Jan. 16, 2010
Final Stats
Box Score in PDF Format 
UTEP got back to its three basic principles - defense, rebounding and toughness - and rode them to a 56-49 conquest of Southern Miss on Saturday at the Don Haskins Center.
The Miners (11-5, 2-1 C-USA) held the Golden Eagles (10-7, 0-3 C-USA) to 38 percent shooting but, more importantly, outrebounded them 32-24. Southern Miss entered the game rated second in the league in rebound margin (+7.9 per game). It snapped a four-game skid in which UTEP was out-boarded by its opponent.
UTEP, which won for the third time this season when scoring less than 60 points, never trailed and built a 13-point lead with 7:43 to play. Southern Miss hung around but couldn't get closer than six points the rest of the way.
Miner coach Tony Barbee suggested that changes would be made following his team's 75-65 loss at Houston on Wednesday, and UTEP had two new starters on Saturday - Isaac Gordon, who filled in for the injured Christian Polk at shooting guard, and Jeremy Williams, who replaced Derrick Caracter up front. Both Gordon and Williams were making their first starts in a Miner uniform.
"There's going to be some change, and change will come on a game-by-game basis based on the final grades [from games] and performances in practice," Barbee said. "From here on out, the starting lineup will be up in the air until the last game."
Arnett Moultrie was the only UTEP starter to score in double figures, finishing with 15 points.
"When Arnett is aggressive rebounding the ball, he's aggressive in every other area of the game," Barbee said. "I thought he was aggressive on the boards tonight, even if he only had six rebounds."
Williams chipped in with nine points and four rebounds, and Julyan Stone tied his career-high with 10 rebounds.
Caracter took well to his role as a sixth man, collecting 11 points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes.
Gary Flowers had 17 points to lead Southern Miss, and Buchi Awaji added 10 off the bench.
UTEP will be on the road for three of its next four league games, including a two-game swing to Memphis and UCF this week. The Miners will face Memphis on Wednesday at 6 p.m. MT in a nationally televised game (CBS College Sports). The UCF game will be carried in El Paso on KVIA ABC 7 on Saturday at 3 p.m. MT.
