Big second half lifts UTEP past FIU, 77-63; Frazier III hits 1K career points

EL PASO, Texas - Otis Frazier III registered a double-double (12 points, career-high 12 rebounds) to surpass 1,000 career points while Kevin Kalu (career-high tying 14 points), Devin Barnes (13 points) and David Terrell Jr. (12 points) all hit double figures as well in the UTEP men’s basketball team’s 77-63 vanquishing of FIU inside the Don Haskins Center Thursday evening. 

The game was tied at 53 with 10:33 remaining in regulation, but the Miners (17-7, 7-4 CUSA) outpaced the Panthers (8-17, 2-10), 24-10, the rest of the way to cruise to their second straight victory.

Included in that stretch was a 10-0 run to blow the game open, with a pair of Kalu dunks highlighting the sequence.

Kalu, playing his 114th game in a Miner uniform, led UTEP in scoring for the first time in his career.

He had plenty of help, with Frazier III notching his 15th consecutive contest with at least 10 points.

The senior, who entered the tilt with 999 career points, got an early basket to move past 1,000 and then made key plays the rest of the way.

Terrell Jr. stuffed the stat sheet once again with 12 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.

He becomes the first Miner with at least six assists in five consecutive contests since Malik Alvin did so during the 2006-07 campaign.

Barnes, who had been in a bit of a shooting slump (7-33 from distance prior eight games), broke out in a big way by banging home three 3-pointers on seven attempts.

He took apart FIU with his passing too, dishing out a career-high tying six assists, in addition to recording three steals.

Frazier III also had his distribution game going with five helpers.

The Miners finished with 22 assists (most vs. DI foe this year) on 30 made baskets.

Corey Camper Jr., who continues to work his way back into form after an injury, tallied seven points while matching Barnes with three steals.

Derick Hamilton (eight points, three rebounds) and Ahamad Bynum (six points) made contributions off the pine.

UTEP shot 50.0 percent (30-60) from the floor, including 40.0 percent (8-20) from 3-point range.

The Miners forced 15 turnovers that led to 18 points and won the rebounding battle (38-34) for the second straight contest. UTEP is now 6-0 this year when outpacing the opposition on the glass.

The Miners held FIU to 42.9 percent shooting (24-56), including just 34.6 percent (9-26) in the second half. Furthermore, the Panthers were just 28.6 percent (6-21) from beyond-the-arc.

“I’ve just got so much respect for Coach Ballard and their team. They’ve been in a lot of close games all year long,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said. “I just thought the first 30 minutes defensively we weren’t us, and the last 10 minutes we were terrific. We get 22 assists, the most we’ve had all year against a Division I opponent. We got four guys in double figures. We held them to 30-something percent in the second half. They only scored 63 points, and we outrebounded them. They’re the best offensive rebounding team in our league. The energy and effort the last 10-11 minutes were terrific.”

FIU took an early 7-4 edge (17:11, 1H) including a couple baskets on the fast break, prompting Golding to call a quick timeout.

Terrell Jr. broke down the defense out of the timeout and set up Frazier III for an easy lay-up, which propelled him past 1,000 for his career.

After the Panthers nudged it to four (12-8), Barnes buried a wide-open triple.

FIU scored on the ensuing possession before a mini 5-0 run for the home side gave the Miners their first lead (16-14, 12:55, 1H).

Frazier III buried a trey before a stop was followed by a driving lay-up from Terrell Jr.

UTEP was up by four (20-16, 11:55, 1H) before FIU ripped off 10 straight.

UTEP answered with six straight to tie the contest. Kalu got it going with a free throw.

Even though he missed the second one, UTEP got the offensive rebound.

Bynum drove and dropped it off to Barnes in the corner, who buried the triple to beat the shot clock. The run hit six straight after a ridiculous alley-oop from Barnes to Kalu.

A 6-0 FIU run in 54 seconds let it regain the lead at 32-26. UTEP used its own 6-0 surge to tie things with back-to-back scores from Hamilton followed by a dunk by Elijah Jones.

Three straight free throws from the visitors let them move back in front, but it was short lived.

Terrell Jr. went coast-to-coast for a layup. After a stop, Camper Jr. filled up a corner 3-pointer for another mini 5-0 push.

FIU knocked down a jumper on the final possession of the stanza, and it was all even at 37 heading to halftime.

The squads traded buckets over the first couple minutes of the second half.

It included Barnes connecting on his third trey of the tilt and Hamilton shaking a defender with a spin move.

Two Frazier III free throws tied the game at 44 out of the 16-minute media timeout.

FIU crept back out by three, but Bynum evened the ledger with a 3-pointer as a defender was in his face.

Two free throws by Frazier III let UTEP ‘s push hit 5-0, as it regained the advantage, albeit temporarily.

The Panthers made a 3-pointer on the next trip, which was answered by a lay-up from Camper Jr.

An old-fashioned three-point play let the visitors creep back in front (53-51, 11:45, 2H).

UTEP got a steal and transition score from Frazier III, tying the game for the 12th and final time.

Kalu then swatted a shot. Frazier III picked up the loose ball, and he immediately found Terrell Jr.

He beat everybody down the court for the score, as UTEP inched back in front (55-53, 10:20, 2H).

After stop, the Miners beat the press and Hebb set up Kalu for the And-1.

He hit the free throw to wrap up a 7-0 surge.

FIU made a free throw to stem the tide but a Bynum 3-pointer and Terrell Jr. lay-up in transition extended the run to 12-1.

FIU cut UTEP’s cushion to five, but the home side had a counter punch. It came in the form of a 10-0 blitz, allowing the Miners to vault ahead by 15 (73-58, 5:10, 2H).

Baylor Hebb kicked it off with a trey from the left wing. Frazier III then split a pair of free throws before back-to-back dunks from Kalu, including an alley-oop from half court on the feed by Barnes. Terrell Jr. put the icing on the cake for the surge with the hoop and harm.

UTEP put things on cruise control from that point, with FIU unable to threaten the rest of the way.

The Miners will vie for the season sweep of Liberty when they play host to the streaking Flames at 7 p.m. MT Saturday.