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Notable teams we played

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Rocketsr

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Sep 8, 2001
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I was curious to see how the teams of consequence that we played were doing. This is what I came up with:
Washington St: 4-7 in conference and 10-13 overall.
Washington is 3-8 in conference and 14-9 overall
Xavier is 7-6 in conference and 16-9 overall

Now the good:
Colorado St is 8-4 in conference and 21-4 overall
NMSU is 7-1 in conference and 15-10 overall
Arizona is 8-2 in conference and 20-3 overall

So, from what we can see, even if we beat Washington, I don't know how impressive that win would be now that they are a paltry 3-8 in the Pac12. The Xavier win has also become less impressive as they are only 7-6 in their own conference.

I always hear cries that we should be in the Big 12 or MWC. I am afraid that we would finish at the bottom of the Big 12 and in the bottom half of the MWC. In football, I believe we could compete in the MWC, but not the Big 12. I slso believe that Western Kentucky, UAB, Old Dominion, and La Tech are very good teams and any one of them would represent the conference well in the NCAA tournament.
 
Being competitive in a more high profile conference would be possible due to the uptick in recruiting, income and exposure. There are good teams in C-USA and UTEP should always be one of the best in both major sports as long as the Miners keep coaches like Kugler and Floyd.
 
Great post. I think UTEP needed to sweep NMSU, beat Arizona, and not lose to teams like Marshall to be on the bubble.

I don't even want to imagine UTEP basketball playing the Big 12 or MWC. Those leagues have quality teams. As evidenced last year, we couldn't even beat Fresno St.
 
You can never tell how good a team would be in another conference based their record at their current level of competition. If UTEP competed against more talented teams week-in, week-out, they would be better in all facets of their game and they would rise to their level of competition. That just stands to reason. Xavier is 5th in the Big East, arguably the best conference in Basketball and we beat them. By your reasoning we would be 4th in the Big East and a sure bet to make the tournament.
 
I think most of our problems with basketball are self inflicted. If we tried to compete we could in almost any conference. Our delusions of grandeur have seriously hurt the basketball program. Rome has been burning for years but instead of putting out the fire and rebuilding, we hold on to memories of the past and convince ourselves we are still great. The good news is thats is fixable. We are no longer the poor school on the block. In C-USA we are the richest school with the deepest pockets and most resources. There is no reason we shouldnt dominate this conference.

As for football, I've never been more excited about any program at UTEP as i am about the football program. The arrow is pointing straight up and we are about to rewrite the football record books. I think in the next few years the football program will get UTEP more name recognition and attention than we have ever had. It will be an asset in UTEPS attempt to gain tier one status. The success of the football team will make it alot easier to attract top flight students from outside El Paso to come to UTEP.
 
Originally posted by jdubb66:
If UTEP competed against more talented teams week-in, week-out, they would be better in all facets of their game and they would rise to their level of competition.
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So let me get this straight. UTEP can't beat Marshall, but if UTEP played more talented teams they would all of a sudden play better? Doesn't make any sense at all.
 
Originally posted by Minerforlife:
I think most of our problems with basketball are self inflicted. If we tried to compete we could in almost any conference. Our delusions of grandeur have seriously hurt the basketball program. Rome has been burning for years but instead of putting out the fire and rebuilding, we hold on to memories of the past and convince ourselves we are still great. The good news is thats is fixable. We are no longer the poor school on the block. In C-USA we are the richest school with the deepest pockets and most resources. There is no reason we shouldnt dominate this conference.

As for football, I've never been more excited about any program at UTEP as i am about the football program. The arrow is pointing straight up and we are about to rewrite the football record books. I think in the next few years the football program will get UTEP more name recognition and attention than we have ever had. It will be an asset in UTEPS attempt to gain tier one status. The success of the football team will make it alot easier to attract top flight students from outside El Paso to come to UTEP.
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I think any team could "try to compete" in almost any conference. The question is whether UTEP can actually win in any conference. UTEP is barely getting by in Conference USA, so I wouldn't like their chances in the Mountain West. UTEP should be dominating CUSA in Floyd's fifth year, but its just not happening.

Couldn't agree more with holding on to memories. Some people think that UTEP just beat Kansas.

I am not completely sold on UTEP football right now. The bowl game was a downer and UTEP played bad. Next year is really going to show how far UTEP football has progressed. I am hoping for a bowl appearance and win, but I learned to never expect anything from UTEP athletics.
 
Originally posted by jdubb66:
You can never tell how good a team would be in another conference based their record at their current level of competition.
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Actually you can. If UTEP can't beat Marshall on the road, then they probably couldn't beat UNM, San Diego State, or UNLV on the road.
 
Originally posted by jdubb66:
Xavier is 5th in the Big East, arguably the best conference in Basketball and we beat them. By your reasoning we would be 4th in the Big East and a sure bet to make the tournament.
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So just because UTEP bear Xavier one time, that would put them at 4th in the Big East without ever playing any other Big East teams?
 
