First of all, the Aggies are 1.5 point underdogs on Tuesday so perhaps the folks in Vegas aren't sold on the Miners' competition yet either.
UTEP forward Arnett Moultrie continues to be a NBA Draft prospect. This board has him as high 10th ahead of some big names including Luke Babbitt, Paul George, Magnum Rolle, Sylvester Seay and Roderick Flemings.
While speaking to UTEP coach Tony Barbee today, he compared Jahmar Young to former UTEP star Stefon Jackson. I think it's a good comparison. Maybe Jackson had a little more athleticism but JY is a better shooter in my opinion.
"Neither was a great shooter but they are both just scorers. He is just like Stefon because he has an ability to create fouls on whoever his opponent is and that reminds me of DJ."
Here is JY's response
"I thank Coach Barbee for the accolade. I'm an east coast guard and so is DJ. He is from up the street 45 minutes away. Just that east coast toughness."
Here are some thoughts from Marvin Menzies
UTEP point guard Julyan Stone is a triple double waiting to happen. He's averaging 11, 7 and six assists per game with just a handful of turnovers. It will be interesting to see how his size (6-6) gives the Aggies any problems since Laroche and Gib are both at 6-foot.
"He's long and very athletic. It's not just having big point that can't maneuver defensively. He's a very good defender. In that sense it could cause problems on the defensive end but I think we will be OK. Our offense is really based on defensive reads anyway so depending on how they play us, we will hopefully make the right decisions."
I asked coach about playing man-to-man, which they have looked good in at times recently, although not against teams as talented as UTEP.
"We got to get better at it so we have been playing it. It's something we plan on doing a lot this year so we have to keep doing it to get better at it."
Hamidu Rahman on the UTEP rivalry
"I feel that this is going to be bigger than the UNM game. They are our next door neighbors so we have to get ready for it."
Rahman on how good UTEP is
"They are not taking crazy shots like they were last year. They were taking shots from halfcourt last year. Moultrie is better. They iso him on the top of the wing in the film that I watched."
12 comments:
Not much chance of a win without McKinnis and Gillenwater. The Aggies are going to need a better effort than any given so far.
You can't win if you can't play defense.
Marvin Menzo will be 2-8 vs. our rivals by 10:00 PM.
I'll be home watching the Victoria's Secret show on TV vs. watching another frustrating loss in the PanAm!
I'm definitely ready to start exploring names of possible replacements for Menzies. Not that he's not a good guy, he is just not taking this program in the right direction. We are going in a downward spiral, while Barbee is taking UTEP up as is Alford at UNM.
Dr. Boston is going to make a move out of necessity. With Dr. Couture coming in, she will re-evaluate the entire Athletics Department and Dr. Boston will not want to be seen as being complacent with an under-coached, under-performing men's basketball team. With football obviously not bringing in much funds whatsoever, men's basketball success is that much more important.
Athletic Departments such as Oklahoma, UCLA, Florida, Texas, OK State, are ALL self-supporting and are able to share the surplus with the University; whereas NM State Athletic Department is dependent on the University for funding.
Dr. Boston is probably already feeling a little heat.
Here are some names that would be good for NM State
Nolan Richardson
Steve Wojciechowski (current Duke Assistant)
Gib Arnold (former USC assistant)
Glynn Cyprien (current Memphis assistant and former NMSU associate head coach)
Gus Hauser (current Louisiana-Monroe assistant, former NMSU assistant)
Billy Gillespie
What do you think?
Is it just me or does it seem like our Las Cruces Sun News Sports Reports want to report more on the Miners than on the AGGIES. Way to support the local team.
I like the idea of Wojciechowski, but he is one of the best Assistants in the country and is primed to make a move to a bigger program.
I like Nolan Richardson as a head coach, but I think he has been out of the game too long to really be an effective coach.
Gus Hauser and Gillespie are both great basketball minds. I worry about Gillespie's loyalty and Hauser's experience.
