UTEP MINER ATHLETIC CLUB | a iil Dear Miner fans, AS you know this has been a difficult year for UTEP basketball, and no one is more frustrated than coach Keitha Adams, coach Tim Floyd and our players. In the previous three seasons (2013-16) coach Adams produced two 29-win campaigns, but the loss of seven seniors has made this a rebuilding year. In the previous three seasons ‘coach Floyd's Miners registered 23, 22 and 19 victories, but this year they lost three of their most talented and productive players. Both coaches have averaged 20 wins @ season since they took the helm of the program. ‘Twenty wins used to be a good barometer for getting a team into the NCAA Tournament, but now the only way ta guarantee a bid is to win the conference tournament. This is true for all the “Group of Five" conferences — C-USA, AAC, MAC, Mountain West and the Sun Beit. ‘Only one team from the “Group of Five” received an at-large bid last year, and that came from the AAC. We are fortunate that we have a basketball-savvy fan base that cares and expects to be playing for championships. | want to thank all of you who continue to support our coaches and team during this difficult period. We have led the conference in attendance every year, which gives usa chance to win at home and also attract top recruits, Which, | am pleased to ‘say, has gone well ‘Coach Flayd has signed seven new players for next year. One, Evan Gilyard from Chicago, is listed by Rivals.com ag one of the biggest steals of the early signing period, He scored 32 points on 13 shols in a recent game in Memphis, Other recruits include Kobe Magee {outstanding guard from San Antonio, ranked #10 recruit in Texas), burly 6°9" forward Tirus Smith, smooth 6'7" junior college forward Roderick Williams, and two players currently enrolled at UTEP in 6'7" guard Isiah Osbome and 6'8" forward Trey Wade. Coach Adams: has seven freshmen that are supremely talented but lacking collage experience. They are gelling better each day. | can assure you that both Coach Adams and Coach Floyd are working harder than ever to get UTEP back on the winning road. We have great young men and women on our teams ‘that are giving their best each day in practice ta improve. | am asking our fans to continue to ‘Support these student-athletes in the same passionate manner that visiting teams have ‘come to expect~ making the Don Haskins Center one of the toughest places to play in college basketball! Strong fan support and a loud Haskins Center is what we need to help get back on track. ‘We will continue to do all we can to enhance the game-day experience. | hope to see you at the Haskins Center for all the games, bul keep an eye oul especially for the men's games versus UTSA on Jan. 21 (halftime performance by Air Elite Dunk team) and UAB on Feb. 2 (Jeep Jackson Tribute Night) ‘Thanks again for your support and Go Miners! Bob Stull 5