Upcoming hoops opponents

[Minerforlife]

The hoops team kicks off the season Saturday against Texas State. I know we started last saturday but it was an NAIA school. I still have no idea how good this team is, it will nice to see them againt d1 competition. We all know the non conference schedule is cupcake city, but there are two games that i think will troublesome in the next few weeks.

SIU is a very athletic team with great guard play. Their weakness is the same as ours rebounding. On the neutral court SIU is probably a three point favorite. I think SIU will be a good guage for us to see where the team is.

UTA is probably the fourth of fifth best team in Sun Belt. However, they are a matchup night for this UTEP team. They start five guys who 6'7 or taller. They will exploit our weakness on the boards. UTA is playing murderous non conference schedule they will be battle tested.

Im not as high on this team as others. I expect us to finish fourth or fifth in CUSA. Im affraid our lack of a true center will be our Achilles heel all year. I hope this team has some magic and can exceed my expectations.

 

[space ace]

look at colorado st

 

[Minerforlife]

look at colorado st

We have to beat SIU to play Colorado State.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

I tend to think the Aggies up the road will be the best team we face, likely in all preconference. The big kid, Siakam they have is a player and is better than anyone we have inside. They beat up on us last year in Cruces and we had a hard time here with them. Plus Menzies can coach. Despite the conference they are in and being our rival and all, you can't argue his record the last four or five years.

 

[Epsilon00]

I agree Mosquito. They also have that 7'3 340 lbs. Bhullar. He will give Vint and Wilms problems because he is physical and aggressive. And unfortunately we don't have anybody who can compete with Siakam. I am afraid he is going to dominate us like that forward from Murray State dominated us in the NIT. We don't match up well with NMSU at all this year. We are going to get completely dominated in the paint by NMSU this year. And you have to give Menzies the edge over Floyd in the coaching comparison.

 

[mine n for gold]

You would. ..mean while Floyd has achieved more overall but it will kill you to acknowledge it

 

[El Paso Chihuahuas]

You would. ..mean while Floyd has achieved more overall but it will kill you to acknowledge it

I don't care what Floyd has done elsewhere- I only care what he does at UTEP.

 

[El Paso Chihuahuas]

You would. ..mean while Floyd has achieved more overall but it will kill you to acknowledge it

Nobody has ever said Floyd isn't a better coach overall.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

I did not mean to imply that at all. If I had a choice I would pick Floyd hands down. But Menzies is good and likable, he isn't an ass like Theus, or a prick like Alford and he wins and shows respect to his opponents. I know he has half the French and Canadian National Teams playing for him, but for the most part his teams play hard and fair. He is a good coach and honestly I am surprised a larger school has not picked him up. The big thing I like about him is how he fits the style of play to his players. He plays big when he has the talent and he plays motion when he doesn't have inside players. Last year in Cruces with all his "bigs" out of action he took it too us and I think that game exposed what ended up being our downfall as the year unfolded, we had no outside defense, couldn't pressure the ball, or defend a good motion offense.

 

[El Paso Chihuahuas]

If I had a choice I would pick Floyd hands down.

Just curious- why would you pick Floyd over Menzies?

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Floyd is connected, he recruits well because he knows so many basketball people, he is experienced and he has pretty much won everywhere he has been (sans the bulls and hornets). Now he has not won at the level expected here at UTEP but he has won, despite some bad luck and bad decisions (some on his part, but nobody bats 1000). I feel he can deliver that one amazing season which we all want, please note I did not say he will, but he has the skill, experience et al that he could. Sadly for Floyd and for UTEP winning big is a lot harder to do now than even 5-6 years ago and I don't think as fans we really know how tough it is and it is getting tougher. There are really only a few schools outside power conferences who are winning big on a consistent basis, Gonazga is one, Butler is another. All of us although we don't wan to admit it are really only one hit wonders, we have to build, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke they don't really have to build, assemble is a better word for them. Floyd through his skills has kinda shielded UTEP from being an complete and total afterthought. Menzies is good, but I think big schools have held off because he uses a lot of kids outside the system but he will get his chance sooner or later and then we can really make a fair assessment of his skills. Could Menzies deliver the one amazing season, right now I don't think he's at that level. I think Floyd is certainly capable of it.

