Interesting Stats

[axingfools1]

We have basically improved in every category this year compared to last season except 3-point and rebounding (by a small margin). We are way up in free throws and have improved in assists, turnovers, steals and blocks. Even our FG% is up to .44% from .40 last year despite our 3-point shooting dropping from .32% to .30%.

In retrospect, 1 more made 3-pointer each game would make a huge difference for this team (it would put us at .35%), but it has also been shown that we could easily dominate more games by simply shooting more inside the line and getting to the line more often. We have a bunch of guys who shoot above .50% from inside the arc. Add both of them together and we probably have only 1-2 losses this year.

Based on our numbers, I'm benching Vila and telling Archie to stop shooting 3s. I'm telling Boum to cut back on his 3s and get to the line more. I want Edwards to shoot a few more 3s a game and Williams to keep doing what he is doing.

 

[DBminer]

And then I would just pack the paint...

 

[Lil_Train]

It has already been brought up, but I think one pretty obvious offensive adjustment is to have Lathon/Hawkins try to attack the rim. Clearly, neither of them are natural point guards, so I think trying to penetrate the defense and being more aggressive would help. It would be nice for them to penetrate and dish, but that just isn't part of their games. In Lathon's case, he should try to use his midrange game since he is not a good finisher. I know Terry is looking for them to facilitate, but that just isn't their strength.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Turn overs are killing this team, both unforced and a crucial times, and the inability to get a quality shot when needed. I would not say we take bad shots but when open we tend to take a jumper instead of going to the basket. Archie is really guilty of this, with his size and ability he settles for the jumper instead of going to the basket, he needs to mix it up. We also need to get Williams the ball in multiple positions on the floor, we tend to make him a low post only and with his skills he can play outside or on the wing.

 

[MineroFanatico]

For the first 1/3 of the season I was certain that we needed a long range specialist first and foremost, and now I am absolutely convinced that we need a PG more than any other position.

I thought Lathon was serviceable at the point, but despite being arguably our best option, his production is so limited. I don’t think Hawkins is any better...he just brings more energy to the court. We are in dire need of someone who can routinely penetrate the defense and dish it off or put the ball in the bucket.

A good PG would make everybody on the floor better.

 

[JCorona]

It’s unbelievable that we have like 10 guards on the roster and none of them are a true pg. it’s even more unbelievable that terry didn’t bring one in.

this team would be completely different if we hadn’t lost Issac. Or maybe even if terry had swallowed his pride and taken a good look at the El Paso kid. His numbers at Ecu are better than any of our guards.

from an ecu fan
estion for UTEP / El Paso folks (Hoops)
A quick update for the El Paso/UTEP folks...

Tristen Newton is a REALLY bright spot on this ECU team. He ideally would have redshirted, but our top 2 point guards missed significant time due to injuries at the beginning of the season, and Newton had to play a lot.

He just hit a game-winning 3 pointer with 2 seconds remaining to upset 12-2 SMU this weekend.

He's averaging 27 minutes per game.

Some notable performances...

vs VMI - 20pts (His first college game)
vs Evansville - 18pts
vs Liberty - 10pts
vs Campbell - 11pts
vs SMU - 11pts

From the SMU game... Newton hits big shots at 2:10, 2:20, and the game winner at 6:25.

 

[Lil_Train]

It’s unbelievable that we have like 10 guards on the roster and none of them are a true pg. it’s even more unbelievable that terry didn’t bring one in.

this team would be completely different if we hadn’t lost Issac. Or maybe even if terry had swallowed his pride and taken a good look at the El Paso kid. His numbers at Ecu are better than any of our guards.

Likekele was out with an illness for about a month for OSU, and their season really suffered. He is one of their most improved players. Big miss on that one, and shows how critical that position is. He would have been a huge upgrade to what we have now. We also missed on Zarzuela. Rumor was he wasn't quite good enough, but his numbers at Navarro were good for the few games he played. It doesn't look like he is on that team any longer either.

