Official SMU vs UTEP Thread

[George S. Patton]

The only thing I'm disappointed about from last night was the fact RGV's Official GSP George Lopez on Nick @ Nite thread got pulled. The pictures of Constance Marie and Aimee Garcia really added to the quality of the thread.

Hey, if a devout fan like me is more interested in watching sitcom reruns than tracking our conference opener, this program is in major trouble because there aren't many die-hards left.

[RGV Pony]

I lost a good 6 posts because of that. It should have at least gone to around the hilltop. It had an SMU alum on it!

[George S. Patton]

I'm just glad you're on board the Constance Marie bandwagon.

[PoconoPony]

Why was there no pressure on the ball during the last 2 minutes. UTEP took roughly 1 minute off the clock walking the ball up floor and passing it on the perimeter with out any challenge. Nothing like being behind and not making anything happen.

man didn't seem like an option tonight, especially minus Fayes length. Still, should have pressed and dropped into the zone. All that said, Doh severely out-coached Barbee tonight. That was weird to say

It still killed me to watch UTEP slowly walk the ball up court with 1:12 on the clock and the Ponies down 2. They then passed the ball around the perimeter for roughly 20 seconds and the guard then drove the lane picking up foul shots on a bad blocking call and the game was lost as we were then down 4. That' s too much time off the clock with no pressure to force any mistakes or bad shots when you are down. I understand laying back and hoping for a missed shot, a rebound and a chance to tie; however, would liked us to be aggressive in that situation and not passive. I must agree that I thought Doh did out coach Barbee whose team seemed totally out of sync. and lethargic.

[PonyDoh]

Why was there no pressure on the ball during the last 2 minutes. UTEP took roughly 1 minute off the clock walking the ball up floor and passing it on the perimeter with out any challenge. Nothing like being behind and not making anything happen.

man didn't seem like an option tonight, especially minus Fayes length. Still, should have pressed and dropped into the zone. All that said, Doh severely out-coached Barbee tonight. That was weird to say

It still killed me to watch UTEP slowly walk the ball up court with 1:12 on the clock and the Ponies down 2. They then passed the ball around the perimeter for roughly 20 seconds and the guard then drove the lane picking up foul shots on a bad blocking call and the game was lost as we were then down 4. That' s too much time off the clock with no pressure to force any mistakes or bad shots when you are down. I understand laying back and hoping for a missed shot, a rebound and a chance to tie; however, would liked us to be aggressive in that situation and not passive. I must agree that I thought Doh did out coach Barbee whose team seemed totally out of sync. and lethargic.

I agree, but they were in the double bonus, and it seemed like the 2nd half was a make-up for having no fouls in the first. I always like to extend games, but I understand how pressing up, in that situation, could have been seen as a sure way to give them a chance at a 2 possession lead. Anyway, I didn't love it, but it can be explained off strategically. didn't keep me from yelling at the screen, though

[ponyscott]

The El Paso press calls Doh 'The silver fox' for his coaching a slow down game...



"Miners Not Desperate, and Maybe That's a Problem | Main

January 06, 2010
Born To Amble
It was a game devoid of any strong family resemblance for the home team.

Proud Papa of a hard-working defensive tradition, UTEP beat the SMU Mustangs at the Haskins Center to open both teams' Conference USA season, 49-45, in a contest born with a weak chin.

Credit the Miners -- having sufficiently gestated in the pre-season, UTEP had grown enough of a spinal column to play decent defense in spurts Wednesday night.

But this is still a team that has yet to have an identity fully embedded in its DNA.

Is it the team that overwhelmed SMU with nine steals and 10 fast-break points? Or is it the team that allowed open jumpers and was out-hustled on the boards by a smaller opponent yet again, 28-25?

Yes, Derrick Caracter is a full-grown man. A solid five rebounds and a game-high 18 points makes that plain. Randy Culpepper did what Randy Culpepper does, scoring 14.

But Arnette Moultrie has lost a bit of form the last couple of games. Christian Polk's tight clutch has slipped some, too, fouling out in Lubbock against Texas Tech and finishing with no points against the Mustangs.

The third millennium, A.D., may have reached double digits as we enter 2010; but other than Caracter and Culpepper, no one came close to scoring that many Wednesday night on a team that had five players averaging more than 10 points a game as of December 31, 2009.

There will be low-scoring battles, but this was a slow game. SMU had something to do with that, as head coach Matt Doherty made perhaps the smoothest coaching move he has made against the Miners.

Knowing UTEP's athleticism could overwhelm his Mustangs, Doherty had SMU drain the shot clock to the last drop.

Sure, he ripped off Air Force; but this is a coach who once forced his team into an offensive stoplight system -- some players had a green light to shoot, others a yellow, and still others a red at certain times in certain situations. And the players had to give this thought while they were playing a game.

Just call Doherty the Silver Fox after Wednesday night"