A name that I keep thinking about is Tim Floyd. He is a great recruiter and has good connections in the midwest and west coast. It looks like he might be moving toward becomming an NBA coach, but would be a good candidate for the Aggie job.
Surely there are more quality coaches looking for a job.
Aggie007,
If we are in fact deeply in debt, who's paying Menzies buyout if he's terminated before his contract ends? Are the boosters ready to pony up for that, and then again for whatever it takes to get a new coach that's a known improvement?
There is a key difference between the schools you mention as having surpluses and NMSU; BCS conference affiliation. Unless you have some master plan to get NMSU into the Big XII or Pac-10, we're stuck with what we've got.
If we do end up going in a different direction, please leave Billy Clyde off the list. He's had DWI incidents at every stop on his tour, hardly appropriate PR for a state where DWI is one of the major social problems.
I agree with 8:33, except coach Menzies needs this win if he wants the fans to show up the rest of the year. Or even make the road trip to Abq this weekend or EP when they play the back end of the series.
As for Victoria's Secret, just set your Tivo or dvr and you can watch whenever you want.
I dont see anything on here that suggests Jason wants to cover utep. As a matter of fact he starts off blasting utep and their choice easy schedule. He's just covering the next opponent. Which is what any good reporter should do to inform the locals. Except we have the luxury of already knowing them because they are in the same market. Now I think the locals really need to come out in force, because utep usually brings just as many fans to the game but given the weather, there might not be as much making the short drive.
007, the sad thing is that we already turned down half of those guys in favor of Menzies so what are the chances they reapply for the job with Boston still in charge?
JG - glad to see you broached the man vs zone subject and read MMs response. Unlike the incessant whiners posting about the team's heart and the coach's teaching, the AGGIES are demonstrating tremendous heart to me playing in a lot of matchups where they are physically overmatched. That's why it's great to see Rahman responding and throwing his weight around more. Chris Gabriel was way ahead of him in responding to the coaching from Steward last year. Don't know what happened to Rahman over the summer but he seems to be responding now. Uh, and for the clown griping about firing Troy and Wendell, I know you're perfect and studying for exams right now instead of reading this post, but don't you think the big programs snap up all of the academically gifted prospects? We're getting our guys out of Stonebridge Prep, bro.
There is an assistant at a high-major program with a good basketball pedigree, proven recruiting results, and southern NM ties...
...Tony Benford anyone?
I think you guys have been watching too much coverage of ESPN on Charlie Weis and Notre Dame. Stop speculating and naming coaches to replace Menzies when the season is barely in its sixth game. It is disappointing how the team has played in the start of the season and disappointing that we havent made it to the NCAA Tournament. But honestly let the season play out and then judge on the results. As far as attendance goes, it shouldnt be about attending games only when the team is good. People say that they want a better coach for the program because we deserve better than Menzies but the team also deserves better fans. All that Las Cruces and El Paso teams have is bandwagon fans. I been reading in the EPT people saying that EP supports a winner, give us a winning team and we'll show up. The same is going around here, youre in Las Cruces....get over yourself. This is the best thing in town so get your butt to the Pan Am.
Barbee isnt taking the UTEP team up...unless you consider playing in the championship game of the CBI up. A tournament that we got invited but declined. They havent made the NCAA either.
GS
I said Nolan Richardson should have been hired when Theus left and everyone called me an idiot, and now the same exact people are listing him as a possible replacement for Menzies...hmmmmm..and who is the idiot?
JG; My twelve-step program counselor said I had to hit rock bottom before I could really be honest with myself about sex addiction. I think men's hoops similarly needs to bottom out here in the next two weeks so that everybody except the Pride band turns their backs on the season. At that point the team will turn within itself to look for support and truly come together as a team, allowing them to meet their potential. Marvin says they like each other. These low times will stretch friendship to the breaking point. But whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger (source:AA, not SAA). Will SunNews have you on location at the registrar's office to cover the moment when Troy's grades are posted?
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