No, no


That's not what he is saying. You're reading it wrong, as usual.

UTEP is in a weaker conference. I think we all agree on that. However, there is no consistency, other than UTEP and La Tech, year in and year out. Look at the stats yourself genius.

You're an aggie lover, take them for example. Good team, good coach, but horrible conference. That's what I think he's trying to say.

Let me get this straight, UTEP can compete with the like of Xavier and Arizona but wouldn't in MWC or Big XII? Genius!
 
Both conference are fairly solid this year, but to think UTEP would finish at the bottom, if hypothetically UTEP was in their conference, is a stretch.
 
Xavier has an RPI of 34 and is far and away our best win on the season (Kent St. is next at 105). I would hardly put them in the "not good" column. Washington was doing all right in the Pac-12, but they dismissed Robert Upshaw about a month ago. I don't think they've won since.

On the could we compete in a better conference, it's a useless conversation. "This" UTEP team would not exist in a better conference. For one, (even though he has stepped up recently) Hooper Vint would not be on the Big 12 UTEP team. It's a conversation that I absolutely hate because it's constantly used to keep the schools like us down. "Well, yeah they're doing OK now, but they'd get beat week in and week out in the SEC...."
 
Originally posted by STexMiner:


On the could we compete in a better conference, it's a useless conversation. "This" UTEP team would not exist in a better conference. For one, (even though he has stepped up recently) Hooper Vint would not be on the Big 12 UTEP team. It's a conversation that I absolutely hate because it's constantly used to keep the schools like us down. "Well, yeah they're doing OK now, but they'd get beat week in and week out in the SEC...."
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It is a useless conversation and I don't understand why people still think we could win in the Mountain West, etc. UTEP lost to Marshall and can barely beat the bottom barrel of Conference USA. If UTEP was in the Mountain West, they would have to play UNM, San Diego State, UNLV, etc. Does anybody honestly think that UTEP could compete with Mountain West teams for 2 months of conference play? But that's right, UTEP needs to play more talented teams because then all all of a sudden that would make them better in all facets of their game.
laugh.r191677.gif
I wish I would have told thought about this when I was struggling in Pre-Calculus. "Mr. Smith, I need to be challenged more. I am not understanding Pre-Calculus, but I know if I get placed in AP Calculus I will rise to the level of my abilities".
 
Nice to see that someone here gets it, MinerinWisconsin. Of course being a member of a major conference exponentially adds recruiting power, high visibility and Big Buck$. Want proof? We used to be conference mates with Arizona and TCU among others and these schools are waaaaaaaaay beyond us after they joined the majors. We can still beat them on the court though.
And yes, we as a program are on the way up!
 
Originally posted by Vegasminer:

We used to be conference mates with Arizona and TCU among others and these schools are waaaaaaaaay beyond us after they joined the majors. We can still beat them on the court though.
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We can still beat them? Says who?
 
Chih, you are among the most surface level spectators/fans in regards to basketball. You have what I would call basketball knowledge...info you can get from a score sheet or a stats box, but you have very little basketball IQ. It's really baffling how you cannot see that UTEP really tends to play according to the level of their opponent, whether said opponent be good or bad or in between, as evidenced by the AZ and Marshall games, along with several others. So the notion that playing better teams would make UTEP a better team holds a lot of water. You can hang your hat on that one loss to Marshall as your evidence that UTEP couldn't compete in the MWC all you want. It becomes a weak argument when that loss is all you point to. CSU is 8-4 in the MWC. The Miners played them up til the end, and had a very subpar outing that game and still almost pulled it out. CUSA's top 5 are nearly as strong as the top 5 in the MWC, if not just as good. The middle and bottom is where the MWC is superior. I'm not saying this Miner team is good. I am saying they have potential, most of which has not been tapped into, or is rarely tapped into. Playing better teams tends to bring out the better in this Miner team, imo.

And just for the record, some of us that were around for the Kansas win are under no illusions that there has been a Miner team in years that can hold a match to that team, let alone this current UTEP team. But we sure use that 91-92 team as a benchmark for what good basketball is, and for the end of an era of being a nationally relevant program. That's something I'm sure folks who were around during that span won't easily let go of. But you wouldn't know about that.
 
Originally posted by tbleslie:
Chih, you are among the most surface level spectators/fans in regards to basketball. You have what I would call basketball knowledge...info you can get from a score sheet or a stats box, but you have very little basketball IQ. It's really baffling how you cannot see that UTEP really tends to play according to the level of their opponent, whether said opponent be good or bad or in between, as evidenced by the AZ and Marshall games, along with several others. So the notion that playing better teams would make UTEP a better team holds a lot of water. You can hang your hat on that one loss to Marshall as your evidence that UTEP couldn't compete in the MWC all you want. It becomes a weak argument when that loss is all you point to. CSU is 8-4 in the MWC. The Miners played them up til the end, and had a very subpar outing that game and still almost pulled it out. CUSA's top 5 are nearly as strong as the top 5 in the MWC, if not just as good. The middle and bottom is where the MWC is superior. I'm not saying this Miner team is good. I am saying they have potential, most of which has not been tapped into, or is rarely tapped into. Playing better teams tends to bring out the better in this Miner team, imo.

