UTEP defeats Long Beach State, 70-44, on day two of Ball Dawgs Classic

HENDERSON, Nevada - David Terrell Jr. poured in a career-high 18 points, including 10 during a game-altering 34-9 run that UTEP wrapped around halftime, to help the Miners cruise past Long Beach State, 70-44 in its second game of the Ball Dawgs Classic on Tuesday.

The 44 points allowed are the fewest by an UTEP opponent since a 73-44 vanquishing of Southern Miss on Feb. 24, 2018.

The Beach (1-7) led the Miners (4-2) by seven (14-7, 13:42, 1H) before UTEP found another gear.

The Orange and Blue blitzed LBSU by finishing the half on a 30-9 surge, including separate respective runs of 9-0 and 11-0.

UTEP scored the first four points of the second stanza to go out by 18, and it never let the Beach back into it.

Corey Camper Jr. (12 points) and Ahamad Bynum (11 points) joined Terrell Jr. in double figures for scoring while Devon Barnes and Otis Frazier III netted seven each off the bench. UTEP filled up 46.4 percent (26-56) from the floor.

It knocked down seven 3-pointrs, with three of them coming from Bynum, who entered the contest third in the nation in 3-point percentage (66.7 percent).

At the other end of the court, LBSU was held to 40.5 percent (15-37), including just 28.6 percent (4-14) from beyond-the-arc.

UTEP won the rebounding battle (34-25), which was helped by allowing just four offensive boards.

LBSU entered the contest ranked 68th in the country at 13.1 offensive rebounds per game.

It was a group effort on the glass with Frazier III (season-high seven), Camper (four), Derick Hamilton (four), Bynum (career-best tying four), Terrell Jr. (three) and Trey Horton (three) all doing their part.

UTEP, which leads the nation in turnovers forced per game, also harassed LBSU into 27 turnovers that led to 26 points.

Miner foes have committed a combined 51 giveaways through the first two tilts of the Ball Dawgs Classic after San Jose State gave it away 24 times on Monday.

It’s the first time since a three-game streak in 2007-08 that the Miners harassed back-to-back nonconference DI opponents into making at least 20 turnovers.

After there were no lead changes and two ties combined in UTEP’s first five games of the season, there was one tie and three lead swaps in the showdown with the Beach.

The Miners led for the final 28 minutes of play essentially, and they enjoyed big advantages for points in the paint (36-14) and bench scoring (25-7).

“We were able to bounce back today. We got our guys locked in at shootaround today and got after it. It set the tone for tonight,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said. “I thought we were good defensively. We forced 27 turnovers and were able to get some offense out of that. Our ball movement was way better today too. They’ve got good players and are well coached. They do a good job of game planning and got us early, but we were able to make some adjustments there.”

The Beach started fast, taking a 5-0 edge two minutes into the tilt.

An offensive rebound and putback by Frazier III got the Miners on the board, but LBSU stretch its margin to six (8-2) with a second 3-pointer from Devin Askew. He finished the contest with a game-high 21 points.

Terrell Jr.’s lay-up was then counted after a goaltending call. After a turnover by the Beach, Frazier III bombed home a triple home the left wing to cap a mini 5-0 run and bring UTEP within one (8-7, 14:34, 1H).

LBSU countered with six straight on the way to double up the Orange and Blue (14-7, 13:42, 1H).

UTEP didn’t blink, answering with a 9-0 run on the way to taking the lead for the first time of the tilt.

In fact, it was the initial lead change in any UTEP contest of the year, and it was the just the spark the Miners needed.

The 9-0 blitz ignited a half-closing 30-9 surge as the Orange and Blue entered the locker room suddenly up by 14 (37-23).

Defense was the catalyst, with the Miners forcing 11 turnovers of LBSU’s 15 first-half turnovers during the game-altering run.

It started innocently enough with a pair of Camper Jr. free throws, which he followed with a lay-up on the find by Hamilton.

Bynum then knocked down a mid-range jumper before he buried a 3-pointer to put the Miners ahead at 16-14 (9:35, 1H).

Askew buried his third 3-pointer in an attempt to stem the tide while also putting his side back ahead, but UTEP ensured that it was short lived.

The counter punch came with an 18-4 surge to suddenly put the Miners up by 13 (34-21, 1:18, 1H).

Freshman KJ Thomas started it with an old-fashioned 3-point play. LBSU tied it with a basket, but Frazier III’s putback dunk accounted for the game’s third and final lead change.

A lay-up from Camper and a triple by Barnes sandwiched an Askew lay-up. Terrell Jr. then took over by providing the next eight points for UTEP, using a 3-pointer and a pair of lay-ups, including an An-1.

Another Bynum trey wrapped up the surge to end the half with UTEP up 14.

The Miners scored the first four points of the second stanza, officially making it a 34-9 run wrapped around halftime, to put UTEP ahead by 18 (41-23, 17:52, 2H).

The advantage moved to 22 (48-26) after Bynum banged home another triple and Camper came up with a steal and dunk in transition.

The Orange and Blue put it on cruise control the rest of the way, at one point leading by as many as 27 (61-34, 8:28, 2H), before settling for the 26-point victory.

UTEP will wrap up the Ball Dawgs Classic when it challenges UNC Greensboro at 3:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. MT Wednesday. 

Jon Teicher (44th year) and Steve Yellen (22nd year) will be on the call on "The Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso. The contest will also be streamed on Flo College Sports (subscription required).