 

[MinersWon]

Those are good points. I have to say that Menzies has done a great job and I respect him. I certainly don't hate the Aggies like I used to when McCarthy and Theus were there.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

I remember McCarthy aka the birdman. I was a student at NMSU during his reign of terror. Trust me there wasn't a thug left on the east or west coast that he didn't try to recruit. One year, right after one of the NCAA tourney first round games 3-5 of his kids checked in to the Las Cruces Hilton ran up a 6000$ tab for the weekend and left town Monday morning. Sticking the school with the Tab another 1000 in phone bills. Theus was just as bad, he just had a nicer wardrobe.

 

[Epsilon00]

You would. ..mean while Floyd has achieved more overall but it will kill you to acknowledge it

Do you consider Larry Coker the best football coach in cusa? He won a national championship while coaching Miami. I don't care what Floyd did coaching at other schools. I care what he accomplishes here at utep. Menzies and Floyd both coach at similar schools in similar conferences and Menzies has been to the ncaa tourney pretty much every year , Floyd not even close. Advantage to Menzies

 

[unihorn]

Do you consider Larry Coker the best football coach in cusa? He won a national championship while coaching Miami. I don't care what Floyd did coaching at other schools. I care what he accomplishes here at utep. Menzies and Floyd both coach at similar schools in similar conferences and Menzies has been to the ncaa tourney pretty much every year , Floyd not even close. Advantage to Menzies

 

[MistaBinks]

Menzies and Floyd both coach at similar schools in similar conferences and Menzies has been to the ncaa tourney pretty much every year , Floyd not even close. Advantage to Menzies

Incorrect #1: CUSA and the WAC are not similar conferences.

Incorrect #2: Coach Floyd was one basket away from the NCAA tourney.

 

[El Paso Chihuahuas]

Floyd is connected, he recruits well because he knows so many basketball people, he is experienced and he has pretty much won everywhere he has been (sans the bulls and hornets). Now he has not won at the level expected here at UTEP but he has won, despite some bad luck and bad decisions (some on his part, but nobody bats 1000). I feel he can deliver that one amazing season which we all want, please note I did not say he will, but he has the skill, experience et al that he could. Sadly for Floyd and for UTEP winning big is a lot harder to do now than even 5-6 years ago and I don't think as fans we really know how tough it is and it is getting tougher. There are really only a few schools outside power conferences who are winning big on a consistent basis, Gonazga is one, Butler is another. All of us although we don't wan to admit it are really only one hit wonders, we have to build, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke they don't really have to build, assemble is a better word for them. Floyd through his skills has kinda shielded UTEP from being an complete and total afterthought. Menzies is good, but I think big schools have held off because he uses a lot of kids outside the system but he will get his chance sooner or later and then we can really make a fair assessment of his skills. Could Menzies deliver the one amazing season, right now I don't think he's at that level. I think Floyd is certainly capable of it.

Eventhough I don't agree with all of your posts, I respect your opinion and it's refreshing to hear positive comments about Floyd who isn't a homer.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Ok I will bite on this. And use an analogy as you did and this is about coaching.
You run a car business and two guys walk-in asking for a job. You inquire about their experience and how many cars they have sold etc. Joe A says he sold 3 cars last week where he was working and Joe B says he sold 150 cars in the last two years, but he didn't sell any last week. Who do you hire? And yes I do consider Coker the best coach in CUSA because he did it the big stage, took all the marbles, beat the big boys whatever you want call it. Floyd is kinda like the guy who sold a lot of cars, Joe B you know he can do it, and the results can be really amazing, but he hasn't really done that well lately. Menzies is like Joe A, he got it done yesterday but was he just lucky? is that all he has left? So as coaching goes it's a hard to call, but if I was in the car business I think Joe B is a safe bet for both the long term and short term of my business.

 

[utep2step]

I tend to think the Aggies up the road will be the best team we face, likely in all preconference. The big kid, Siakam they have is a player and is better than anyone we have inside. They beat up on us last year in Cruces and we had a hard time here with them. Plus Menzies can coach. Despite the conference they are in and being our rival and all, you can't argue his record the last four or five years.

Totally agree. Menzies has made this rivalry good again. Hard fought and leave it out all on the court and yet is always respectable towards UTEP, as he is with other opponents.

 

[Epsilon00]

Incorrect #1: CUSA and the WAC are not similar conferences.

Incorrect #2: Coach Floyd was one basket away from the NCAA tourney.

#1The WAC and cusa are both two of the weakest conferences on the country. If nmsu Played In cusa, they would have made the NCAA tourney at least once in the last 5 years.
#2 Those were with Barbees players. Barbee left him an NCAA tourney team. Floyds players have never been close.

