EL PASO, Texas -- Texas-El Paso basketball players struggled to maintain their focus at practice Tuesday as they tried to come to grips with the resignation of their coach less than three weeks before the first game.

"I think they're pretty much still shocked,'' said assistant coach Junsie Cotten, who is running the program while UTEP officials decide on an interim coach. "We're trying to put it behind us and move on.''

Jason Rabedeaux announced his resignation late Monday citing personal and family reasons, but declined to give any further details on the reasons for his decision.

Rabedeaux, who replaced Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins in 1999, led the Miners to a 46-46 record in three seasons. The Miners went 23-9 in 2000-01, their best record in nine years, but slipped to 10-22 last season.

The Miners play their first exhibition game on Nov. 9 and start the regular season against New Mexico Highlands on Nov. 23.

Rabedeaux said Monday that the team is prepared, but the team has many new faces and now finds itself leaderless. The team also has five scholarships to give and may have problems recruiting until they get a head coach in place.

"We're trying to get our team to play with some effort,'' Cotten said, adding that he met with Haskins, who gave him some drills that will help focus the team.

Haskins has said he isn't interested in taking over the team, but said he will provide as much support as he can.

"We're just shocked. Really no one saw this coming,'' said Miner guard Chris Craig, a junior transfer student who has yet to play his first game with the team.

Craig said Rabedeaux called them together Monday evening to tell them about his decision.

"I thought, oh, man, we're going to get chewed out for not working hard enough in practice,'' Craig said. Since the announcement, Craig said he hasn't heard any talk from the players about leaving the program.

UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said he wants to have at least an interim coach in place before the first game. He said he had gotten a few phone calls, but not as many as he would expect in the off season.

"I'd rather go with our assistants coaching,'' Stull said, "rather than rushing to get somebody in that position."