 

[axingfools1]

I went back to 1986 and looked at our 3-point and free throw shooting percentages.

This season we are .283% and .761% repectfully so far. This is our 2nd best free throw shooting team in the past 35 years behind 04-05' at .79%. This is also our worst 3-point shooting team, EVER. Never have we had a team finish below .30%.

Our best all around around shooting team 03-05 averaged .37% and .77% with OT, Rivera, Ayala, St. Amant and J.Will.

Our best overall 3-point shooting team was 95-96 at .39%. Senior Mark Ingles shot a whopping .45% while averaging 6.6 attempts per game.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Talent, leadership, shooting, point guard etc. this team certainly lacks something, even when they are in the game they are not a pleasure to watch and when they are out of it their play is so frustrating I want to gauge my eyes out. This team serves up disappointment win or lose.

 

[jdubb66]

for me it boils down to rebounding. Haskins used to say rebounding is all about desire. If you're a poor rebounding team, you're a lazy team. And if you're lazy on defense, you're lazy on offense too.

 

[FeralFelidae]

for me it boils down to rebounding. Haskins used to say rebounding is all about desire. If you're a poor rebounding team, you're a lazy team. And if you're lazy on defense, you're lazy on offense too.

Hmm, well, there have been games where Vila has been our leading rebounder but I still don't want him out there most of the time.

 

[jdubb66]

Hmm, well, there have been games where Vila has been our leading rebounder but I still don't want him out there most of the time.

He's soft as room temperature butter. We need to be averaging around 45 rebounds a game to make up for our poor shooting. We're no where near that.

 

[JCorona]

I went back to 1986 and looked at our 3-point and free throw shooting percentages.

This season we are .283% and .761% repectfully so far. This is our 2nd best free throw shooting team in the past 35 years behind 04-05' at .79%. This is also our worst 3-point shooting team, EVER. Never have we had a team finish below .30%.

Our best all around around shooting team 03-05 averaged .37% and .77% with OT, Rivera, Ayala, St. Amant and J.Will.

Our best overall 3-point shooting team was 95-96 at .39%. Senior Mark Ingles shot a whopping .45% while averaging 6.6 attempts per game.

So this the second best ft shooting team and the worst 3 point shooting team in the history of Utep. If I was coach I would use that info and tell my guards to attack the rim and get to the line.

 

[axingfools1]

for me it boils down to rebounding. Haskins used to say rebounding is all about desire. If you're a poor rebounding team, you're a lazy team. And if you're lazy on defense, you're lazy on offense too.

We are actually a pretty good rebounding team. Top 2 in conference

 

[axingfools1]

So this the second best ft shooting team and the worst 3 point shooting team in the history of Utep. If I was coach I would use that info and tell my guards to attack the rim and get to the line.

Exactly..

 

[unihorn]

At least we have baseball season soon.

 

[jdubb66]

We have basically improved in every category this year compared to last season except 3-point and rebounding (by a small margin). We are way up in free throws and have improved in assists, turnovers, steals and blocks. Even our FG% is up to .44% from .40 last year despite our 3-point shooting dropping from .32% to .30%.

In retrospect, 1 more made 3-pointer each game would make a huge difference for this team (it would put us at .35%), but it has also been shown that we could easily dominate more games by simply shooting more inside the line and getting to the line more often. We have a bunch of guys who shoot above .50% from inside the arc. Add both of them together and we probably have only 1-2 losses this year.

Based on our numbers, I'm benching Vila and telling Archie to stop shooting 3s. I'm telling Boum to cut back on his 3s and get to the line more. I want Edwards to shoot a few more 3s a game and Williams to keep doing what he is doing.

What about Defense?

 

[jdubb66]

We are actually a pretty good rebounding team. Top 2 in conference

Fake news. According to the CUSA stats comp, UTEP is 10th in rebounding. The top 5 in rebounding correspond almost exactly to the conference standings. Inexplicably, Charlotte is last in rebounding.