 

[unihorn]

#1The WAC and cusa are both two of the weakest conferences on the country. If nmsu Played In cusa, they would have made the NCAA tourney at least once in the last 5 years.
#2 Those were with Barbees players. Barbee left him an NCAA tourney team. Floyds players have never been close.

I think we all understand your point, as you've made it over and over and over and over and over again. Hell is repetition.

 

[MistaBinks]

#1The WAC and cusa are both two of the weakest conferences on the country. If nmsu Played In cusa, they would have made the NCAA tourney at least once in the last 5 years.

That's speculation. I thought you argued with facts? WKU and UAB are a bit different than Grand Canyan University and Chicago State.

#2 Those were with Barbees players. Barbee left him an NCAA tourney team. Floyds players have never been close.

So are you saying you would like to change your original statement? Facts don't usually fluctuate like your stances. Also, DC didn't play for Coach Floyd.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

"#2 Those were with Barbees players. Barbee left him an NCAA tourney team. Floyds players have never been close."
When you printed this I had to take a look at the CUSA and UTEP stat sheets because I kinda thought the same way, but If you look at the stats sheets and consider who we played and how Floyd and Barbie faired in the two CUSA tourneys it looks a bit different.
Here is the official box (UTEP side) for the two games. Now both coaches lost the title game and Barbie got UTEP to the tourney as an at large. If you look at the starting five or the players who played a lot you will notice only Williams, Stone and Culpepper started for Floyd or 3/5 starters not quite the same as a team. Barbie had Caracter and Moultrie (both NBA level players), Floyd had neither one. Two NBA level players one a team means a lot, plus they both were inside players. I think a accurate statement is Barbie left Floyd about 1/2 of a NCAA Tourney team. Barbie did get us into the NCAA his last year but not as a auto-bid as an at-large last four in, if I recall the next year Floyd's team was on the bubble and was last four out. I consider that close. One other thing bothers me about this comparison, Barbie's CUSA lost was to a team which was 16-14 (Houston) and had finished 7th in the conference, Floyd's team lost to Memphis which was the #2 seed in the tourney. Bottom line here Floyd lost to a stronger team, in a closer game with about half of Barbie's team. Neither won the Tourney, Barbie being a bit luckier in that the NCAA took us as an at-large. Floyd luck hasn't been that good.

Floyd’s CUSA Tourney Loss in El Paso (Memphis loss 67-66) 2010-2011

23 McCULLEY, Gabriel f 2-4 0-1 3-4 1 4 5 4 7 0 2 0 1 22

34 WILLIAMS, Jeremy f 2-4 2-3 2-2 1 4 5 4 8 2 1 0 0 27

03 CULPEPPER, Randy g 3-13 1-6 0-1 1 1 2 3 7 2 2 1 0 39

05 STONE, Julyan g 0-2 0-1 3-8 3 8 11 4 3 7 3 1 1 40

41 POLK, Christian g 11-13 4-6 1-1 0 3 3 1 27 4 3 0 2 37

20 GORDON, Isaac 0-1 0-1 0-0 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 5

21 BOHANNON, John 3-6 0-0 0-0 1 3 4 0 6 0 0 3 0 17

32 BRITTEN, Claude 4-10 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 8 0 1 2 1 13

Team 0 1 1 Totals 25-53 7-18 9-16 8 25 33 20 66 16 12 7 5 200


Barbie’s CUSA Tourney Loss (Houston 81-73) 2009-2010

01 MOULTRIE, Arnett f 5-11 1-1 1-2 3 5 8 2 12 1 1 1 0 36

04 CARACTER, Derrick f 6-10 0-0 6-8 4 5 9 4 18 1 3 0 1 30

34 WILLIAMS, Jeremy f 1-3 0-2 2-2 1 1 2 3 4 1 0 1 0 24

03 CULPEPPER, Randy g 8-20 1-7 3-6 3 3 6 2 20 0 3 0 1 39

05 STONE, Julyan g 2-5 1-3 0-0 0 9 9 2 5 4 4 1 2 37

11 STRONG, Myron 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3

20 GORDON, Isaac 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

32 BRITTEN, Claude 1-3 0-0 5-6 1 2 3 1 7 0 1 0 1 9

41 POLK, Christian 2-5 1-3 2-2 0 2 2 5 7 2 1 0 0 20

 

[unihorn]

