Miner Aggie game thread

[Lil_Train]

Not to dismiss your question about playing time, as I have only had the game against Western NM to gauge Satterfield and White. I will say that the 50% first half shooting stat doesn't fully address the Miners' defensive effort in that half. By pressuring the ball and cutting off passing lanes we were able to force the Aggies into 14 first half turnovers. Unfortunately their bigs are significantly better than ours, and our D does often leave outside shooters wide open, leading to that 50% mark. Still, overall I liked what I saw defensively in the first half.

In the second half we obviously weren't nearly as effective. I have two theories for this:

1. Jans and his team made adjustments that limited how disruptive our D was in the 2nd half, or
2. Golding's decision to shorten the bench left us without the fresh bodies needed to keep up that defensive intensity.

All players should get playing time tomorrow night against Northern NM. Hopefully some of them can earn some more playing time

I re-watched the second half of the Aggie game and here are my thoughts:

1. I don't think Jans made any major adjustments. Very simply, Jabari Rice took over the game by penetrating the lane at will, as well as knocking down a few outside shots. The catalyst for the Aggies pulling away in the second half, as axingfools mentioned, was the Rice rebound, put back, and foul off of the missed free throw. Golding was right in sitting down Hollins for that play. This wasn't the reason UTEP lost, but it hurt the Miners' already slim chances.
2. The game was not nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Miners were down 16 with around 2 minutes to play.
3. The Aggies killed us on the boards. After re-watching, I didn't think it had to do with Verhoeven wearing down in the second half. Kalu came in and provided some decent minutes, which should have been enough for TV to recover. The Aggies were just bigger, stronger, and more athletic.
4. It is clear that Golding, at this point in the season, will go with the more experienced lineup. TV, Kennedy, Boum, and Bieniemy all got major minutes. Obviously, the "trust" factor for Golding is heavily on the side of the guys who are experienced, and this makes some since. I was disappointed that Maring only got a couple of minutes based on early reviews, as well as the roster make up. The other young players like Saterfield and Giffa, will likely need to show what the can contribute in practice and in games versus lesser opponents, before getting an opportunity in games versus better teams. Sibley should likely continue to get minutes.
5. My overall outlook for the season is the team to be around .500. In general, based on some early season CUSA games, the league appears weaker than last year, and that may sway the final record a bit. Still, I see a team similar to last year, which makes a ton of sense since the same guys are playing, minus one guy.

 

[MinerManiac]

I re-watched the second half of the Aggie game and here are my thoughts:

1. I don't think Jans made any major adjustments. Very simply, Jabari Rice took over the game by penetrating the lane at will, as well as knocking down a few outside shots. The catalyst for the Aggies pulling away in the second half, as axingfools mentioned, was the Rice rebound, put back, and foul off of the missed free throw. Golding was right in sitting down Hollins for that play. This wasn't the reason UTEP lost, but it hurt the Miners' already slim chances.
2. The game was not nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Miners were down 16 with around 2 minutes to play.
3. The Aggies killed us on the boards. After re-watching, I didn't think it had to do with Verhoeven wearing down in the second half. Kalu came in and provided some decent minutes, which should have been enough for TV to recover. The Aggies were just bigger, stronger, and more athletic.
4. It is clear that Golding, at this point in the season, will go with the more experienced lineup. TV, Kennedy, Boum, and Bieniemy all got major minutes. Obviously, the "trust" factor for Golding is heavily on the side of the guys who are experienced, and this makes some since. I was disappointed that Maring only got a couple of minutes based on early reviews, as well as the roster make up. The other young players like Saterfield and Giffa, will likely need to show what the can contribute in practice and in games versus lesser opponents, before getting an opportunity in games versus better teams. Sibley should likely continue to get minutes.
5. My overall outlook for the season is the team to be around .500. In general, based on some early season CUSA games, the league appears weaker than last year, and that may sway the final record a bit. Still, I see a team similar to last year, which makes a ton of sense since the same guys are playing, minus one guy.

Thanks Train, great analysis. So you rewatched that 2nd half? You're made of stronger stuff than I am.

A big thing that I'm looking for this year is for the team to improve as the season wears on. This never happened with Terry's teams. In fact, with his second team it was so much the opposite.

 

[Lil_Train]

Thanks Train, great analysis. So you rewatched that 2nd half? You're made of stronger stuff than I am.

A big thing that I'm looking for this year is for the team to improve as the season wears on. This never happened with Terry's teams. In fact, with his second team it was so much the opposite.

Funny stuff Maniac. Yep, I kind of tuned out in the second half of the basketball game on Saturday out of self preservation from the frustration of the football game 😉

I agree with you in regard to improvement as the year moves forward. I think we will see that under Golding. I do wish Golding would have been able to hit on a couple of plug and play experienced transfer players. I get frustrated hearing that "it's a process" when other teams, including the Aggies and WKU (for example), were able to pick up experienced contributors late.