And just for the record, some of us that were around for the Kansas win are under no illusions that there has been a Miner team in years that can hold a match to that team, let alone this current UTEP team. But we sure use that 91-92 team as a benchmark for what good basketball is, and for the end of an era of being a nationally relevant program. That's something I'm sure folks who were around during that span won't easily let go of. But you wouldn't know about that.
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Burn.
 
Originally posted by tbleslie:
I am saying they have potential, most of which has not been tapped into, or is rarely tapped into. Playing better teams tends to bring out the better in this Miner team, imo.
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So you're saying UTEP rarely taps into their potential? Seems like a silly statement to me.

So you're saying if UTEP plays Arizona 10 times over Marshall 10 times, UTEP would play better and have a better chance of beating Arizona more times?

Everybody has potential. If that is your argument, then it is a very weak argument. I don't think UTEP could compete with Mountain West teams. I don't care if UTEP "can hang" with teams- I want UTEP to beat teams. Maybe some of you are satisfied with moral losses, but I'm not. I am sick and tired of UTEP losing to teams like Marshall and not getting quality wins. I know some of you get it on here, but some of you don't. I want UTEP to go to the Big Dance on a consistent basis and win games in the Big Dance on a consistent basis.

For the record, I was around for the last time UTEP won a game in the Big Dance.
 
Trying to throw Kent St as even being close to notable is crazy. They are in a lousy conference and haven't beat a team of consequence all year but have lost to some pretty bad ones. If they were running away with their conference, and didn't lose to Western Michigan, Akron, Yale, Loyola Ill, Buffalo, etc, maybe we could consider them.
My question: If Kent St hadn't played UTEP, would we consider them a solid win for anyone else?

Kent St Schedule
 
Originally posted by Rocketsr:
Trying to throw Kent St as even being close to notable is crazy. They are in a lousy conference and haven't beat a team of consequence all year but have lost to some pretty bad ones. If they were running away with their conference, and didn't lose to Western Michigan, Akron, Yale, Loyola Ill, Buffalo, etc, maybe we could consider them.
My question: If Kent St hadn't played UTEP, would we consider them a solid win for anyone else?
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Lousy conference or not (by the way, the MAC is 10th in the RPI while CUSA is 17th). No notable wins or not. They're still the second best win we have, and I don't even think it's that close. Some of their losses? Yale is a top 50 RPI team the last I checked. Buffalo led Kentucky at home at halftime. They're not all that terrible.
 
Kent just got a pretty big win at Toledo. Bumped them into the top 100 and us into the 70s.
 
If utep was in a better conference say like the big 12 they would be able to drag in a lot more high profile players without question... The idea of playing a power 5 school and conference would take our recruiting to another level....which would lead to stronger teams end of story..
 
Originally posted by PURPLEFIRE:
If utep was in a better conference say like the big 12 they would be able to drag in a lot more high profile players without question... The idea of playing a power 5 school and conference would take our recruiting to another level....which would lead to stronger teams end of story..
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If programs like Gonzaga, Butler, and Wichita State (the list goes on) used those excuses, they would not be perennial top 10-20 programs, win conference championships, and play in March. UTEP has better credentials (tradition, facilities, fan support) than any of those basketball programs. Some UTEP fans (not most, but some) sometimes seem to have a "poor me" metality that makes excuses for everything. Know what conference Gonzaga is in? Can you find the school on the map? Even know what state it's in? Yet they are likely a #1 seed in the tournament. Of course, you could say that Gonzaga is the exception, and you might be right. But that would be just another excuse...

This post was edited on 2/14 12:20 PM by LaserCoog

This post was edited on 2/14 12:22 PM by LaserCoog
 
Timeout lasercoog....first off I am not making any excuses ....people in here were saying we would get crushed in the big 12 or MWC and I am simply stating not only would we be able to hang with any teams in there I believe it would be easier to attract top recruits here....don't twist my words making it look like I am ok with utep not being able to break through like gonzaga, never did I ever say that...I was merely saying we would do good if not great in the big 12 and mwc in my opinion.
 
What doesn't make sense is using this year's team and a loss to Marshall as a benchmark for not being able to compete in a better conference. If and when that happens this team would be long gone. The Miners have won the WAC against the same teams that make up the MWC. No reason to figure it couldn'tbe done again .
 
Absolutely agree. By Chih's terrible logic you cannot get into any other conference unless you win EVERY game against your conference. Choke... gasp... dang it... I may have taken the bait.... ahk...
 
Originally posted by alum95and98:
Absolutely agree. By Chih's terrible logic you cannot get into any other conference unless you win EVERY game against your conference. Choke... gasp... dang it... I may have taken the bait.... ahk...
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lol That's not what I said at all.
 
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