"#2 Those were with Barbees players. Barbee left him an NCAA tourney team. Floyds players have never been close."
When you printed this I had to take a look at the CUSA and UTEP stat sheets because I kinda thought the same way, but If you look at the stats sheets and consider who we played and how Floyd and Barbie faired in the two CUSA tourneys it looks a bit different.
Here is the official box (UTEP side) for the two games. Now both coaches lost the title game and Barbie got UTEP to the tourney as an at large. If you look at the starting five or the players who played a lot you will notice only Williams, Stone and Culpepper started for Floyd or 3/5 starters not quite the same as a team. Barbie had Caracter and Moultrie (both NBA level players), Floyd had neither one. Two NBA level players one a team means a lot, plus they both were inside players. I think a accurate statement is Barbie left Floyd about 1/2 of a NCAA Tourney team. Barbie did get us into the NCAA his last year but not as a auto-bid as an at-large last four in, if I recall the next year Floyd's team was on the bubble and was last four out. I consider that close. One other thing bothers me about this comparison, Barbie's CUSA lost was to a team which was 16-14 (Houston) and had finished 7th in the conference, Floyd's team lost to Memphis which was the #2 seed in the tourney. Bottom line here Floyd lost to a stronger team, in a closer game with about half of Barbie's team. Neither won the Tourney, Barbie being a bit luckier in that the NCAA took us as an at-large. Floyd luck hasn't been that good.

Floyd’s CUSA Tourney Loss in El Paso (Memphis loss 67-66) 2010-2011

23 McCULLEY, Gabriel f 2-4 0-1 3-4 1 4 5 4 7 0 2 0 1 22

34 WILLIAMS, Jeremy f 2-4 2-3 2-2 1 4 5 4 8 2 1 0 0 27

03 CULPEPPER, Randy g 3-13 1-6 0-1 1 1 2 3 7 2 2 1 0 39

05 STONE, Julyan g 0-2 0-1 3-8 3 8 11 4 3 7 3 1 1 40

41 POLK, Christian g 11-13 4-6 1-1 0 3 3 1 27 4 3 0 2 37

20 GORDON, Isaac 0-1 0-1 0-0 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 5

21 BOHANNON, John 3-6 0-0 0-0 1 3 4 0 6 0 0 3 0 17

32 BRITTEN, Claude 4-10 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 8 0 1 2 1 13

Team 0 1 1 Totals 25-53 7-18 9-16 8 25 33 20 66 16 12 7 5 200


Barbie’s CUSA Tourney Loss (Houston 81-73) 2009-2010

01 MOULTRIE, Arnett f 5-11 1-1 1-2 3 5 8 2 12 1 1 1 0 36

04 CARACTER, Derrick f 6-10 0-0 6-8 4 5 9 4 18 1 3 0 1 30

34 WILLIAMS, Jeremy f 1-3 0-2 2-2 1 1 2 3 4 1 0 1 0 24

03 CULPEPPER, Randy g 8-20 1-7 3-6 3 3 6 2 20 0 3 0 1 39

05 STONE, Julyan g 2-5 1-3 0-0 0 9 9 2 5 4 4 1 2 37

11 STRONG, Myron 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3

20 GORDON, Isaac 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

32 BRITTEN, Claude 1-3 0-0 5-6 1 2 3 1 7 0 1 0 1 9

41 POLK, Christian 2-5 1-3 2-2 0 2 2 5 7 2 1 0 0 20

Good post, Mosquito. Reading those players' names brings back fun memories. As a fan, I thoroughly enjoyed both years.

 

[MineroFanatico]

That's speculation. I thought you argued with facts? WKU and UAB are a bit different than Grand Canyan University and Chicago State.



So are you saying you would like to change your original statement? Facts don't usually fluctuate like your stances. Also, DC didn't play for Coach Floyd.

Nor did Moultrie, who was good for about 10 and 8, if I remember correctly. Two of the biggest pieces to the puzzle missing make it a very different team.

 

[MinerManiac]

Barbie did get us into the NCAA his last year but not as a auto-bid as an at-large last four in, if I recall the next year Floyd's team was on the bubble and was last four out. I consider that close. One other thing bothers me about this comparison, Barbie's CUSA lost was to a team which was 16-14 (Houston) and had finished 7th in the conference, Floyd's team lost to Memphis which was the #2 seed in the tourney. Bottom line here Floyd lost to a stronger team, in a closer game with about half of Barbie's team. Neither won the Tourney, Barbie being a bit luckier in that the NCAA took us as an at-large. Floyd luck hasn't been that good.

