UTEP overpowers DII foe UT Permian Basin in season opener, 98-56

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team shot 54.1 percent (33-61) from the floor, forced 20 turnover and used multiple big scoring runs to race past DII member, UTPB, 98-56, in the 2025-26 season opener at the Don Haskins Center Monday evening.

The Miners (1-0) pounced on the Falcons from the get-go, taking an 8-0 lead barely two minutes into the tilt. They would never trail on the way to the securing the wire-to-wire victory.

The Orange and Blue led by 12 (44-32) at the break before running away with things in the second half (54-24).

UTEP got scoring up and down the revamped roster, with Delaware State transfer Kaseem Watson (18 points), returnee Elijah Jones (13 points), JUCO transfer LA Hayes (11 points) and Nicholls State transfer Jamal West Jr. (11 points) all reaching double figures to lead the way.

JUCO All-American Caleb Blackwell pitched in nine points while dropping four dimes.

Arkansas Tech transfer Cassius Brooks netted nine as well, including sinking both of his 3-pointers.

Sophomore returning guard KJ Thomas ran the offense effectively with a career-best seven assists (no turnovers) in his first start as a Miner, in addition to chipping in five points.

Watson and West Jr. each grabbed eight boards to lead the way in that department.

Seton Hall transfer David Tubek added five caroms and five points. 

In fact, all 11 Miners who suited up scored, including El Paso native Jordan Hernandez (4-4 FTs) and true freshman Bobby Montgomery Jr. (three points, three boards).

Oklahoma State transfer C.J. Smith (six points) and JUCO national champion Mouhamed Mbaye netted five points while adding a blocked shot.

At the other end of the court, UTEP made the Falcons play faster than comfortable.

They were held to 36.2 percent (17-47) shooting, and their 20 giveaways were converted into 23 Miner points.

“Overall, it was kind of what I thought (we’d look like). We have 10 new guys, first time to wear the (UTEP) jersey and to play in the Don,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said. “I thought there was some good things and then were a ton of things we’ve got to work on. I thought in the second half we played with a little more energy. We got a little more comfortable. We’ve got a brand new team and it’s going to be a work in progress, but there’s some things we can build on.”

UTEP bolted out to an 8-0 lead (17:44, 1H), aided by consecutive dunks form Jones, forcing the Falcons to call timeout.

UTPB countered with five in a row before a silky-smooth jumper from Blackwell halted the mini push.

Brooks splashed home a trey to reinstate a two-possession lead at 15-9 (14:07, 1H).

The Falcons were hanging around, trailing by four (18-14, 10:17 1H) before UTEP flipped a switch for a 13-0 run to vault about by 17 (31-14, 6:51, 1H).

A 3-pointer by Watson on the find from Thomas kickstarted it, before Tubek put back a misfire with a layup.

Tubek then set up Brooks for another triple, giving the Orange and Blue their first double-digit edge (26-14, 7:42 1H) of the affair.

Two free throws, both by Brooks, and an old-fashioned 3-point play courtesy of Watson capped the run.

The Falcons countered with an 11-2 sequence to claw back within single digits before Blackwell ripped off five in a row to move the margin back to double figures.

His stroke was a pure on a corner triple, which was followed by consecutive free throws.

After once again getting within eight (38-30), UTEP answered with its own 5-0 sequence.

It came on a 3-pointer from Smith and then two charity stripe tosses by Jones.

Both teams got a couple scores in the waning minutes, and the Miners carried the 12-point edge (44-32) into the locker room.

The Orange and Blue ripped off a 17-2 run to start the second half on a bang, aided by 12 straight.

West Jr. kickstarted it with his own 5-0 push, including an And-1. Watson, West Jr. and Jones then joined forces to power the aforementioned 12-0 push, blowing open the game in the process at 61-34 (15:12, 2H).

A bucket from the visitors stopped things, albeit momentarily. Blackwell filled up a step-back jumper, which was followed by a triple from Hayes as UTEP stretched the margin to 30 (66-36).

The advantage hit 35 (73-38) after a driving layup from Hayes put the bow on a mini 6-0 run.

The Orange and Blue cruised down the stretch, never letting get closer than 30 the rest of the way.

UTEP will continue its season-opening three-game homestand when it challenges DII program Western New Mexico at 7 p.m. MT Friday.