Game Notes In PDF Format

OPENING TIP
The UTEP men's basketball team (1-1) returns to the friendly confines of the Don Haskins Center to play host to Division II member UTPB (1-1) at 7 p.m. MT Tuesday. It is a countable contest for the Miners while the Falcons are playing it as an exhibition game. UTEP will look to regain its winning ways after it was upended, 89-60, at Utah Valley on Nov. 9. UTPB is also coming off a setback, having fallen at Adams State, 95-88, on Nov. 10. It is the second of three to begin the year at home for the Orange and Blue, both vs. DII programs, before they will have four in a road outside of El Paso.  For tickets, please visit www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets or call (915) 747-UTEP. Jon Teicher (44th year) and Steve Yellen (22nd year) will be on the call on "The Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso. It will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required), with Andy Morgan and former Miner assistant coach Bobby Braswell describing the action.
 
SERIES HISTORY: UTEP LEADS, 4-0
UTEP is 4-0 against UTPB, with each of those matchups being contested in El Paso. The Miners waxed the Falcons, 109-49, in the first meeting on Nov. 22, 2003. UTEP defeated UTPB again in 2005 (97-54, Nov. 21, 2005). The two schools did not lock up again until the 2018-19 season, a 90-63 triumph for the Orange and Blue on Nov. 6, 2018. The most recent match-up was a 100-81 victory for UTEP on Nov. 25, 2020, during the Covid-19 affected 2020-21 campaign. The Miners' average margin for win in the four contests is +37.2 (99.0-61.8).
 
GET TO KNOW UTPB
Division II member UTPB is 1-1 on the year, having held off Westminster, 75-71, in its opener on Nov. 9, before falling in a high-scoring affair (95-88) at Adams State on Nov. 10. The game against the Miners will be played as an exhibition contest for the Falcons. UTPB was 17-11 last year, including 12-10 within the Lone Star Conference. That marked the second overall winning campaign in the past three years. In spite of that effort, the Falcons were tabbed to finish ninth in the regular season according to the league's preseason poll.  Alex Matthews, who paces the team in points (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg) while sharing it for steals (2.5 spg), was a third-team All-LSC honoree in 2023-24. He was placed on the LSC Players to Watch list heading into this year. Matthews paces a well-balanced attack, with Dario Domingos (14.0 ppg), DJ Armstrong (12.0 ppg), Freddie Word (11.0 ppg) and Maison Adeleye (10.0 ppg) joining him in double figures for scoring. UTPB is putting up 81.5 ppg through two contests but has allowed 83.0 ppg. Opponents are making 51.3 percent (60-117) from the floor, including 45.2 percent (14-31) from distance. The Falcons have also struggled on the glass with a -7.0 rebound margin (29.0-36.0). They've tried to compensate for that by forcing 18.0 turnovers per game, which has led to 12.0 steals per contest. UTPB has taken good care of the ball with just 10.0 turnovers per tilt. Notable alumni include the late Sean Roden (NASA flight surgeon with multiple roles for medical operations, including for the International Space Station from 2004 to 2007) and Sandy Collins (retired pro tennis player who competed from the late 1970s until 1994).
 
LOOKING BACK
UTEP dug itself a 15-0 hole five minutes into the contest and could never fully recover in an eventual 89-60 setback at Utah Valley on Nov. 9. The Miners managed to get within six (18-12) midway through the stanza only to have the Wolverines respond with a 23-8 surge to dim the rally hopes. The deficit was 15 (43-28) at the break, and the Orange and Blue couldn't make any significant dent at it over the final 20 minutes of action. A late surge to close the contest ballooned the lead for the home side. UTEP was hindered by off shooting day (15-57, 26.3 percent) while allowing UVU to fill up 52.1 percent (25-48) from the floor.
 