 

[MineroFanatico]

Fake news. According to the CUSA stats comp, UTEP is 10th in rebounding. The top 5 in rebounding correspond almost exactly to the conference standings. Inexplicably, Charlotte is last in rebounding.

Well that would explain why it just didn’t pass the eye test. Without having looked at stats, my perspective is/was that we are not a good rebounding team. When I read we were 2nd in CUSA, my first thought was this conference as whole sucks at rebounding. 10th sounds about right.

 

[JCorona]

my first thought was this conference as whole sucks

Spot on!

 

[jdubb66]

To have such a "talented" and "athletic" roster, we shouldn't be 10th in rebounding. Not in this league.

 

[axingfools1]

What about Defense?

6th is total scoring defense, but 2nd in 3-pt% and 4th in FG% defense in conference play. I guess that means we give up a lot of shot attempts.

5th in blocked shots and last in steals in conference play

 

[axingfools1]

Fake news. According to the CUSA stats comp, UTEP is 10th in rebounding. The top 5 in rebounding correspond almost exactly to the conference standings. Inexplicably, Charlotte is last in rebounding.

In conference, UTEP is 7th in total rebounding, but 2nd only to ODU on defensive boards. Only reason our total is 7th is because we dont get many offensive rebound opportunity based on Terry's offensive and player choice.

You are correct about Charlotte

 

[JCorona]

With the amount of bricks we jack up we should lead the conference in offensive rebounds.

 

[axingfools1]

With the amount of bricks we jack up we should lead the conference in offensive rebounds.

Not if you have 4 guys on the perimeter. Now if we were attacking the rim/cutting in for follow-ups and rebounding like we think we should, then yes.

 

[axingfools1]

Where we suck is assists, overall scoring, 3 point shooting, offensive rebounding, turnovers and steals.

We are ok at blocking shots

Where we are good is 2pt FG% and scoring, free throws, defensive rebounding and overall FG% defensive

We are basically good at what Bryson William's is good at on offense and defense. We havent improved or adjusted to the other issues on offense.

 

[jdubb66]

With the amount of bricks we jack up we should lead the conference in offensive rebounds.

Exaclty, 7 out of 10 times there will be an offensive rebound opportunity. We should lead the league in offensive rebounds. You can't coach desire and heart.

 

[axingfools1]

Exaclty, 7 out of 10 times there will be an offensive rebound opportunity. We should lead the league in offensive rebounds. You can't coach desire and heart.

It's hard to offensive rebound off of missed 3s if you're out of position or taking 3s in transition. That is coaching.

 

[jdubb66]

It's hard to offensive rebound off of missed 3s if you're out of position or taking 3s in transition. That is coaching.

But there are a lot of long rebounds on missed 3s and I was taught to follow my shot. Count how many time a Miner follows his shot tonight. Also count how many Miners are just standing around watching a missed 3-pointer.

 

[axingfools1]

But there are a lot of long rebound and I was taught to follow my shot. Count how many time a Miner follows his shot tonight. Also count how many Miners are just standing around watching a missed 3-pointer.

I agree. That is coaching

 

[MineroFanatico]

But there are a lot of long rebounds on missed 3s and I was taught to follow my shot. Count how many time a Miner follows his shot tonight. Also count how many Miners are just standing around watching a missed 3-pointer.

Vila is reallllllly good at that.

 

[jdubb66]

Vila is reallllllly good at that.

I think he's shooting 23% from 3 so there are 8 offensive rebounding opportunities for every 10 shots he takes from 3.

 

[jdubb66]

We were outrebounded 34 - 24 by the worst rebounding team in the league.

 

[axingfools1]

We were outrebounded 34 - 24 by the worst rebounding team in the league.

Yep that's what happens when you get dominated in the paint. ALL suggestion prior to this game is that WE dominate the paint. Instead we continued to shoot 3s. It was fools good because we were hot in the 1st half.

Add that to the fact that our coach prefers playing a leaf at center instead of a proven double double guy or another young tougher defender.