UTEP Basketball: Q&A With Lew Stallworth

MinerRush: Talk about your first college hoops experience in the exhibition game?

Lew Stallworth: "It was exciting, it was different, I was kinda nervous playing in front of fans as you know being a freshman.   It was fun, I loved the way our bigs ran, Matt and Hooper played well, everyone really played well.  It was really great to get everyone involved and let everyone have fun and see how much exciting basketball is when you share the ball."

MR: Do you feel you can effect the game without having to score big every night?

LS: "I always believe unselfishness is the way to success.  So by being an unselfish player, and having unselfish teammates we were able able to succeed more, and we put up alot more points than UTEP usually does so it was fun."

MR: Anything you or the coaches pointed out while reviewing film that you have worked on since the exhibition?

LS: "I just opened up a little to much on the defensive end, not positioning myself well enough to cut off the driver going baseline, and gluing on the screen and rolls not letting my man get into the middle."

MR: How big is the challenge of facing and guard top  Pac-12 athletes like DaVonte Lacy in your first official outing of the season?

LS: "Everyday is a challenge to get better.  They are great players, we have a ton of respect for them, but personally I think just listening to defensive principles and going through the scouting report thoroughly should prepare me and our team to beat Washington State."

MR: What was the biggest challenge in getting through your first college "training camp"?

LS: "Bringing that consistent effort every single day, day in and day out to make sure that you are at least noticed by coaches that you're in the rotation.  It a difference of getting yelled at everyday, getting pushed, lifting weights you got to wake up early, you got to go to class so its just a constant grind."