WE WERE FINE AT THE LINE
UTEP nailed 86.2 (25-29) percent at the charity stripe at Utah Valley on Nov. 9. That marked the highest percentage in a game (minimum 25 free throws made) since the Orange and Blue filled up 91.2 percent (34-37) against Southern Miss on Jan. 9, 2020. Otis Frazier III keyed the charge by going a perfect 9-9 at the line against the Wolverines. The nine makes equal his career best.
 
CRASHING THE BOARDS
Kevin Kalu, who was third on the team in rebounding (4.7 rpg) a year ago, cleaned up the glass at Utah Valley. He pulled down a game-high tying eight caroms, with all but one (seven of eight) coming on the defensive end. The effort elevated his season average to a squad-leading 5.0 rpg (tied 14th CUSA).
 
TOO MANY WHISTLES
There were a combined 59 fouls in the contest at Utah Valley on Nov. 9. The Miners were whistled 31 times, leading to 41 trips to the charity strip (29-41) for the Wolverines. UVU committed 28 fouls, with the Miners trying 29 tosses at the line (25-29). It's the second straight year that UTEP has been tagged with 30+ fouls in a contest, as it was called for 33 at Abilene Christian on Dec. 17, 2023.
 
THREE IS THE CHARM
A trio of Miners are in double figures for scoring heading into Tuesday's match-up with UTPB. JUCO transfer Ahamad Bynum is atop the list at 14.5 ppg, followed by Otis Frazier III  (14.0 ppg) and Tarleton State transfer Devon Barnes (10.5 ppg). Both Corey Camper Jr. (9.0 ppg) and Trey Horton III (8.5 ppg) are close to reaching that level as well.
 
BRINGING THAT HEAT
UTEP, which paced the country in turnovers forced per game (18.7 tpg) last year and set a program record for most turnovers forced (636), has picked up right where it left off. The Miners forced Sul Ross State (Nov. 4) into 26 turnovers while Utah Valley (Nov. 9) committed 19 giveaways.
 
STEALING THE SHOW
UTEP set the school record for total steals (389) last year, which were the second most ever by a CUSA program since the league's inception. There were 22 games with at least 10 thefts. The Miners have looked the part through two tilts in 2024-25, notching 19 steals against Sul Ross (Nov. 4) and 10 at Utah Valley (Nov. 9).  The 14.5 spg paces CUSA and is eighth in the country. Devon Barnes (3.5 spg-first CUSA/20th NCAA), Otis Frazier III (2.5-fourth CUSA) and David Terrell Jr. (2.5 spg-fourth CUSA) are leading the charge.
 
FINDING THE STROKE FROM DISTANCE
UTEP is at 45.2 percent (19-42) from 3-point range thus far in the season. The Miners hit 14 triples against Sul Ross on Nov. 4, which was one shy of the school record and tied for fifth all time at UTEP. Ahamad Bynum (7-10) and Trey Horton III (5-11) have led the way from beyond-the-arc. Bynum's 70.0 percent is second in CUSA and 33rd nationally while he also is among the leaders for 3-pointers per game (3.5-fourth CUSA/69th NCAA).
 
SHARING IS CARING
UTEP has been credited with an assist on 62.0 percent (31-50) of its field goals through two tilts. Otis Frazier III (2.5 apg) and David Terrell Jr. (2.5 apg) share the team lead for helpers heading into Tuesday's game against UTPB, with the 2.5 apg tying for 15th in CUSA.
 
INSTANT OFFENSE
Ahamad Bynum earned NJCAA Second-Team All-American status while pouring in a team-best 18.3 ppg to help lead Trinity Valley CC to a Region XIV Championships and earn a spot for the NJCAA Tournament in 2023-24. He's come off the bench in both games for UTEP in 2024-25 but is still topping the team in scoring (14.5 ppg-tied 14th CUSA). Bynum has also connected on a sizzling 7-10 from distance.
 
 
BARNES BACK HOME
Tarleton State transfer Devon Barnes chose UTEP in part because he lived in the Sun City from kindergarten through fifth grade while his dad was stationed at Ft. Bliss. He has settled in nicely, leading CUSA and rating 20th nationally at 3.5 steals per contest. He is also third on the squad in scoring (10.5 ppg), aided by making 85.7 percent (6-7) at the charity stripe.
 
