UTEP Miners come up short: Hot shooting propels Oregon State Be...

They came again, 12,000 UTEP faithful, bleeding Miner orange and ready for a party.

[Opinions are like]

Still, a nice season for UTEP. Congratulations on a great end run, Miners!

[info4you]

What about Miners not performing on their fundamentals. Free throw shooting was horrendous. If they would have made their freethrows they would have been in the game. Also the rebounding. Do they know about boxing out? They should have learned that from Wednesday's game. They worked on the wrong things. Even with Oregon's hot shooting they would have been in the game if they had worked on free throws and rebounding.

[traceMan]

Go Miners!

[The Joke]

Is on us......0-16 in their conference? Congrats UTEP, your in the bottom of Div I basketball. Literally!

[Lobo fan]

Cheer up. There's always next year's buy in CBI tournament for the Miners.

[fan10]

Barbee:"....we had very good year." Somebody needs to tell him not making NCAA or NIT tournament doesn't count as very good year at UTEP. We had solid season but long way from very good season.

[RocketScientist]

They were booing him because of a pretty nasty foul he commited in the 2nd game, I think it was on Culpepper? I can be wrong but I'm pretty sure thats why. But, its not cause he white. If the UTEP crowd was racist I think they would be booing the whole game as the only hispanic on either team is the benchwarmer for UTEP.

It was a decent season for UTEP and I think Barbee has gotten UTEP to a point where they will be very well off next year. 23-13 isn't the greatest but if he can pull off something just a tad bit better I think he will manage at least the NIT. That being said I still don't know how UNM got into the NIT and UTEP didn't.

[MinerP]

I think in Barbee's 4th year we better go to NCAA or at least to NIT tournament....and yes somebody should tell him that playing in CBI doesn't count as very good year.....

[Beaver Dude]

Thanks for the game Miners... A win is only sweet when it's against a tough opponent. Plus, I'll have to admit the Beavers got their share of lucky bounces - there were a series of offensive rebounds late in the 2nd half where the ball kept bouncing the right way for them. And they shot about as good as they ever have... which is something that just happens when it's your night. The Beavers had such a horrible season last year, that we're just totally ecstatic about this in Oregon.

Good luck to the Miners next year and beyond. I was really impressed by the level of support the fans and the school show to your team. That's something we're learning (quickly) how to do again here.(Maybe the Beavers will actually get a practice facility????)

Also please ignore people like phxBeaver - not classy at all. Schaftenaar himself was having fun with the booing, and I think saw it as an odd sign of respect for tough play... He's usually 'too demure' in games, and really nice guy; the role of villain is something brand new.

[Haters]

UTEP played very well they have kinks that they need to fix as a team but they'll get better next year. Its easy for some of you to say this and that but how many of you ever played college ball? I bet you didn't even make your jr high basketball team. With that said: GO MINERS!!!

[miner00]

MinerP wrote:

I think in Barbee's 4th year we better go to NCAA or at least to NIT tournament....and yes somebody should tell him that playing in CBI doesn't count as very good year.....

Absolutely, the goal should be to go to the big dance NCAA Tournament not a mickey mouse tournament.

[viktims]

Gotta hand it to the OSU beavers, they stepped up and made the shots.
Ever seen a hotter team beyond the 3 point line?
I think they even surprised themselves.

The CBI my not be the top tournament in the country, but it was great experience for our young miner team. Look out next yr!

Thanks to Stefone Jackson for an entertaining collage career. Proud to say I got to see play at UTEP. Good luck in your NBA career.

[Lobo fan]

RocketScientist wrote:

...It was a decent season for UTEP and I think Barbee has gotten UTEP to a point where they will be very well off next year. 23-13 isn't the greatest but if he can pull off something just a tad bit better I think he will manage at least the NIT. That being said I still don't know how UNM got into the NIT and UTEP didn't.

You say 23-13 is decent, but the reality is the Miners didn't break 20 wins in regular season, and that is just short of pathetic. If the team's object is getting into the second tier NIT, which would be a big step up for UTEP from the CB(choke)I, then winning more than 20 games would be a necessity.

As for why the Lobos made the NIT, they played in a tougher conference top to bottom. The Lobos went 10-2 to finish the regular season, the Miners went something like 7-5.

One other major reason the Lobos made the NIT was fan attendance. While the Miners would be lucky to have 7,000 in attendance on average, the Lobos easily drew 5,000 more fans each game. Why is that?

Off hand, I'd say the Miners weren't good enough to get even an NIT look and they didn't have the support of their fair weather fans. Such is the life of a mediocre mid major like UTEP.

[javi]

Well lobo fan i hat to break it to you but your a mid major team to and so is the rest of the MWC. sure we averaged over 8000 a game you averaged about 14000. but when it started counting in tournament time you only drew 7000 for your home game against Nebraska in the NIT. While we averaged 11000 for our 3 CBI games. trust me had we been hosting Nebraska in the NIT we would sold out in minutes even if the tickets cost $40.
one last thing UTEP 70-63 unm at the stinky "arm pit"

[fail]

Everytime the miner basketball team has an important game, they flop. What a sorry excuse for a team and coach.

[Homie]

KKK wrote:

Utep Miners?
A bunch of losers as everybody in freaking Paso del Norte!!!

Hey there Mr. KKK I'm surprised they still make people like you. You ever have a pissed off Marine all over your ass?? I'll cut your freaking tounge out and feed it to my Chihuahua.

[Miner fan in Austin]

Great Job to OSU.... they played hard and smart basketball. Well coached team... I see good things for the Beavers and the Miners in the future.... GO MINERS!

[Miner fan]

Congrats to Oregon State! I will miss watching Jackson play. I don't know if he can make to the NBA but he sure was fun to watch at UTEP!

[HCJ]

OSU executed its offense and played decent defense. They made shots, period! UTEP gave up too many layups, dunks, and obviously all those 3-pt FGs. They take too many risks on defense and aren't tough enough. I am scared to see where all those points from DJ will come from. Culpepper is out of control, selfish, and frankly not intelligent enough to make game winning decisions. I can't wait till Barbee and him are out of here!!!!!!

[HCJ]

Those points from DJ, where will they come from next year?? I'm counting on Moultrie..but as we know Barbee can't develop his players