UTEP Men’s Basketball To Open 2025-26 Season At Home Vs. DII Foe UTPB Monday
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The UTEP men’s basketball team (0-0) will christen its 105th season in program history when it welcomes Division II member UTPB to the Don Haskins Center at 7 p.m. MT Monday.
The contest, number 1,650 in school history, will count for the Miners, but it will go down as an exhibition for the Falcons. UTEP is coming off an 18-15 campaign, concluding the year in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Conference USA Championships following a setback to regular-season winner and eventual tournament victor Liberty. A lot has changed since that point, with the Orange and Blue losing all five starters and 11 letter winners total from that squad. UTEP regrouped by adding 10 new players in the offseason while returning four individuals, including one who redshirted. The game is part of a doubleheader, with the UTEP women’s basketball team locking up with Prairie View A&M at 12 p.m. MT. For tickets, please visit www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets or call (915) 747-UTEP. Jon Teicher (45th year) and Steve Yellen (23rd year) will be on the call on “The Home of UTEP Basketball” 600 ESPN El Paso. It will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required), with Andy Morgan and former Miner assistant coach Bobby Braswell describing the action.
TALKING OPENERS
UTEP is 77-27 all time in season openers, including emerging victorious in 58 of the past 64. UTEP is 3-1 in the situation under head coach Joe Golding, including blasting Sul Ross State, 102-55, in the lidlifter on Nov. 4. The Miners will be opening year the at home for the 18th occasion in the past 19 years, with the lone exception coming in a 72-57 setback at No. 12 Texas on Nov. 7, 2022.
EARLIEST START DATE EVER
The Miners’ season-opening matchup against UTPB on Nov. 3 is the earliest start date in program annals, eclipsing last year (W, 102-55, vs. Sul Ross State, Nov. 4)
GET TO KNOW UTPB
Just like UTEP, UTPB has a new-look roster with 10 of its 14-man squad coming from newcomers. Also similar to the Miners, it lost a ton of production from last year. Bryceson Burns (5.5 ppg) is the leading returning scorer while Sharrod Taylor holds that spot for rebounding (2.5 rpg), assists (1.9 apg) and steals (1.0 spg). The Falcons, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Kyle Tolin, will use the affair against the Orange and Blue to tune up for the season since it is being contested as an exhibition game for them. UTPB was picked to finish ninth in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll, marking the second straight year that it was tabbed in that spot. As it turned out, it was spot on last year, as that is where the Falcons ultimately finished despite a strong start. UTPB bolted out to a 12-3 start, including 8-1 in conference, before cooling off down the stretch on the way to concluding the campaign at 16-12 (12-10, LSC). Notable alumni include the late Sean Roden (NASA flight surgeon with multiple roles for medical operations, including for the International Space Station from 2004 to 2007) and Sandy Collins (retired pro tennis player who competed from the late 1970s until 1994).
LOTS OF PRODUCTION LOST
The Miners lost all five starters and 11 letter winners overall from last year’s squad (18-15), so it’s not surprising that most of the production in every major stat category is gone. UTEP lost 89.0 percent of its scoring, 77.7 percent of the rebounding, 90.3 percent of its assists, 90.8 percent of the steals and 74.7 percent of its blocks. Those 11 players accounted for 85.7 percent of minutes played, 88.7 percent of field goals, 85.9 percent of 3-pointers and 90.8 percent of free throws.
SO, WHO IS BACK?
UTEP does have four individuals back in the fold, including juniors Elijah Jones and Trey Horton III and sophomore KJ Thomas. Also returning is RS-junior Jordan Hernandez, who sat out last year. Jones paces the familiar faces in most of the stat production, topping the quartet last year in scoring (4.2 ppg), rebounding (2.3 rpg), blocks (0.7 bpg), field-goal percentage (48.9 percent) and 3-point percentage (40.0 percent). Thomas paced the returnees in assists (0.6 apg), steals (0.4) and free-throw percentage (71.0 percent).
