Feb. 28, 2015
Final Stats
Southern Miss 63, UTEP 60 (Box Score) 
Southern Miss ended the game with a 35-8 run, erasing a 24-point deficit and stunning UTEP, 63-60, on Saturday night at Reed Green Coliseum.
It was an all-too-familiar storyline for the Miners, who have blown double-digit leads in three of their last four games in Hattiesburg.
Nothing compared to this one, however, as UTEP was ahead 52-28 with less than 11 minutes remaining. Then the Miners started turning over the basketball left and right, and the Golden Eagles took advantage. UTEP had nine of its 11 second-half turnovers in the final 11:14. Southern Miss scored 22 points off turnovers, 16 in the second half.
C.J. Cooper had three turnovers in the last 9:07, and Vince Hunter had three in the last 8:25.
"Turnovers were the story," said assistant coach Phil Johnson, who was filling in for Tim Floyd on the bench while he served a one-game suspension for violating the Conference USA sportsmanship policy. "We had a 24-point lead and got real casual and took bad shots. We had made a living in the lane and we wanted to really emphasize getting it inside, which we did for about 30 minutes. We got away from that and launched a lot of bombs and got real loose against their press and didn't take care of the ball."
Earvin Morris scored a career-high 26 points for the Miners, but didn't get much help as no other player scored more than nine. Cedrick Lang fouled out with 5:22 to play. He had nine points and seven rebounds and UTEP led 56-45 when he went to the bench.
The Miners scored four points the rest of the way - no field goals -- and Southern Miss scored 18.
UTEP's last field goal came with 6:51 remaining, a three-pointer by Cooper that made the score 55-38.
Shadell Millinghaus scored 10 of his 17 points during the 35-8 run. Chip Armelin, who was honored on "Senior Night," scored eight of his 16 during the flurry.
The Miners still led by 10 (58-48) with four and a half minutes left. Millinghaus hit a three, Matt Bingaya a jumper, Bingaya two free throws and Armelin a three and boom, the game was tied at 58.
Julian Washburn gave UTEP its last lead, 59-58, by splitting two free throws with 1:57 to play. Sixteen seconds later, Millinghaus went to the stripe and converted both foul shots. Southern Miss was ahead 60-59, its first lead since 10-9.
Matt Willms split two free throws with 48 seconds left to tie the game. Norville Carey scored on a jumper with 28 seconds on the clock to give Southern Miss the lead for good.
Morris missed a three pointer with four seconds left that could've tied the game and Southern Miss celebrated its ninth win of the season and third consecutive at home.
In the second half, UTEP was outscored 16-1 in points off turnovers and 20-6 in the paint by a team that had no player taller than 6-7.
UTEP had runs of 14-2 and 10-1 in the first half in building a 35-20 lead. Morris scored 16 points in 17 first-half minutes.
The Miners (19-9, 11-5 C-USA) now find themselves fighting for a first-round bye in the Conference USA Tournament, something that would've been all but assured with a victory. UTEP is tied for third place in the standings with Old Dominion and Western Kentucky with two games left.
The Miners will host North Texas on Thursday (7 p.m.) and Rice on Saturday (2 p.m.) in their final homestand of the season.
UTEP completed its nine-game C-USA road schedule with a 5-4 record.
