Next up FAU: Better than Rice

[FeralFelidae]

The good news is that I think UTEP can take Rice with reasonable confidence. The bad news is that FAU beat Rice by about the margin that I would expect from UTEP.

So I think FAU and UTEP are pretty evenly matched! The difference is that UTEP technically still has a bowl game to play for, whereas FAU has nothing to lose (which itself can be worrisome!). If Kugler wants to keep his job, UTEP absolutely needs to win this battle. Then of course UTEP needs to take care of business against Rice. When UTEP's sitting at 5-6, then we can talk about UNT, but one game at a time.

 

[UTEP05]

If I'm not mistaken isn't UTEP winless in the eastern time zone?

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

If I'm not mistaken isn't UTEP winless in the eastern time zone?

If true then it's time to change that. Hopefully.

 

[Cube Jack]

Basketball season opener that same day! See you at the Don!

 

[Minerforlife]

Basketball season opener that same day! See you at the Don!

It is but it isnt. UTEP will count it in the record. The ncaa wont count it. The game wont go on our official record that the ncaa compiles. It is for all intensive purposes an exhibition game. Louisiana College lists it as an exhibition game on their schedule. Why UTEP would schedule a d3 school as the opening game is beyond me. There are over 320 d1 schools it shouldn't be hard to find one to open against. This game is a disservice to the team and the fans.

 

[Cube Jack]

When the legendary Coach Haskins scheduled Cardinal Stritch, Jacksonville State and Loyola-Illinois no one complained. Better to open with these teams than get curbstomped by some ACC powerhouse

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

Louisiana Monroe of the Sun Belt beat Louisiana College (D-3) by 35 points last night and Monroe listed it as an exhibition game. Playing lessor teams to get started is fine but D-3 should not be counted as an official game, even if it's just UTEP counting it.

 

[FeralFelidae]

When the legendary Coach Haskins scheduled Cardinal Stritch, Jacksonville State and Loyola-Illinois no one complained.

Loyola-Chicago is the only Division I team from Illinois to win the NCAA championship. We know something about that! They're in a good basketball conference (Missouri Valley Conference) and won the CBI last season.

I wouldn't mind playing them from time to time.

 

[Cube Jack]

If UTEP does somehow play Villanova (either getting by Wake Forest or some fluke upset by Western Michigan) I'm glad it's not the first game of the season.

 

[unihorn]

I looked on the utepathletics site, and they have the Orange-White scrimmage listed as a win. Well on our way to 20 wins!

 

[utep2step]

When the legendary Coach Haskins scheduled Cardinal Stritch, Jacksonville State and Loyola-Illinois no one complained. Better to open with these teams than get curbstomped by some ACC powerhouse

Like hell they didn't!! Haskins to a lot of poop for it, even from the local sports media.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Haskins took a lot crap about his schedule...I remember watching powerhouses such as Doane College, Roosevelt and Adams State. And to my recollection we lost to Louisiana College back in the late 80's or early 90's. They had a 7-2 stiff who intimidated us all night.

 

[FeralFelidae]

And to my recollection we lost to Louisiana College back in the late 80's or early 90's. They had a 7-2 stiff who intimidated us all night.

Looking in the media guide, UTEP lost to Louisiana College 54-55 in 1978 and beat them 88-60 in 1980. I don't think the media guide records exhibition games; do you remember if the game you recall was an exhibition game? (Else it must have been that 1978 game.)

Rubber match!

 

[Cube Jack]

Haskins also said he preferred it that way and everyone meekly backed down. I remember that distinctly from a Don Haskins show at Big Wally's.

 

[utep2step]

Looking in the media guide, UTEP lost to Louisiana College 54-55 in 1978 and beat them 88-60 in 1980. I don't think the media guide records exhibition games; do you remember if the game you recall was an exhibition game? (Else it must have been that 1978 game.)

Rubber match!

I mentioned in a previous thread the late 70's were some of the worst under Haskins tenure. He turned it around to another level in the 80's to a top 50 program according to a Sports Illustrated article.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Looking in the media guide, UTEP lost to Louisiana College 54-55 in 1978 and beat them 88-60 in 1980. I don't think the media guide records exhibition games; do you remember if the game you recall was an exhibition game? (Else it must have been that 1978 game.)

Rubber match!

Seems to me it was later in the preseason which would likely make it a counted game, but not sure. 1978 and a few years in between were pretty lean. That may have been the year Earl Fuller, Joe Garret and a cast of true freshman played. We had talent but they were too young to beat experience. Damm, I've been watching UTEP basketball since late 60's and all those years are running together, what the hell have I been doing with my life?