Tim Miles has coached 30 teams. On Monday, the 30th looked a lot like the one he’s been sketching in his head for years.
San Jose State beat UTSA 95-74 in the season opener at the Provident Credit Union Event Center. The Spartans shot 59% and won the glass 43-22.
It’s too early to tell much, but not too early to notice the shape of it.
“Every team has their own kind of life about them,” said Miles at media day last month. “And trying to extract that out and make them a winner is always fun.”
Thirty years of more from less
Miles has coached his way up every rung from Doland, South Dakota to San Jose: Mayville State, Southwest Minnesota State, North Dakota State, Colorado State and Nebraska. He’s the only active coach to lead teams to the postseason at the NAIA, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I levels.
After Nebraska let him go in 2019, Miles spent two winters as an analyst for the Big Ten Network, Fox Sports and FS1, watching the portal era arrive from the booth. When SJSU called in April 2021, Miles came back with the bench’s instincts and the booth’s eye.
His first Spartans team went 8-23. Two years later he was Mountain West Coach of the Year and by 2025 SJSU was in the NIT for the first time since 1981.
March’s script, flipped
Last March showed the ceiling and the limit within about 24 hours. The 11th-seeded Spartans upset Boise State in the conference tournament, then literally ran out of legs against New Mexico. The Lobos won the boards 38-24 and the paint 56-24.
That’s mid-major math. A coach can draw up a win, but he can’t draw up fresh legs.
This offseason, SJSU went shopping for some, backed by a $4 million commitment, the largest gift in program history.
“We did the big fundraising project. We will have more rev share,” Miles said Monday. “So I think we have better talent than we did a year ago.”
The program also raised money for a summer trip to Costa Rica, which gave a roster of new faces 10 practices and five days together.
“They got to know each other better and figure out what they like about each other and maybe what they might not like about each other,” said an always candid Miles.
Monday turned last March’s numbers around. SJSU won the paint 46-28. Robert Vaihola, back after a year at Minnesota, went 6 of 6 and finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
“He’s going to be one of the all-time top five guys in rebounding and blocked shots when it’s said and done,” said Miles. “You saw his value tonight.”
Miles also called UTSA’s defense “feast or famine,” a pressure team that either turns you over or gives up a good shot. His guards attacked it. Wake Forest transfer Mekhi Mason scored 26 points with five 3-pointers. Joey Chammaa added 27 on nine shots, going 12 of 12 at the line.
“We’ve gotten fouled because we’re aggressive that way,” said Miles. “Some of those guys are clever. They know how to get fouled.”
Holdover JaVaughn Hannah had six assists and one turnover, but his defense drew the praise.
“Every time somebody scores on him, I’m like surprised,” said Miles. “He’s just rock-solid out there.”
Not finished, not even close
It still wasn’t clean. SJSU turned the ball over 21 times, Mason had seven of them and UTSA shot 59% after halftime.
“Didn’t love our second-half defense,” said Miles, “but we’ll get that cleared up.”
Depth is the bigger question. Miles said he likes his. Mookie Cook and KJ Martin Jr. were “really, really solid” off the bench and a few freshmen got a “baptism by fire.”
Still, UTSA’s bench outscored SJSU’s 42-18. Chammaa played 36 minutes, only nine Spartans got into the game and Scotty Middleton and Luke Howard didn’t play.
Nine deep wins in November. March asks for more.
The crowd is a work in progress, too. Monday’s noon tip drew 2,128 into a 5,000-seat building.
The next test comes Saturday at UC Irvine. Miles said he saw a list of the top 20 mid-major programs. Six are on SJSU’s schedule and the Spartans aren’t on it.
“We deserve to be in there,” said Miles. “Let’s earn our way in.”
For three decades, Miles has done more with less than almost anyone. Now his mind has a body that matches it on the floor. That match is what his legacy will be judged on, starting with Game 1.