UTEP Basketball: Miners Sharp In Exhibition Rout

Hooper Vint poured in 26 points, leading five Miners in double figures in a 105-58 dusting of Southeastern Oklahoma in Sunday afternoon's exhibition.

Vint scored nine of UTEP's first 20 points, helping charge an early 16-4 run, and after a C.J.Cooper trifecta the Miners grabbed an early 20-7 advantage at the 13:30 mark of the first half.

Using an efficiently patient, constant ball moving offensive approach, the Miners would out score SE Oklahoma 32-18 from the 7:30 mark until the break, giving them a 52-25 lead at halftime.

UTEP also held down the paint and stretched out their perimeter defense while limiting the Savage Storm to just 10 points in the paint, and 2/13 shooting from behind the three point line.

SE Oklahoma showed a few different defensive looks from zone, to man, though UTEP showed no trouble patiently cracking those schemes with a 15 to 3 assist to turnover ratio in the first twenty minutes.

Coach Floyd used two five man rotations, evenly spreading minutes, and with the "starting group" back in the game Vince Hunter found C.J. Cooper who drilled another three pointer to push the UTEP margin to 79-40 with ten and a half minutes left in the game.

UTEP shot over sixty percent from the field for most of the game, finishing at 59.2 percent for the night, and the most impressive stat line of the game: 25 assists to only six turnovers, and yes the most of the assists came on perfectly ran offensive set plays which lead to easy buckets around the rim.

Joining Vint in double figures was Vince Hunter who chipped in 14 points to go along with 13 rebounds, and 6 assists, showing a complete game on both ends of the floor.

Matt Willms scored 21 points on 8/10 shooting from around the rim, adding in 8 rebounds.   Earvin Morris had 11 points drilling two three pointers, and C.J. Cooper finished with 10 points, and 4 assists, also making three of his four tries from three point land.

The young freshman guards did a great job in penetrating the defense, and feeding the big men down low as both Omega Harris, and Lew Stallworth had 4 assists each, and only turnover between them.  Both played with great offensive poise, as to did the entire 10-man rotation who powered 60 points inside the paint, UTEP also finished 7 out of 16 on their three point tries.

Though the star, and story of the night was Hooper Vint who finished 12/14 from the field, making both of his three point tries, and also played great interior defense as he finished with two blocks, helping to limit SE Oklahoma to only 28 points in the paint for the game.

UTEP held Southeastern Oklahoma to a 35.9 shooting percentage from the field, also cashing on 18 points from 15 forced turnovers.   UTEP was very efficient on fast breaks dominating 10-2, while also converting 21 second chance points, and pulling down 17 offensive rebounds.

Danny Powell paced the Savage Storm with 14 points, though UTEP pounded SE Oklahoma on the glass 49-32.

After the game Tim Floyd told us that Jake Flaggert will be red-shirted along with freshman Trey Touchet.  Tevin Caldwell did not see any minutes, and a decision will be made this week if Tevin will get a red shirt this season as well.

All in all, just an expected dominant performance for the Miners against the undermanned Savage Storm.

Not only did UTEP play to their strengths of defense, and rebounding, the efficiency and scoring versatility on offense is something that will take this team to the next level.

It's back to the practice floor Tuesday, as full preparations get underway for Friday night's season opener in the Don against Washington State.

Coach Floyd's Comments Via Miner Illustrated