SPREADING THE PLAYING TIME
Twelve Miners have played in both contests, with nine of them averaging double digits. Corey Camper Jr. (26.5 mpg) leads the squad for playing time, with Otis Frazier III (25.8 mpg) and Devon Barnes (23.7 mpg) also above 20.0 mpg.
 
DON'T GET TOO COMFY AT HOME
UTEP is in the midst of playing five of its first seven contests outside of El Paso, the initial time that has occurred since 2014-15. This year the Miners will have two home (1-0 thus far), two road (0-1) and three neutral over the initial seven tilts. In 2014-15, UTEP went on to finish at 22-11, including 13-5 in league play (second place), despite having to endure two road contests (0-2) and a trio of neutral-site affairs (2-1) early on in the year.
 
AN OFFSEASON TO REMEMBER
UTEP had a special offseason to help prepare for the year, which included a foreign tour in The Bahamas, an intra-squad scrimmage in Juárez, an 111-62 exhibition win vs. Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (UACH) on Oct. 19 and a charity exhibition 74-70 setback at New Mexico on Oct. 28. The game in Chihuahua was the first preseason scrimmage in Mexico in program history.
 
EVERY ELIGIBLE GUY READY TO ROCK
UTEP brought back three starters (Corey Camper Jr., Otis Frazier III and Kevin Kalu) and all eight eligible scholarship players (Camper Jr., Frazier III, Derick Hamilton, Baylor Hebb, Trey Horton III, Elijah Jones, Kalu, David Terrell Jr.)  from last year's team that piled up 18 wins and advanced to the program's first Conference USA Tournament Championship contest since 2011. The Miners also have redshirts Antwonne Holmes and Babacar Mbengue.
 
NEWCOMERS IN THE HOUSE
JUCO All-American Ahamad Bynum (20.0 ppg, 3.0 ppg), Tarleton State transfer Devon Barnes (8.0 ppg 5.0 spg), three-star HS recruit KJ Thomas, (2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg) JUCO Region XIV regular-season champion DaCannon Wickware (, El Paso native Jordan Thomas and freshman Raijon Dispensa will inject some talent as newcomers.
 
AWARD CENTRAL
UTEP brings back the 2024 Conference USA Freshman of the Year David Terrell Jr.,  (7.0 ppg, 5.0 spg) along with fellow 2024 CUSA All-Freshman team members Trey Horton III (17.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Elijah Jones (7.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) Otis Frazier III (17.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg), who was a member of the 2024 CUSA All-Defensive team and a CUSA Honorable-Mention honoree, was tabbed to the 2024-25 CUSA Preseason Team.
 
THE BEST FANS IN CONFERENCE USA
UTEP has led Conference USA in attendance for either total number of fans or average attendance for three straight years. Last year, the Miners had a league-best 85,566 fans pass through the turnstiles while averaging 4,754 fans (second in the league).
 
home cooking
UTEP entered the 2024-25 campaign having ripped off at least 10 wins at home in five straight years.  The Orange and Blue were 13-5 at the Bear's Den last year, including winning the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the first time under head coach Joe Golding. UTEP is 1-0 in El Paso this year after smashing DII program Sul Ross State, 102-55, in its opener on Nov. 4.
 
PRESEASON PREMONITIONS
UTEP was predicted to finish tied for fifth in the Conference USA preseason poll, as voted upon the league's 10 head coaches. It was a relatively close poll, with only 25 points separating the first six teams. LA Tech (87) was tabbed the favorite, followed by WKU (85), Sam Houston (83), Middle Tennessee (69), Liberty (62) and UTEP (62). NM State (39-seventh), Jax State (29-eighth), FIU (17-tied ninth) and Kennesaw State (17-tied ninth). LA Tech (three), Sam Houston (three), WKU (two), Middle Tennessee (one) and Liberty (one) all received at least one first-place vote.
 