LOTS OF NEW FACES
UTEP head coach Joe Golding rebuilt the roster for the 2025-26 season, with 10 newcomers suiting up for the Orange and Blue. Second-team NJCAA All-American and the No. 12 JUCO player nationally Caleb Blackwell (South Plains), first-team all-conference and NJCAA All-Tourney team LA Hayes (Frank Phillips College) and 2025 NJCAA National Champion Mouhamed Mbaye (Trinity Valley CC) are coming to El Paso from the junior-college ranks, though Hayes did spend his freshman season at Kent State. C.J. Smith (Oklahoma State), sharpshooter David Tubek (Seton Hall), third-team All-MEAC member Kaseem Watson (Delaware State), all-around guard Tyreese Watson (ULM) and back-to-back All-Southland Conference second-team honoree Jamal West Jr. (Nicholls State) are DI transfers while three-star recruit Bobby Montgomery Jr. (Mt. Zion Prep) is a true freshman. DII transfer and second-team All-GAC recipient Cassius Brooks (Arkansas Tech), who scored more than 900 points in two years, rounds out the list of newcomers.
PUT UP PLENTY OF NUMBERS AT DI LEVEL
Between two years at South Alabama (2020-22) and a pair with Nicholls State (2023-25), senior Jamal West Jr. has played in 108 contests (77 starts) at the DI level. He boasts 1036 points, 658 rebounds and 139 block shots. West Jr. has scored in 41 straight games, including eight in a row of 10+ points, while boasting 61 career double-digit scoring efforts between his two DI stops. He also had one year at the JUCO ranks. The same goes for ULM transfer Tyreese Watson, who piled up 634 points in addition to 162 assists, 132 rebounds and 77 steals in 60 appearances (36 starts). Kaseem Watson also has more than 500 points (547) and 200 rebounds (206) at the D1 level between time with CSUB and Delaware State.
WEST JR. IS A WINNER
Jamal West Jr. helped Nicholls State produce consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since at least 1980, which was the program’s first year at DI. He was an All-Southland Conference second team member in both years.
WATCH OUT FOR CALEB
Caleb Blackwell was the No. 12 JUCO player in the country according to JUCO Round Up after a stellar season with South Plains. He was a NJCAA second-team All-American who helped the program win the Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) and advance to the final four of the national tournament. Blackwell put up 13.1 ppg to go along with 5.9 apg.
BOMBS AWAY
UTEP was a menace from distance last year, connecting on the second-most 3-pointers (241) in program history. The effort trailed the school-record sum of 259, which happened in the first season (2021-22) under head coach Joe Golding.
GIVE ME THAT
UTEP head coach Joe Golding has established a frenetic defensive culture since his arrival in the Sun City. The Miners have produced the top-three seasons in program history for steals, including the second-highest sum last year (337). The school standard (389) was set in 2023-24 while UTEP’s sum of 288 in 2022-23 ties for third on the list.
WINNING WAYS WITH GOLDING
UTEP head coach Joe Golding has directed the Miners to three winning seasons in four years, picking up at least 18 victories in each of those campaigns. That hadn’t occurred since the Orange and Blue claimed 18+ games in four straight seasons from 2012-16. UTEP has also posted consecutive campaigns with 18 wins for the first time since that stretch.
HOME COOKING
UTEP enters the 2025-26 campaign having ripped off at least 10 wins at home in six straight years. The Orange and Blue were 11-5 at the Bear’s Den last year, including winning the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the second straight year. The triumph at the tournament helped the Miners finish at 7-0 in nonconference action.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE
UTEP is 22-3 at home against nonconference opposition over the past three years. That was helped by a record of 7-0 vs. out-of-league foes in 2024-25, marking the first undefeated effort (min. five games) in the department since 2019-20 (8-0). The Miners did not drop a nonconference contest at the Don in 2020-21, but they had only three tilts due to Covid-19.
THE BEST FANS IN CONFERENCE USA
UTEP has led Conference USA in attendance for either total number of fans or average attendance for all four years of head coach Joe Golding’s tenure. In 2024-25 the Orange and Blue topped the league in both categories. UTEP averaged a CUSA-best 5,247 fans and had a league-most 83,954 pass through the turnstiles.
