Guards Propel Miners Past East Central, 78-66

Dominic Artis, Lee Moore and Tevin Caldwell combined for 50 points, and UTEP pulled away late for a 78-66 exhibition victory over East Central onSaturdaynight in the Don Haskins Center.

The Miners outscored the Tigers 14-6 over the final four and a half minutes as the backcourt trio combined for eight points during that stretch.Moore (16 points/15 rebounds) and Caldwell (15 points/11 rebounds) both collected double-doubles, and Artis added 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals with no turnovers in his first Division I game since March of 2014.

“I thought it was great that Dominic was able to get out on the floor and go play for the first time in a year and a half,” UTEP coach Tim Floyd said.”He was so excited about playing and so appreciative to be on the floor, and I thought he did some nice things out there.He is only going to get better every trip he goes out.”

East Central, which was led by Stirling Thomas’ 17 points, didn’t look like a team playing back-to-back nights.The Tigers lost at Oklahoma State onFriday.

“I thought at times they played even more spirited than we did,” Floyd said.”I thought their kids did a great, great job.”

While the Miners led for 38 of the 40 minutes, the Tigers hung around and pulled within four (64-60) on a layup by Brett Cannon with 4:39 remaining.

UTEP answered with an 8-2 run and built a 10-point lead (72-62) on a Hooper Vint dunk with 1:39 to go.

Vint got into major foul trouble early and was limited to 16 minutes.The Miners started the second half with four guards on the floor – Artis, Moore, Jake Flaggert and Trey Touchet – joining Matt Willms who is on a minutes restriction.

“We don’t want to get him too many [minutes] right now,” said Floyd of Willms, who will require foot surgery at season’s end.”We’re playing exhibition games.I assume when we start playing and they mean more we’ll try to get those up to 15, 18, 20 minutes.”

The Miners played their second consecutive exhibition game without Earvin Morris and Terry Winn, and Floyd said that while their return isn’t far off, it’s not likely for the season opener against Loyola (New Orleans)next Saturday.

“We’re in a new period with this club,” he said.”But I like where we may end up as we get people back, and that should happen here in the not too distant future with Earvin, Terry, and Omega Harris being able to join us and hopefully more minutes out of Matt Willms.”

OnSaturday, the Miners went to the line 41 times.

“That’s very encouraging,” Floyd said.”We held our turnovers to four in the second half — encouraging.We didn’t make the same percentage that we did in our last exhibition game from the foul line.The fact that we’re getting there is a positive.And the fact that we’re making more than the other team is attempting.We’ve done that in back-to-back games.”

The Miners shot 41.7 percent from the field and held East Central to 35.9 percent.They finished 2-for-14 from three-point range, a number that Floyd isn’t concerned about.

“I think we can really shoot it,” he said.”I believe that will be an aberration for this basketball team.Lee and Dominic, Earvin Morris and Trey Touchet, this is one of our better perimeter shooting teams I think.Jake Flaggert can shoot it.And we feel very confident with those guys taking those shots.”

The dress rehearsals are in the books and the 2015-16 regular season will get underwaynext Saturday(Nov. 14) at 7 p.m.