UTEP loses 4th straight after falling to Western Kentucky, 80-73

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team used a huge second half to reduce a once 25-point deficit all the way down to three with 7:33 left in regulation before visiting WKU managed to hold off the Miners, 80-73, at the Don Haskins Center Thursday evening.

The Orange and Blue (17-11, 7-8 CUSA) found themselves down big (38-13) 17 minutes into the contest, with the Hilltoppers (16-12, 7-8 CUSA) seemingly having everything go their way.

UTEP closed the half on a 10-2 run to cut the differential to 17 (40-23) at the break.

The Miners kept fighting in the second stanza, whittling the deficit all the way down to three points (59-56, 7:33, 2H).

WKU did enough to hold on, including an 8-0 surge late in the affair.

UTEP had an off night shooting, finishing 18-61 (29.5 percent) from the floor.

That was hindered by beginning the game making four of its first 29 shots. It was also 4-25 (16.0 percent) from 3-point range in the tilt.  

WKU nailed 27-54 (50.0 percent), even though the Orange and Blue held them to 2-10 (20.0 percent) from beyond-the-arc. 

Both teams made a living at the line, with a combined 51 fouls resulting in 76 free throw attempts between the two squads.

UTEP nailed 33-43 (76.7 percent), including 25-30 in the second half. The 33 makes are the most for the Miners against a DI opponent since sinking 34 against Southern Miss on Jan. 9, 2020.

The 43 attempts were their highest total vs. a DI foe since also trying 43 against Alcorn State on Nov. 22, 2022.

David Terrell Jr led UTEP in points (14), rebounds (eight), assists (five), steals (three) and minutes played (38) while leaving it all out on the floor.

Kevin Kalu netted 13 points to go along with seven rebounds before Devon Barnes had 14 points, aided by filling up a career-high tying 12 free throws on 13 attempts.

Terrell Jr. (six) and Elijah Jones (four) both set career bests for charity stripe tosses as well.

Ahamad Bynum scored eight points, aided by knocking down 2-4 from distance. WKU put four players in double figures for scoring, led by Tyron Marshall’s 16 points.

“I thought we had a good week of practice. We’ve got to carry practice over to the floor,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said. “Obviously, offense dictated our defense. That’s about as bad as you can play offensively. We’ll watch tape tonight. I thought we got some good looks, some wide-open looks. Confidence is just an amazing thing in this game. We need some confidence right now. I feel for our guys. We didn’t quit. We’re playing hard. They’ve got to see the ball go through the rim.”

Kalu got the Miners on the board first with an offensive board and putback. WKU struck back with seven straight, and UTEP would never regain the lead. Terrell Jr. knocked down two free throws out of the media break to halt the push. The visitors tallied the next five points to stretch the differential to eight (12-4, 14:41, 1H).

Derick Hamilton accounted for the next four points for UTEP, but shots kept falling for the Hilltoppers. They started 7-11 from the floor, and the Orange and Blue found themselves trailing by 9 (17-8, 12:32, 1H). Barnes was then fouled on a 3-point attempt, and he made the Hilltoppers pay by knocking down all three tosses.

WKU responded with a 12-0 run, with the deficit swelling to 18 (29-11, 6:37, 1H) as Golding was forced to call timeout. Terrell Jr. hit a jumper to stop the surge, but the Hilltoppers ripped off nine more in a row. The result was a 21-2 push over eight minutes from WKU, and UTEP facing a 25-point hole (38-13, 3:08, 1H) as result.

The Miners finally got some offense going late in the stanza, closing the frame on a 10-2 run to cut the margin to 17 (40-23) heading to halftime. That included five straight at point, with a 3-pointer from Trey Horton III and a bucket for Terrell Jr. After a free throw from WKU nudged it back to 20, Terrell’s old-fashioned 3-point play capped the half.

Baylor Hebb knocked down a trey a minute into the second half, slicing the differential to 14 (40-26, 18:58, 2H). A basket for WKU was countered by two free throws from Horton III. Kalu then had a two-hand slam, forcing a timeout as UTEP inched within 12 (42-30, 16:38, 2H).

The Miners forced their third turnover in a two-minute stretch, and a free throw from Kalu made it an 11-point affair. UTEP got the margin to single digits (45-36, 13:38, 2H) with two free throws by Terrell Jr. WKU immediately moved it back to double figures with two tosses at the other end.

Elijah Jones then blocked a shot and Terrell Jr. raced down the court for a layup on the long bounce pass by Otis Frazier III. WKU used a free throw and layup to inch back out by 12, but Terrell Jr. brought the home side within 10 with two connections at the charity stripe. (11:57)

A Kalu alley-oop was sandwiched by a pair of baskets from WKU. UTEP then tallied five in a row, with a Bynum trey followed by another alley-oop for Kalu as the deficit shrunk to seven (54-47, 9:59, 2H). A basket for the Hilltoppers was countered by five straight points for UTEP, all at the charity stripe, trimming the margin to four (56-52).

A score from WKU was countered by a layup from Corey Camper Jr., with the difference once again at four (58-54). After a free throw from the visitors, Frazier III’s putback made it a one-possession contest (59-56, 7:33, 2H). Two free throws from WKU put it back out by five. Kalu split two free throws, as UTEP trimmed things to four yet again (61-57).

The Hilltoppers roared back with eight straight, reinstating a double-digit advantage in the process. UTEP kept fighting, but it was unable to get closer than five the rest of the way.

UTEP will play host to Middle Tennessee for "Senior Day" at 2 p.m. MT Saturday. As part of "Fan Appreciation Day," all tickets will be $9.15.