Conference USA Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2020-2021 season

8. UTEP Miners

The rebuilding process is starting to take shape as UTEP (17-15 overall, 8-10 in conference) looks to keep moving forward in the upcoming 2020 season. Last year the Miners had some transfers that make major contributions, as statistically, UTEP was middle to bottom of the pack in the offensive categories and they were middle to upper tier on most defensive categories.

They were sixth in defensive scoring at 66.1 ppg, fifth in defensive field goal percentage at .416, third in 3 point defense at .305, and fifth in blocked shots at 3.2 per game.

UTEP Head Coach Rodney Terry in the 2020 – 2021 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook was quoted as saying “I think when we got here as a staff, we took a collection of talent and guys that were athletic and good athletes, but I think this year’s team has a chance to be more skilled, more team-oriented in terms of guys being able to play to who they are”. Coach Terry believes things are starting to fall in place.

The leader of this year’s edition of the 2020 Miners is returning 2019 CUSA all-conference team player 6-8 senior Bryson Williams. Williams averaged 17.8 ppg (third in CUSA), and 7.2 rpg and was the first Miner since 2015 to earn that honor. Also last year, Williams recorded five triple-doubles and had three 30-point plus games last year. Williams will be asked to carry the load for these Miners this year.

The 202 Miners return several players as well as getting some key transfers. Returning are 6-3 junior Souley Boum (12.9 ppg and 3.6 rpg), who started 22 games, 6-9 junior Tydus Verhoeven (1.5 ppg and 2.3 rpg), 6-11 senior Eric Vila (3.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg), 6-6 junior Giles Dekoninck (2.0 ppg and 1.1 rpg) and 6-9 junior Efe Odigie (6.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg), who earned all-freshman CUSA honors in 2019.

The transfers the Miners will lean on are 6-5 sophomore Keonte Kennedy (Xavier), 6-5 sophomore Adam Hess (7.6 ppg, a transfer from Salt Lake CC), 6-5 junior Jamal Bieniemy (5.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 2.8 apg, a transfer from Oklahoma), 6-2 junior Christian Agnew (12.8 ppg and 4.4 rpg, a transfer from North Alabama), 6-5 junior Emmanuel White (13.33 ppg and 4.4 rpg, a transfer from Coastal Bend College), 6-8 sophomore Kristian Sjolund (3.0 ppg and 1.0 rpg, a transfer from Georgia Tech).

Coach Terry signed three players for his incoming freshman class, that could contribute right out of the gate. 6-8 freshmen Ze”Rik Onyeme (18.1 ppg and 2.2 bpg), who played locally at John Jay High School in San Antonio. 6-0 freshmen Cam Clardy (13.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 4.0 apg, who played at Bridgeland High School in Texas and could out the freshmen class is 6-4 freshmen Vuk Vulikic (Serbia).

This is year three for Coach Terry in San Antonio and he feels like he finally has the players that he wants to have in his system. He was quoted as saying “I like this group. I think they have a good opportunity to be a high IQ group. Like a lot of teams, I think our offense is further along than our defense. Our defense has improved in the half-court and in transition.

I think you’ll see a team that has a chance to be the most skilled team since we’ve been here.” If Williams can be performed at a high level again this year and if the players buy into Coach Terry’s system, it could be a banner year for the Miners.