UTEP defeats Liberty in nail-biting CUSA clash on the road, 72-70

LYNCHBURG, Virginia - Junior Ahamad Bynum buried a pull-up jump shot from just inside the arc with 2.9 seconds left to send the UTEP men’s basketball team to an exhilarating 72-70 victory at Liberty in a nationally-televised contest (CBS Sports Network) Thursday evening.

The Miners (13-4, 3-1 CUSA) kept their composure throughout in a game that featured nine ties and 12 lead changes.

The last came on Bynum’s basket with the find by David Terrell Jr. Bynum finished at 13 points in the contest, with the final two sending UTEP’s bench into delirium and silencing a near capacity crowd.

The Flames (14-4, 2-3 CUSA) couldn’t get a shot off at the other end it time, allowing the Orange and Blue to win their Conference USA road opener for the first time in a decade.

Otis Frazier III (14 points, six points), Corey Camper Jr. (12 points, six rebounds, career-best seven assists), Terrell Jr. (seven points, career-high nine rebounds, four helpers) and Devon Barnes (10 points, two steals) buoyed Bynum.

Derick Hamilton, making his first career start, registered eight points while Elijah Jones netted a season high in scoring (eight points) off the pine.

UTEP filled up 43.3 percent (26-60) from the floor, including draining eight triples on 20 tries (40.0 percent).

The Miners also took care of business at the charity stripe (12-15) while winning the rebounding battle (33-32) for the fourth time this season.

Liberty made 46.2 percent (24-52) from the floor, including amassing 11 triples on 28 attempts (39.3 percent), but UTEP rendered it moot with its effort throughout the affair.              

“When you play the game the right way with toughness, you play for each other, you play for UTEP, shots like that (Bynum’s) go in,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said. “When you don’t do those things, the shot rattles out. Credit to Bynum and credit to DT (David Terrell Jr.) for finding him.”

UTEP jumped out to an early 7-2 edge with a driving score by Camper Jr., a turnaround hook from Hamilton and a trey by Frazier III providing the fuel. A Liberty dunk ended the mini push. It was a four-point UTEP lead (13-9, 13:24, 1H) before Bynum was left open and drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to send the Orange and Blue out by seven.

Liberty blitzed back with nine straight, all on 3-pointers, prompting a timeout from Golding.

UTEP executed out of the break with Barnes knocking down his own trey to halt the run and put the Miners back in front by one (19-18, 9:51, 1H).

The home side got hot again, unleashing a 9-2 run on the way to sending UTEP down by six (27-21, 7:17, 1H). The Miners kept their composure and dialed up their defense to hold the Flames to just four points the remainder of the stanza.

At the other end of the court, Camper Jr. buried a 3-pointer to beat the shot-clock buzzer. It ignited a 10-4 surge to end the half, allowing the Miners to pull even (31-31) at the break. Frazier III’s driving lay-up, an old-fashioned 3-point play courtesy of Barnes and a strong take to the rim from Camper Jr. were also included in the sequence.

The two sides traded baskets to start the second half, with UTEP up by four (40-36) following Bynum’s second trey of the tilt.

Liberty regained the lead with a 6-0 run, with every point coming at the charity stripe.

Bynum halted things and knotted the score at 42 after he floated home a layup with his left hand.

The Flames jumped back out by five (48-43, 12:43, 2H), sandwiching a pair of triples around a free throw from Barnes.

UTEP kept chopping away, getting a driving layup from Terrell Jr. and two free throws by Frazier III to inch within two (51-49, 10:19, 2H).

After Liberty reinstated a four-point cushion, respective scores from Jones and Frazier III tied the game, 53-53. Hamilton then turned and banked home a shot in the post, allowing the Orange and Blue to sneak out by two. After UTEP got a stop, Hamilton displayed nifty footwork before a soft touch for the basket to nudge the Miners out by four (61-57). 

The Flames tallied the next seven points to retake the lead at 64-61 (3:34, 2H), forcing Golding to call timeout. Jones then floated to the rim and finished deftly, making it a one-point affair (64-63). After a couple of stops, Terrell Jr. drilled a 3-pointer to send his side back out by a pair (66-64, 1:49, 2H)

It remained a two-point differential (67-65) before Bynum was pure on a 3-pointer to put the Orange and Blue ahead by five (70-65, 40 seconds, 2H). Two Liberty free throws was followed by a UTEP turnover, giving the Flames the ball down three (70-67) with 30 seconds left. The Flames nailed a corner 3-pointer to tie things up with 11 ticks left.

Out of timeouts, the Orange and Blue inbounded the ball. Terrell Jr. raced up the court through traffic before dropping things off for Bynum. He had ice in the veins, with the shot hitting nothing but net to silence the crowd.

The Flames called timeout and sent a pass ahead to halfcourt where they tried to get to the rim, but the clock hit zero before the shot, which missed anyway, was released.

UTEP will look to make it a sweep of the trip when it plays at FIU at 12 p.m. MT/2 p.m. ET Saturday. Jon Teicher (44th 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 game will also stream on ESPN+ (subscription required).