Moore ready to move forward in 2012

   Redshirt junior forward Malcolm Moore from Iowa City, IA is one of the returning players for the Miners. Moore, who transferred to UTEP from Tyler Junior College, missed all but the first seven games of last season due to a torn ACL he suffered in December during practice. Moore has steadily improved in the past few months and feels ready to get back on the court and play. He also said he’s anxious to collaborate with his teammates once again.

Q: Where are you in the healing process?
A: Well, I tore my ACL about six months ago, I should be back in late August. It’s been a tough road, but it has made me a lot stronger, made me more mature and I’m ready to come back stronger than what I have ever been.

I will say I’m about 70 percent recovered, I got about two more months to work with my trainer and I’ll be back out there. I can run, jump a little bit.

Q: How confident are you about playing?
A: I can play, I really feel that I can play, I’m going to be all right. This ACL injury can go from bad to good or good to bad, but I feel I’m ready to go.

Q: How do you feel about the incoming freshmen?
A: They are good. They work hard in the gym and in the weight room. They are going to be great players and they are really young. Last year we were short a big man, now we got a lot.

Q: What do you think about the strength of schedule?
A: It’s going to be fun, when you get into college basketball, you should play schedules like this every year. Arizona on the road, Oregon and UNLV here, that is why we play basketball for, to play against some of the best players.

Q: What is the strength of this team?
A: We are young, and we work really hard. I feel that everybody knows their role in the team, and is only going to get better with time, we are going to try to build some momentum and keep it going.

Q: What is your relationship with head coach Tim Floyd like?
A: Playing for coach Floyd is a blessing, I picked this school basically because of coach Floyd. I knew about his legacy. I’m trying to learn as much I can from him, I really respect him to the fullest and I listen to everything he says.

Q: What is the biggest strength of your game?
A: I just work hard every game, I can score a little and I honestly feel in better shape. I have never felt like this about my body and never felt this confident.

Q: What are Floyd’s expectations for the team?
A: His expectations are the same every year, go out there and play and give your best effort, defend and win games. That’s what we are going to try to do every night.

Q: Has Floyd emphasized a particular area that the team needs to improve on?
A: During the offseason you can’t work on just one thing, he wants us to do a little bit of everything, he wants us to play hard, he wants defense, defense, defense. So, we feel we got a grasp of it, and the competition level is going to be better.

Edwin Delgado may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.