UTEP never trails in 64-58 win vs. UNCG on final day of Ball Dawgs Classic

HENDERSON, Nevada - The UTEP men’s basketball team shut down UNC Greensboro’s offense by holding it to 31.5 shooting while Corey Camper Jr. (18 points, 7-15 FG, 4-5 FT) was cooking at the other end to help the Miners post a wire-to-wire 64-58 victory on the final day of the Ball Dawgs Classic on Wednesday.

Devon Barnes (10 points) joined Camper Jr. in double figures for scoring while Ahamad Bynum (eight points), David Terrell Jr (seven points) and Kevin Kalu (seven points) and Trey Horton III (six points) provided ample support.

It marks the second straight win for the Miners (5-2), who jumped out to a 10-point lead (18-8). The Spartans (3-4), who have posted back-to-back 20-win seasons, never got within a single possession the rest of the way.

Barnes, Bynum and Horton III each knocked down a pair of triples while Camper Jr. and Terrell Jr. got one from distance to go as well, helping UTEP finish 8-21 (38.1 percent) from beyond-the-arc. Overall, the Miners shot 38.9 percent (21-54).

They also took great care of the ball, finishing with only eight turnovers, with just two over the first 20 minutes.

UTEP pressured the Spartans into 13 turnovers that led to 17 points. Twelve of those points came off eight giveaways in the opening frame, which helped the Miners lead by eight at the break (33-25).

Twice in the tilt the Orange and Blue were up by as many as 15, and they did enough to never let UNCG truly get back into it.

Donovan Atwell (game-high 20 points), Kenyon Giles (10 points) and Ronald Polite III (10 points) keyed the charge for the Spartans.

“I thought our guys showed some grit and toughness. Anytime you play three games in three days, these are toughness games,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said. “You don’t have a lot of time to prepare. Bodies are tired and fatigued. We knew it was going to be ugly. We just (had to) figure out a way to get to the finish line. Credit to our guys. They’re a good team. They’re going to win a lot of games this year. That’s a good win for us.”

Kalu got the Miners going, cleaning up a miss by Frazier III for the And-1. After a bucket by UNCG, Camper Jr. filled up a triple from the right wing on the inside-out feed from Kalu. UTEP then got a step, which was followed by a Barnes banging home a jumper to make it a six-point affair (8-2, 17:29, 1H).

Four straight points from UNCG brought it within two before Bynum drained a triple.

The Spartans got an offensive putback to get within three, but a pull-up jumper from Terrell Jr. was followed by a triple by Barnes.

It forced UNCG to call timeout, with the Miners suddenly holding an eight-point cushion (16-8, 12:02, 1H).

The 7-0 run was capped after a sweet turnaround jumper off the glass by Camper Jr.

UNCG ended it with a dunk to creep within single digits (18-10), but UTEP countered with another 7-0 surge.

Bynum started it with a free throw and then Camper went coast-to-coast after a steal for a lay-up.

Horton III then was pure on a triple. Derick Hamilton ended the 7-0 sequene after splitting a pair of free throws, and just like that it was 25-10 (7:04, 1H).

The Spartans regrouped and responded with a 13-6 push to trim UTEP’s cushion to eight (31-23, 1:24, 1H), taking advantage of a cold stretch by the Orange and Blue. Horton III did, however, hit his second triple of the half in the stretch as he started to heat up.

A small drought followed before Kalu halted it with a hoop and harm, but he couldn’t complete the 3-point play. A pair of free throws by the Spartans at the other end cut the Orange and Blue’s lead to eight (33-25) heading into the locker room.

UNCG used a 6-2 push out of the gates, making UTEP’s edge just four (35-31, 18:18, 2H) points. After a scoreless drought of more than three minutes, Camper Jr. drove to the hole and got the friendly roll on the rim.

UTEP got another stop, and Camper Jr. went back to work. He muscled past the defender and got the shot to go, plus the foul.

Camper Jr. sank the ensuing free throw, putting the Miners back out by nine (40-31, 14:39, 2H).

The Spartans clawed to inch within six (40-34, 13:20, 2H), but UTEP had an answer.

It came in the form of an 11-2 surge, allowing the Miners to stretch their lead to 15.

Bynum started it with a triple before splitting two free throws.

UNCG used two tosses at the charity stripe of its own to slow things before the third 7-0 run of the game let UTEP lead by 15. It was powered by a lay-up from Frazier III, a Barnes triple and a driving lay-up courtesy of Terrell Jr.

UNCG stopped the bleeding with a triple, but the Miners refused to let the Spartans back into the contest. UNCG didn’t get any closer than six the remainder of the contest, which came within the final minute of the game.

UTEP will be idle until playing host to Seattle U at 2 p.m. MT on Dec. 7. Jon Teicher (44th year) and Steve Yellen (22nd 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 Morganand former Miner assistant coach Bobby Braswell describing the action. For tickets, please visit www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets or call (915) 747-UTEP.