UTEP Men’s Basketball Midseason Report Card: Are Miners For Real?

The UTEP men's basketball team is 10-3 after concluding its non-conference play last night with a 79-60 win over NAIA's Northern New Mexico. That record is best the Miners have had at this point in the last 14 years. Things will start to heat up in a hurry, when UTEP hosts Louisiana Tech, Sam Houston State, and New Mexico State to begin conference play. Are the Miners for real? Here is my midseason report card.

OFFENSE: A-

This team can shoot the basketball. In fact, this is one of the best shooting teams that head coach Joe Golding has had since he arrived in El Paso. The Miners are averaging 47-percent from the field and 41-percent from three-point range. Newcomer Ahmad Bynum is a big reason why UTEP's three-point percentage is so high, and he is averaging 61-percent from downtown. UTEP's big men, Kevin Kalu and Derrick Hamilton are both shooting 64-percent and 61.5-percent from he field, respectively. In recent weeks, Kalu has also shown more offense in his game than he has throughout his first three seasons as a Miner. I do not expect these trends to last in conference play, but it is an encouraging start for the team.

DEFENSE: C

The Miners are only giving up an average of 65.9 points per game, but their lack of rebounding is why this grade is so low. They have been outrebounded in 10 of their 13 games this season. That is a staggering total for a team that is 10-3, but their shooting has helped mask their rebounding deficiencies. At times it seems like UTEP watches opponents shots rather than fight for position. That is why nearly half of the rebounds they have given up have been on the offensive glass. The Miners currently rank fourth in the nation in turnovers forced per game and eighth in the country in steals.

COACHING: B-

This grade should be an A based on record alone, but UTEP's lack of rebounding adjustments and their inability to fix their second half woes is why I grade them a B-Minus. In their last seven games, the Miners have been outscored in the second half by every opponent. A big reason why UTEP has struggled so much in the second half is because they come out flat to start the period. On the flip side, Coach Golding and his staff nearly upset Louisville on the road earlier this month.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Last season, UTEP was 10:33 away from returning to the NCAA Tournament for the fist time since 2010. This roster is a better offensive group and they play a fearless style which has helped propel them to 10 nonconference wins. However, I am concerned that their lack of rebounding and second half woes will doom them in conference play, especially since CUSA has been a strong league through the first two months of the college basketball season. The Miners will know a lot more about their team after their first four conference games, which also includes Liberty on the road.