March 23, 2009
Final Stats |
AP Photo Gallery 
UTEP-Northeastern Box (PDF) 
Stefon Jackson scored 26 points and Randy Culpepper added 21 as UTEP blew past Northeastern in the CBI quarterfinals, 75-66, on Monday at the Don Haskins Center.
The Miners (21-12) advanced to the semifinals of the tournament and will play at Richmond (20-15) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Mountain time (8 p.m. Eastern). The game will be nationally televised on HDNet.
If UTEP wins, it would take part in the best-of-three CBI championship series beginning on Monday, March 30. The Miners would be guaranteed at least one home game in the series.
Wednesday's other semifinal matches Oregon State (15-17) and Stanford (20-13) at 8 p.m. Mountain time, also on HDNet. The game will be played in Corvallis.
UTEP turned a 16-12 lead into a 27-12 bulge with an 11-0 run in the first half against Northeastern, and was in control the rest of the night.
The Miners built an 18-point lead, 57-39, on two free throws by Culpepper midway through the second half and maintained a double-digit margin until the final minute.
Culpepper needed 21 points to become the 31st member of UTEP's 1,000-point club and got it. He is the first player in school history to score 1,000 points as a sophomore.
Arnett Moultrie added 14 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season, and Gabriel McCulley contributed 10 points off the bench. The Miners had a 31-2 advantage in bench points.
UTEP outshot Northeastern 49.1 percent to 47.4 percent and outrebounded the Huskies 32-27. Chaisson Allen led Northeastern with 26 points.