A YEAR IN REVIEW
-    Finished the year at 18-16 for the second winning seasons in three years under head coach Joe Golding.
-    Made the program's first appearance in the conference tournament championship contest since 2011.
-    Beat the No. 1 seed Sam Houston in the semifinals, the Miners' first win against a top seed at the league tournament since the 1993 WAC Championships.
-    Became the first team in school history to come back from double-digit deficits to win consecutive contests in a league tournament. UTEP overcame a 12-point deficit vs. Liberty while roaring back from 14 against Sam Houston.
-    Won multiple games at the CUSA tournament for the first time since 2011.
-    Became the lowest seed in school history to advance to the championship contest of the league tournament.
-    Won a game at the league tournament by two points or less for the first time since 1992 after ousting top seed Sam Houston
-    Led the nation in both steals per game and turnovers forced per game.
-    Set school record for total steals and total turnovers forced. UTEP's 389 total steals are the second most ever by a CUSA program since the league's inception.
-    Tae Hardy earned All-District and All-CUSA honors.
-    UTEP had three of the five players on the CUSA All-Freshman Team, including Freshman of the Year David Terrell Jr. Terrell Jr. was joined on the All-Freshman squad by Trey Horton III and Elijah Jones
-    Otis Frazier III was All-CUSA Honorable-Mention and voted to the CUSA All-Defensive Team, the first selection to the squad for UTEP since 2015.
-    Won the 2023 Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the first time under head coach Joe Golding.
 
THE BASIC FACTS ON UTEP'S PROGRAM
-    This is the 104th season of UTEP men's basketball. The Miners made history by starting five African-Americans to defeat Kentucky, 72-65, and win the 1966 NCAA Championship on the way to inspiring the Disney hit movie Glory Road.
-    UTEP has 17 NCAA Tournament appearances (last in 2010), 11 NIT bids (last in 2015), 12 conference championships (last in 2010) and 26 seasons with at least 20+ victories (last in 2015). The Miners have won five league tournaments (last in 2005).
-    The Miners have a strong presence in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with Don Haskins, Nate Archibald, Nolan Richardson, the 1966 team and Tim Hardaway all representing UTEP.
 
GET TO KNOW COACH GOLDING
Joe Golding is in his fourth year at UTEP, and he is the 20th head coach in program history. He is the eighth head coach for the Miners since legendary Hall of Fame Coach Don Haskins retired following the 1998-99 season. Golding is 211-193 in his 14th season as a collegiate head coach, including 53-49 at UTEP. He has enjoyed two winning campaigns in three years. Golding is 11 victories shy of passing Marshall Pennington (63-83, 1937-43) to move into fifth place on the school's career charts. In 2021-22 he became the fourth head coach (20 total) in program history to have a winning season in their first year on the sideline. Don Haskins was the first when he directed the Miners to a mark of 18-6 in 1961-62. Doc Sadler (27-8, 2004-05) and Tim Floyd (25-10, 2010-11) also achieved the feat. Overall, the prior 19 head coaches combined to forge an average record of 9-13 in their first year with UTEP. Previously Golding spent 10 years at Abilene Christian (158-144), helping it transition from a Division II to a Division I program. Golding led the Wildcats to the 2019 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, including a stunning upset as a 14-seed of third-seeded Texas in the first round of the 2021 Big Dance.
 
UP NEXT
UTEP is off for a lengthy stretch, with the Miners not playing again until a road tilt at UCSB at 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT on Nov. 20. It is a return contest as part of a home and home series. Last year, the Orange and Blue blasted the Gauchos, 89-76, in front of more than 7,000 fans on Nov. 13, 2023. Jon Teicher (44th year) will be on the call on "The Home of UTEP Basketball" 600 ESPN El Paso and the UTEP Miners App. It will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required). The Orange and Blue will then have three games in as many days as part of the Ball Dawgs Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., from Nov. 25-27.