 25 recruiting class coming in. UTEP lost last night because Bohannon let his teammates down for continuing to be a sideshow distraction. Instead of acknowledging his mistakes, he is not caring anymore.

It is true that Bohannon is the last of Barbee's recruits which means Bo was recruited to fit his style. I understand those frustrated with how the team is doing but everyone has to realize this year and last year have been a complete rebuild. Floyd is still trying to assemble the best team going forward. Next year, you'll definitely see that.

Those saying they wish they had NMSU's players, their record is ballooned because they are playing pathetic WAC opponents. If we had that same easy schedule, we'd be winning 11 in a row too.

[Prospero]

Yes, yes Don Haskins was and now Floyd is a big time disciplinarian. Blah, Blah. But does benching Bohannon for an entire game really benefit the team? Does it benefit us during a game or even in the long run?

Why not just limit his playing time, don't start him, but let him get in their and contribute? He can provide Lang and Washburn Jr. with needed rest, maybe grab a bunch of rebounds and them score some. And then Floyd can just ride him as hard as he wants to in practice.

And yes Floyd doesn't have patience for bad attitude guys. He got rid of Moultrie for his attitude. Well, there's another basketball organization that felt Moultrie could contribute to their program. They're called the Philadephia 76ers. And their paying Moultrie more money than most of us will ever make just to be on their roster.

Discipline doesn't necessarily lead to winning games. Do you think Calipari cares that much about discipline? Calipari now has a national championship victory.

I love what Tim Floyd is doing for our program, especially bringing in Issac Hamilton and devoting his time to rebuilding us.

But maybe he should learn from his Chicago Bulls predecessor-Phil Jackson. Maybe he should just chill out a little.

[Matador]

Well stated Prospero.

Floyd's a tremendous coach that can win without the dated coaching methods. I happen to be a Calapari fan - Cals methods work with both the 1 & Done and standard 4-year college athlete.

Bohannen can help UTEP more than hurt it at this point - he should be played, if even sparingly. If not, kick him off the team, he'll finish out the semester and then be on his way to another school (a good school will pick this kid up).

I'd hate to lose a talented 7 footer because two stubborn egos. There's way more upside to Bohannen than down.

It basketball, not personal. Work the darn thing out!

[Miner Maniac]

UTEP coach Tim Floyd, John Bohannon get into argument after Miner's lose to Tulsa
http://www.kvia.com/sports/UTEP-coach-Tim-Floyd-John-Bohannon-get-into-argument-after-Miner-s-lose-to-Tulsa/-/390654/18488432/-/hdo71tz/-/index.html

Need there be any doubt now? Buh bye Bo!

[A Fan]

The coach needs coach as he sees fit. If Bohannon gets his way, what will the other players think who follow the rules. You can't have it both ways.

If he can't be a team player, he shouldn't be on the team. Winning isn't everything.

[Matador]

Miner Maniac: Are you suggesting addition by subtraction?

[Pascal Fortran]

That's too bad about Bohannen. He's a tremendous player, but there are several things one never does in life; yelling at a parent or authority figure are two of them.

If the report by KVIA is accurate, Floyd needs to pull him aside & encourage him to move on to another institution. A message to other players needs to be sent, so Floyd should limit schools Bo can transfer to, to ensure this practice isn't repeated by future players.

I'd recommend Auburn, but I reside in 'bama, and it appears that Barbee's days are numbered - his teams aren't performing and Auburn put a ton of money into that program when he arrived. Plus, the SEC stinks this year, which is all the more reason to get rid of him.

Perhaps this will enlighten Floyd to change his methods. I'm sure Bohannen's not a hot head, and Floyd certainly isn't a prick. Passion and personality types sometimes don't mix, but Floyd is entering an era of spoiled, entitlement minded recruits (a.k.a. Generation Y). Coaches at other institutions are experiencing similar issues, so he's not alone.

[Canaima]

Previous comment: "I'd hate to lose a talented 7 footer because two stubborn egos. There's way more upside to Bohannen than down."

If this is a case of two stubborn egos then the coaches stubborn ego takes precedence. If he lets the patients run the asylum then we will never have a good program that we can be proud of. Maybe Floyd is a disciplinarian but we haven't yet heard any Knight or Gillespie type stories about him. Letting Floyd build the program as he sees fit (within NCAA rules of course and university standards) has way more upside than appeasing Bo in order to keep him here another year. Bo is the short term, Floyd and his vision is the long term. I choose to focus on the long term.

A lot of fans have commented (and not just this season) how Bo seems to slack off on the transitions and in general doesn't always play like he wants to be out there. So if the average fan can spot that, what do you think the coaches are seeing? If it has reached this point then I'm sure this goes a lot deeper than Bo's laid back nature clashing with Floyd's tough approach.

[Been there seen that]

We're in the 3rd year of coach's current tenure. I'd say that in the 4th year if we don't win a very winnable, and truly mediocre as someone else wrote, CUSA regular season title, then we should be looking at a coaching change. OR we decide to not care about winning conference titles and going to the NCAA tourney once a blue moon, and just accept CBI tourney invites and be good with 18 win regular seasons.

Four years should be plenty.

[uTeP]

El Paso has no patience. Tim Floyd is rebuilding from the ground up to establish a mid major power like Memphis, UNM, Gonzaga. It will have growing pains. He could of just went out and grabbed a bunch junior college transfers. He could of also put a cheap schedule together where we play teams like Southwest University, Western Technical, Kaplan, or Vista. That way has not worked either just ask Barbee, Sadler. UTEP did the unthinkable we lost a home game to a conference rival. Just wait till the end of season to say BO should transfer or that Floyd's old school coaching doesn't work anymore. All of you bashing our team will eat crow once UTEP beats UCF and Memphis at home and goes on the road to beat Southern Miss.

[Matador]

I'm a little disappointed with the past two b-ball seasons. This is one of the few UTEP athletic programs that should never be mediocre.

Floyd walked into a great situation. It's not as if Barbee left the cupboard empty - do we not recall that UTEP was playing for CUSA tournament championships with Barbee's players.

Subsequent years (post Barbee) have been futile.

I started to get concerned when one of the best player's in the nation (Moutouri) departed. Regardless of accounts for his departure, he later acknowledged that Floyd's arrival played a big part in his departure from UTEP.

Floyd's a great coach, but there are many just as good or better, that would be a better fit at UTEP. His inability to relate to players is a problem that Stull needs to review.

Bohannen's not a bad kid. He was a golden kid leading up to the Greg Foster argument two years ago. And, that argument was really Foster's fault. Why was a graduate assistant (at the time) doing any on-court coaching during a game - especially yelling? It's not done elsewhere.

What happened between then and now?

[Monchis]

Bo is a cancer on the UTEP team, he's even dragged Cooper in with him!
I saw the destructive behavior two years ago when Bo had that ugly exchange with ast coach Foster in a game against NM. I think coach Floyd needs to dismiss Bo for the good of the team, just send him packing! Floyd has obviously lost control of the team and has a mutiny on his hands because the playesr aren't responding! No defense, no shooting, and no desire to win! This team is lost for the season, it's all over!

[Monchis]

The problem with today's players is that they are overtly defiant of authority! One only needs to look at Bo's defiant behavior! No matter how talented he thinks he is, he needs discipline, it's a team sport, there's no I in team!
Just get rid of this kid, his seflfishness is hurting the team! Utep sucks anyway, so it wouldn't hurt UTEP any worse to get rid of this cry-baby prima donna!