I don't know that I'd say that Barbee was "lucky" to be chosen for the NCAA Tournament. Barbee's team won the CUSA regular season outright, and most prognosticators thought that they were in the NCAA Tournament win or lose the CUSA Tournament. Floyd's first team tied for second in CUSA, and most thought that they needed a CUSA Tournament win in order to get into the Dance.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

He was lucky in the respect that the NCAA does not have to take conference winners and every year they give the shaft to teams deserving and 9-10 times it's a mid major. Of course they justify this to fans on the basis of "body of work" or "quality wins" of some other bullshit code talk. When UTEP lost to Houston in the Championship, UTEP could have just as easily been left out as included, don't think that team was ever a lock no matter how it played out. Their rpi was in the mid forties most of that year and often times a mid-major in that range never gets a sniff at and at-large bid. I do think Barbie being and up and comer and having connections to Calipari and UTEPS name had a little bit to do with being selected.

 

[nattybry]

Epsilon is one those annoying people that argues his points based on nothing and wants everyone to believe it as fact! LMAO
Facts: Though CUSA has been down of late and im not saying its a super strong conference, it is consistently between 11 and 20.... Wac hmmm.... let's see oh yeah never above 30! Ok next argument please

 

[allminer]

Good job guys, epsi just got schooled.

 

[Epsilon00]

Haha I didn't get schooled. Everyone knows CUSA and the WAC are both weak conferences. CUSA has a slight edge but not by much.
Name me one player that Floyd recruited for his first season that had a big impact on that team in Floyds first season. That team was all barbees players. Since Floyds first year, he hadn't even come close to making the ncaa's. Even in year 5, we can't get past middle Tennessee in the CUSA tourney.

 

[unihorn]

Haha I didn't get schooled. Everyone knows CUSA and the WAC are both weak conferences. CUSA has a slight edge but not by much.
Name me one player that Floyd recruited for his first season that had a big impact on that team in Floyds first season. That team was all barbees players. Since Floyds first year, he hadn't even come close to making the ncaa's. Even in year 5, we can't get past middle Tennessee in the CUSA tourney.

 

[Epsilon00]

Im still waiting for someone to name me one player Floyd recruited for his first season here that had a big impact on Floyd's first season here. So ya I am right, Floyd had his best year with Barbee's NCAA tournament caliber players.

 

[PURPLEFIRE]

Good job guys epsi got schooled big time!

 

[MistaBinks]

Im still waiting for someone to name me one player Floyd recruited for his first season here that had a big impact on Floyd's first season here. So ya I am right, Floyd had his best year with Barbee's NCAA tournament caliber players.

That wasn't your original statement. There was no asterisk in your original statement. You simply said Coach had never come close to the NCAA tourney. You were wrong.

Now, on to your deflective and revised stance. Why would we expect Coach Floyd to have an impactful player in his first year when Barbee stacked his senior class? Except of course for DC and AM.

 

[jamasterj]

He so got schooled, great job...oh and yeah, Barbee left the cupboard bare for Floyd, no denying that.

 

[Epsilon00]

Nope I schooled you guys again as usual. Its just your same old excuses of you guys crying that Barbee had DC and Floyd didn't and Barbee left Floyd a mess. Barbee left Floyd a goldmine and Floyd did nothing with it. Even if Barbee did leave the cupboard bare for Floyd, 5 years is way more than enough time to have made at least 1 NCAA appearance in weak ass CUSA. BG cleaned up Rabs mess in 2 years. Have you guys been thinking about new excuses for year 6 now? And the facts are facts, Floyd almost reached the ncaa tourney with Barbee's team. His team with all his players has never been close. Floyd should hire Barbee as an assistant. Our NCAA chances would drastically improve. Barbee can show show Floyd what it takes to do it here.

 

[Epsilon00]

keep telling yourself that.

 

[allminer]

The guy is just ridiculous. This is just too funny. Just ignore the fools, leave them blabbing to themselves. Much better board when they're reduced to a two person babble.

 

[Epsilon00]

Menzies and Floyd both started out in similar situations at nmsu and utep. Both took over ncaa tourney teams. Both play in weak conferences. One coach has kept the momentum and goes to the ncaa tourney every year and the other has seen a regression and hasn't been to the ncaa tourney.

 

[Epsilon00]

The guy is just ridiculous. This is just too funny. Just ignore the fools, leave them blabbing to themselves. Much better board when they're reduced to a two person babble.

Has anyone ever responded to a post of yours? I haven't seen anyone respond. When you post it's like their is a cricket sound in the background.