 

[groundrounds]

We got Hollins who has a ton of experience. Golding will calibrate him.
Other than that, we recruited for the future.

 

[FeralFelidae]

3. The Aggies killed us on the boards. After re-watching, I didn't think it had to do with Verhoeven wearing down in the second half. Kalu came in and provided some decent minutes, which should have been enough for TV to recover. The Aggies were just bigger, stronger, and more athletic.

And yet Onyema, who definitely gives us size and athleticism, still can't find the floor. This is two coaches now who, for whatever reason, don't believe he's ready to play. I wonder what that reason is; what is he lacking that the coaches are looking for? He barely saw any action against Western New Mexico.

 

[TxRdKiller]

And yet Onyema, who definitely gives us size and athleticism, still can't find the floor. This is two coaches now who, for whatever reason, don't believe he's ready to play. I wonder what that reason is; what is he lacking that the coaches are looking for? He barely saw any action against Western New Mexico.

He's a defensive liability. HUUUUUUUUGE offensive potential; I mean, the kid is a highlight reel waiting to happen but defensively he's lost.

 

[JCorona]

We kept the score closer in Las Cruces than Davidson did in a neutral court. Kenpom has Davidson ranked 77.

 

[OsoFromELP]

We kept the score closer in Las Cruces than Davidson did in a neutral court. Kenpom has Davidson ranked 77.

The final score is misleading. We were out-shot, out-rebounded, out-hustled, out-everything.

 

[JCorona]

The final score is misleading. We were out-shot, out-rebounded, out-hustled, out-everything.

As was Davidson. A team better than us playing them on a neutral court.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

As was Davidson. A team better than us playing them on a neutral court.

Their win over basketball power Delaware was really impressive.

 

[JCorona]

Their win over basketball power Delaware was really impressive.

In the last 3 years, not counting Covid, cuz no one went to the post season. They have 2 NIT invites and 1 NCAA tournament autobid. Thus why they’re ranked 77 and we're ranked 158. What tournaments have we made in that same time frame?

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

In the last 3 years, not counting Covid, cuz no one went to the post season. They have 2 NIT invites and 1 NCAA tournament autobid. Thus why they’re ranked 77 and we're ranked 158. What tournaments have we made in that same time frame?

Better program. Not necessarily a better team. Who’s their best player? How many all-A10 guys are on their team? Bet you have to look that information up.

 

[JCorona]

Better program. Not necessarily a better team. Who’s their best player? How many all-A10 guys are on their team? Bet you have to look that information up.

You just wanna argue to argue. They've had the same coach for over 30 years. They're an established program. That Delaware win you mock is better than anything we've done. I guarantee they'll finish the season ranked higher than us by KenPom.

 

[OsoFromELP]

Better program. Not necessarily a better team. Who’s their best player? How many all-A10 guys are on their team? Bet you have to look that information up.

Whereas you're just an almanac of all things sports? 😂🤡

 

[TxRdKiller]

You just wanna argue to argue. They've had the same coach for over 30 years. They're an established program. That Delaware win you mock is better than anything we've done. I guarantee they'll finish the season ranked higher than us by KenPom.

Ok, Pot and Kettle. Knock it off.

 

[JCorona]

Ok, Pot and Kettle. Knock it off.

You can easily ignore me if you don't want to hear facts.

 

[TxRdKiller]

You can easily ignore me if you don't want to hear facts.

Don't be such a snowflake, man. You both like to argue the smallest things. I was messing with you both. Take a joke, homie.

 

[JCorona]

Don't be such a snowflake, man. You both like to argue the smallest things. I was messing with you both. Take a joke, homie.

We get paid by the click to keep you and others checking on the board every time we argue.

 

[FeralFelidae]

We get paid by the click to keep you and others checking on the board every time we argue.

The absolute best at that was Autograph Boy. He could hook posters into arguments over the most trivial things, blowing threads up into multiple pages.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

Just saying, can’t say they’re better this season based on their history. Like it’s an automatic fact they are, despite not seeing them play or what players are on the team.

They didn’t exactly light it up last season.

 

[JCorona]

Just saying, can’t say they’re better this season based on their history. Like it’s an automatic fact they are, despite not seeing them play or what players are on the team.

They didn’t exactly light it up last season.

That's why I went by KenPom rankings. That guy knows his basketball.

If you really believed we were a better team than Davidson then you should be picking us to beat Pacific.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

That's why I went by KenPom rankings. That guy knows his basketball.

If you really believed we were a better team than Davidson then you should be picking us to beat Pacific.

Not necessarily. Their game is independent of UTEPs matchup. I picked UTEP to lose because they’re playing on the road. It’s possible they will win, but I think they will lose.