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EL PASO, Texas – Zid Powell poured in a career-high 32 points (24 in second half) while Otis Frazier III (15 points, all in second half) and Tae Hardy (14 points) also hit doubles figures in scoring to help lead UTEP to a 78-67 victory against Wyoming in the championship contest of the 62nd-annual WestStar Don Haskins Center Sun Bowl Invitational Thursday.
 
Powell was named the Barry Kobren MVP while Hardy was voted as the Don Haskins Award Winner and Frazier III was tabbed to the All-Tournament team after helping the Miners (8-5) win the invitational for the first time since 2019. Furthermore, Hardy surpassed 1,000 career points with a 3-pointer early in the first half, and head coach Joe Golding picked up his 200th career victory.
 
The Orange and Blue were down, 26-25, at the break before erupting for 53 points over the final 20 minutes to roar past the Cowboys. It marked the Miners' first triumph when trailing going into the locker room since toppling Rice on Feb. 5, 2022. Additionally, Powell is the initial UTEP player to reach the 30-point plateau since Souley Boum also had 32 against Marshall on Feb. 13, 2022.
 
UTEP drilled 48.0 percent (24-50) form the floor, took care of business at the charity stripe (26-35, 74.3 percent) and committed only 12 turnovers.
 
Even more important, though, was the Miners' play at the other end of the court. UTEP limited the nation's top 3-point shooting team to just 5-22 (22.7 percent) from distance. The Cowboys entered the contest at 43.4 percent. The Orange and Blue forced 16 giveaways that led to 22 points and had advantages in fastbreak scoring (20-11) and points in the paint (28-20).
 
Powell's relentless drive to the hoop resulted in him going 14-18 at the line, both of which set career bests. Frazier III also had a career night with his shooting, nailing a personal-best three 3-pointers on a career-most five attempts. He had back-to-back triples to help get UTEP off to a quick start in the second stanza.
 
The Miners led for 25 minutes, including the final 14 minutes of the contest.
 
Eight different players scored for the Orange and Blue, including four each from Corey Camper Jr., Baylor Hebb and Jon Dos Anjos as UTEP played through a multitude of foul problems.
 
"We have a saying in our program, tough times pass but tough people last," Golding said. "Life doesn't always go your way, but the guys that bunker down, trust the process and keep the huddle tight, they get rewarded. I'm happy for the guys in our locker room because they got rewarded.
 
"I thought in the second half offensively, we got better," Golding said. "I trusted these two (Hardy and Powell) guys. We made some adjustments and started posting them up. It created a lot of offense not only for them but for other guys. We got contributions from a lot of people."
 
UTEP was aggressive at the onset, getting four free throws (two by Powell and two by Hardy), in addition to a dunk from Kevin Kalu on the way to a 6-4 edge at the 16-minute media timeout. Powell broke down the defense and dropped it off to the junior for the slam.
 
After a lay-up from the visitors, Hardy's 3-pointer sent him past 1,000 career points. It also put the Miners up five (11-6, 13:26, 1H). UTEP forced another stop, and Hebb went 1-2 on the line to nudge the differential to six.
 
The Cowboys struck back in the form of a 14-2 surge, including nine straight, to secure a 20-14 edge with 7:31 left in the first frame. The push prompted Golding to burn a timeout. Hardy ended the run with a free throw after being fouled on a drive.
 
Wyoming scored on the ensuing possession to move the margin to seven (22-15, 6:33, 1H), but UTEP didn't rattle. A 6-1 push, including two scores from Dos Anjos, cut the differential to two (23-21, 3:39, 1H). The visitors sank a 3-pointer to counter, but UTEP held them scoreless the rest of the period on the way to getting within one (26-25) at the break. The Miners forced four turnovers in that span and got a dunk from Camper Jr. and a sensational reverse lay-up by Powell to trim the margin.
 
UTEP opened the second half on an 8-3 run, including back-to-back corner treys by Frazier III. Wyoming answered with a 3-pointer of its own, taking advantage of Powell being on the deck behind the play. Before play resumed, a technical was called on Wyoming and Hebb sank both to make it a three-point affair (35-32).
 
Wyoming tallied four straight to sneak back up by one (36-35), but UTEP uncorked six to go out by five (41-36, 13:35). It was powered by another triple from Frazier III and then an old-fashioned 3-point play from Solomon. The visitors got back within three with 10 minutes left, but consecutive fastbreak scores sent the Miners out by seven.
 
Frazier III started it by flying to the rack and banking it home. After a steal by Powell, he then hammered a two-handed flush to bring the Haskins Center alive. Wyoming, however, kept hanging around by thriving on the foul line. In fact, the Cowboys endured a more than seven-minute stretch without a field goal by continually getting to the charity stripe.
 
UTEP answered at the line as well, though, with six straight makes courtesy of Frazier III and Powell, respectively, to keep its lead at seven (58-51) with 5:30 to play. After another stop, Powell drained a turnaround jumper. Wyoming misfired on a 3-pointer, and Powell was fouled on a drive. He calmly sank both tosses to make it a double-digit advantage (62-51, 4:23, 2H).
 
The Cowboys fought back to down to seven with a bucket and a pair of free throws. Powell struck back instantly with a nifty Euro step in transition. The two sides then traded free throws before another fantastic finish in the open floor for the hoop and some harm by Powell essentially sealed the game with UTEP up 11 (72-61, 1:29, 2H).
 
The Miners will be off for Christmas until returning to action at home against Seattle at 7 p.m. MT on Dec. 30.   
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