Written by: SteveKaplowitz 2/11/2010 9:11 AM
After last night's win at SMU, it's obvious Tony Barbee's team is a different group from earlier in the season. Of course Derrick Caracter makes a huge difference in the low post. The Miners haven't had a player like him in 20 years, and his dominance on the block gives them an added dimension. But talent aside, this team is learning to win games. Even after a horrific shooting performance in the first half last night, the Miners were only trailing SMU by a basket. Why? Defense. UTEP is doing a much better job guarding and it's keeping them close despite a less than stellar offensive performance. When the Miners turned it up on offense in the second half and played their familiar up-temp style of basketball, the Mustangs couldn't match the intensity on their home court. Saturday night a subpar East Carolina team will enter the Don Haskins Center, and I expect the arena to be full. At this point in the season, the 1st place Miners deserve sellout crowds for every home game, regardless of the opponent or whether the game is nationally televised. It's time for 12,000 Miner fans to pay tribute to this team, especially when they only have three regular season home games left on he schedule before the C-USA Tournament in Tulsa.
After last night's win at SMU, it's obvious Tony Barbee's team is a different group from earlier in the season. Of course Derrick Caracter makes a huge difference in the low post. The Miners haven't had a player like him in 20 years, and his dominance on the block gives them an added dimension. But talent aside, this team is learning to win games. Even after a horrific shooting performance in the first half last night, the Miners were only trailing SMU by a basket. Why? Defense. UTEP is doing a much better job guarding and it's keeping them close despite a less than stellar offensive performance. When the Miners turned it up on offense in the second half and played their familiar up-temp style of basketball, the Mustangs couldn't match the intensity on their home court.
Saturday night a subpar East Carolina team will enter the Don Haskins Center, and I expect the arena to be full. At this point in the season, the 1st place Miners deserve sellout crowds for every home game, regardless of the opponent or whether the game is nationally televised. It's time for 12,000 Miner fans to pay tribute to this team, especially when they only have three regular season home games left on he schedule before the C-USA Tournament in Tulsa.