NEARLY 1.3 MILLION FANS
UTEP has attracted nearly 1.3 million fans to the Don Haskins Center over the past decade plus. A total of 1,285,696 individuals have passed through the turnstiles from the beginning of the 2012-13 campaign to the end of the 2024-25 season. That figure tops CUSA during that timeframe.
PRESEASON PREMONITIONS
UTEP was predicted to finish eighth in Conference USA for the 2025-26 season, as voted upon by the league’s head coaches. Defending regular-season and tournament champion Liberty (143) led the way, followed by Kennesaw State (113), NM State (113), Middle Tennessee (103), LA Tech (82), WKU (79), Jax State (67), the Miners (66), Sam Houston (56), FIU (36) and league newcomers Delaware (35) and Missouri State (30). UTEP did not land anyone on the league’s All-CUSA Preseason Team.
A YEAR IN REVIEW
- Compiled a record of 18-15 in 2024-25, marking the third season of at least 18 triumphs in four years under head coach Joe Golding.
- Outlasted I-10 rival NM State, 66-63, on the road, for its first victory against the Aggies in the Pan-American Center in 14 years.
- Won the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the second straight season.
- Surged out to the best record through 20 games (15-5) in 15 years.
- Won at least one contest at the CUSA Championships for the second consecutive campaign. That hadn’t happened since an eight-season run (2010-17).
- Nailed 241 triples, the second-most in a single season in program history.
THE BASIC FACTS ON UTEP’S PROGRAM
- This is the 105th season of UTEP men’s basketball. The Miners made history by starting five African-Americans to defeat Kentucky, 72-65, and win the 1966 NCAA Championship on the way to inspiring the Disney hit movie Glory Road.
- UTEP has 17 NCAA Tournament appearances (last in 2010), 11 NIT bids (last in 2015), 12 conference championships (last in 2010) and 26 seasons with at least 20+ victories (last in 2015). The Miners have won five league tournaments (last in 2005).
- The Miners have a strong presence in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with Don Haskins, Nate Archibald, Nolan Richardson, the 1966 team and Tim Hardaway all representing UTEP.
GET TO KNOW COACH GOLDING
Joe Golding is in his fifth year at UTEP, and he is the 20th head coach in program history. He is the eighth head coach for the Miners since legendary Hall of Fame Coach Don Haskins retired following the 1998-99 season. Golding is 228-208 in his 15th season as a collegiate head coach, including 70-63 at UTEP. He has enjoyed three winning seasons in four years, piling up at least 18 triumphs in those campaigns above .500. He stands fifth all-time on the school’s list for career victories, and he has a very good chance of taking over third place by year’s end. Tony Barbee (82-52, 2006-10) and George McCarty (77-58, 1954-59) hold third and fourth, respectively. Golding set the tone for his tenure in his first year (2021-22) on the sidelines in the Sun City. He became the fourth head coach in program history to have a winning season in their first season on the sidelines. Don Haskins was the first to do so when he directed the Miners to a mark of 18-6 in 1961-62. Doc Sadler (27-8, 2004-05) and Tim Floyd (25-10, 2010-11) also achieved the feat. Overall, the prior 19 head coaches combined to forge an average record of 9-13 in their first year with UTEP. Previously Golding spent 10 years at Abilene Christian (158-144), helping it transition from a Division II to a Division I program. Golding led the Wildcats to the 2019 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, including a stunning upset as a 14-seed of third-seeded Texas in the first round of the 2021 Big Dance.
UP NEXT
UTEP will play the second of three straight at home to begin the year when it locks up with Western New Mexico at 7 p.m. MT Friday. The contest will be broadcast on 600 ESPN El Paso and streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required). or tickets, please visit www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets or call (915) 747-UTEP.
Join the 915 Campaign
UTEP Athletics has launched the "915 Campaign." Fans can support the Miners by contributing as little as $9.15 per month to UTEP's Talent Acquisition Fund (TAF), which directly impacts the success of UTEP student-athletes. To join the "915 Campaign" and become a difference maker for UTEP Athletics, please click here.
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