No. 23 BYU Ends UTEP Winning Streak

Jimmer Fredette scored 25 points and Jackson Emery added 23 on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range and No. 23 BYU beat UTEP 89-68 on Thursday night, snapping the Miners’ six-game winning streak.

The Cougars (12-1) fell behind 9-0 in their first home game in over a month, but rallied to end UTEP’s eight-game road winning streak that dated to last season.

The Miners built the early lead on a four-point play by Randy Culpepper and a three-point play off a putback by senior forward Jeremy Williams.

BYU came back with 3-pointers – five in a 3-minute span – and defense.

Emery, who has been coming off the bench as a shin injury has kept him from practicing, hit his first 3 at the 15:52 mark. By halftime he and Fredette were both 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.

An authoritative jam by Fredette after a steal by Emery pulled BYU within 19-17 with 8:23 left in the first half and Fredette gave BYU its first lead, 20-19, with another 3-pointer.

Fredette scored 11 points during a 22-11 run. The Cougars, who had won their first four games at the Marriott Center by an average of 33 points, never looked back.

They led 39-26 at halftime and by as many as 28 points in the second half.

Claude Britten and Christian Polk both scored 15 points for UTEP, while Williams added 11 points and six rebounds.

BYU has won 26 of its last 27 home games.