UTEP Men’s Basketball Soars Past Sam Houston State, 81-72, For Sixth Straight Win
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The UTEP men’s basketball team shot 54.9 percent from the floor (28-51) and bombed home eight triples while getting big runs throughout the game on the way to knocking off defending Conference USA regular-season champion Sam Houston, 81-72, in front of the biggest home crowd of the year (5,774) at the Don Haskins Center Saturday evening.
The Miners (12-3, 2-0) have now won six straight, equaling the longest streak under head coach Joe Golding, and nine of the past 10 on the way to securing the first 2-0 start to league play in nine years. The 12-3 mark continues the best beginning to a campaign in 14 years while the 9-0 slate at home is the best since 2019-20.
Devon Barnes paced a quartet of players in double figures for scoring with 17 points, aided by knocking down a career-high tying four 3-pointers. Corey Camper Jr. netted 16 points to go along with four boards and two assists. David Terrell Jr. ran the offense effectively with 11 points and a career-best equaling six helpers (no turnovers). Otis Frazier III was also dropping dimes with five assists while adding 10 points and two steals.
Kevin Kalu was solid again in the post with nine points (4-6 shooting) while pulling down a team-best seven rebounds. His efforts helped UTEP stay competitive on the glass (SHSU won boards, 30-28). The Miners shared it effectively with 17 assists on 28 field goals made. UTEP also got to the line, finishing 17-23 (73.9 percent) at the charity stripe.
Derick Hamilton and Ahamad Bynum each tallied nine points off the bench, with Bynum burying a trio of 3-pointers and Hamilton putting in the work down low. Hamilton finished with a team-best +14 plus/minus.
The visitors managed to hold a three-point edge (19-16) halfway through the opening frame before the Orange and Blue struck back with a 14-4 surge to jump ahead by seven. They would never relinquish the lead. The advantage was 10 (39-29) at the break, and a huge 15-0 run midway through the second stanza blew the game wide open.
Marcus Boykin (18) and Lamar Wilkerson (16 points) led the way for Sam Houston, which finished with five individuals double digits for scoring.
“Credit to Sam Houston, they’ve got a really good team. The beginning of the game and the end of the game I didn’t like, but I loved everything in between,” Golding said. “I thought it was really good, and we saw some good things. We made shots tonight. We made eight threes. When we get to 80 points, we’re going to be tough to beat. I love the balance (of our scoring). When the ball moves, they share it and are playing for each other, good things happen.”
Barnes came out firing, connecting on a 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to help UTEP snag an early 6-2 edge (17:42, 1H). A second dunk for the visitors cut the lead to two before Kalu’s offensive board and putback sent the Miners up by four again (8-4) as the first media break hit.
The Miners nudged it to a five-point cushion following a free throw from Frazier III, but Sam Houston countered with an 12-4 surge to pull ahead for the first time at 16-13 (12:09, 1H). Hamilton halted the push with an offensive rebound and lay-up, plus the foul, to tie the tilt at 16 (11:47, 1H).
Following a 3-pointer by Wilkerson with Terrell Jr. in his face, UTEP put together an 8-0 run to regain the edge at 24-19 (7:14, 1H). Hamilton had another basket down low, followed by an athletic lay-up in transition from Frazier III that got a friendly roll. Camper Jr. then had a floater which was good courtesy of a goaltending call. UTEP forced a turnover, and Camper Jr. finished in transition.
The next four points went to the visitors, cutting the cushion to one. The Orange and Blue countered with back-to-back triples, from Bynum and Camper Jr., respectively, en route to staking their then largest lead of the game (30-23, 4:59, 1H).
Following a score from Sam Houston, UTEP ripped off 9-0 in a row to suddenly bolt out by 14. Defense powered the charge, with five straight missed shots and two turnovers setting the stage. Terrell Jr. got things going by splitting the defense and taking the contact for the old-fashioned 3-point play. Hamilton then used a quick spin in the lane before banking in the shot.
The Bearkats called timeout with the difference at 10 (35-25, 2:07, 1H), but UTEP forced turnovers on back-to-back possessions on the way to leading by 14 (39-25, 1:23, 1H) thanks to a fastbreak score from Camper Jr. and a breakaway one-handed slam by Terrell Jr.
Sam Houston tallied the final four points of the frame, making it a 10-point affair (39-29) through 20 minutes of action. The Bearkats carried it into the scoring half, ripping off seven straight in a span of 90 seconds to suddenly get within three (39-36, 18:36).
The Miners started to lock in, producing three straight stops to help fuel a 6-0 run in the span of 57 seconds. Camper Jr. converted on the break on a find by Terrell Jr. After Kalu yanked down a board, Terrell Jr. sent a pass ahead to a streaking Frazier III for the slam. Barnes then found some space and buried a shot, prompting a timeout by the visitors with the lead stretched back to nine (45-36, 16:19, 2H).
The timeout proved pointless, with the Miners pouring in nine more to make it 15 unanswered and the advantage suddenly at 18 (54-36, 13:34, 2H). Barnes got it going with a triple after Frazier III registered a steal to set up the possession. Another turnover led to basket for Hamilton. UTEP got another stop and Barnes was silky smooth with a jumper. Two Camper Jr. free throws put the finishing touches on the run.
Sam Houston finally halted with a lay-up after a UTEP giveaway, but the damage by the Miners had been done. The Bearkats clawed back within 13 (60-47, 10:29, 2H). Once again, the Orange and Blue had a response. This time it was in the form of a 9-0 blitz, with Bynum’s third trey of the tilt starting things off. Kalu then got a bucket before splitting a pair of free throws. Barnes pulled up for his fourth 3-pointer of the tilt, and it was nothing but net.
The Bearkats continued to chip away, cutting UTEP’s lead to 15 before Barnes split a pair of free throws. Sam Houston kept coming, climbing within nine (74-65, 2:00, 2H) with a 7-0 run. UTEP called timeout and executed nicely out of the break. The Miners milked the clock and Camper Jr. was fouled late in the possession. He sank both free throws, extending the lead back to double digits and ending the rally efforts for the visitors.
UTEP wraps up its three-game homestand to start league play when it plays host to I-10 rival NM State at 7 p.m. MT on Jan. 11. It is the lone contest of the week for the Miners, who have a bye on Thursday (Jan. 9). Jon Teicher (44th year) and Steve Yellen (22nd year) will be on the call on "The Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso, with audio also airing on the UTEP Miners app. The contest will also stream on ESPN+ (subscription required), with Andy Morganand former Miner assistant coach Bobby Braswell behind the mics. For tickets, please visit www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets or call (915) 747-UTEP.
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