Game Notes In PDF Format

OPENING TIP
The UTEP men's basketball team (2-1) will play its first road game of the year when it competes at perennial NCAA tournament team and Mountain West Conference power Utah State (3-0) inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 2 p.m. MT Saturday. The Miners are looking to bounce back after sustaining their first loss of the young season, 71-58, at the hands of WCC foe LMU, on Nov. 11. USU is perfect on the year thus far, most recently dispatching in-state opponent Weber State, 83-73, on Nov. 12. It is the first matchup between the programs since the Aggies held off the Miners, 91-81, in the 1970 NCAA Tournament. The game also kicks off a brutal stretch for the Orange and Blue where eight of the next 11 contests will be outside of El Paso. In fact, the only remaining nonconference home tilts for UTEP are against St. Thomas (Texas) on Nov. 19 and the two contests in the WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invite (Dec. 21-22). UTEP will play a pair of neutral-site games (Vs. William & Mary and Vs. UAB) at the Jacksonville Classic (Nov. 24-25), in additions to true road tilts at Seattle (Dec. 7) and Hawaii (Dec. 13). The Miners' first three league contests will also be in hostile territory, with UTEP venturing to LA Tech (12/29), new CUSA member Missouri State (Jan. 2) and FIU (Jan. 4). Saturday's matchup between the Miners and Aggies will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, with Dave Fox and Gary Wilkinson (analyst) on the call.
 
TRYING TO FLIP THE SCRIPT WITH ROAD OPENERS
UTEP will be looking to win its road opener for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign when it knocked off I-10 rival NM State, 74-72, on Nov. 23, 2010. The Miners were 4-8 on the road last year, including toppling the Aggies in Las Cruces for the first time since that '10-11 season.
 
BACK IN THE BEEHIVE STATE
For the second straight season, the Miners are opening the road portion of their docket in the "Beehive State." Last year, UTEP had a sluggish start that loomed large in an 89-60 defeat at Utah Valley on Nov. 9, 2024.
 
GET TO KNOW UTAH STATE (3-0)
Perennial power Utah State is off to a 3-0 start on the season, including a noteworthy 80-77 neutral-site victory against preseason Atlantic 10 favorite VCU on Nov. 7. The Aggies have a proud history. They have been to six of the past seven NCAA Tournaments and 25 total, including the very first one in 1939. USU, which was picked second in the Mountain West Conference Preseason Poll, returned five letter winners from last year's team while adding 10 newcomers. Among those back is 2025 All-Mountain West Second-Team guard Mason Falslev. He was a preseason pick this year. USU added five DI transfers and a quintet of high school standouts. The Aggies are under the direction of second-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun (29-8), who is in his 14th year overall as a college head coach (271-152). Last year the Aggies rolled to a record of 26-8, including 15-5 in the MW, en route to earning an at-large bid to the Big Dance. USU is 1-0 at home this year, an 83-73 victory against in-state foe Weber State last time out on Nov. 12. The Aggies have been very hard to beat historically at home, with just one losing season in more than 50 years of playing inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. They are 643-157 all-time in the venue, and they've been especially strong since 2000. Dating to that year, USU stands at 358-61 for the eighth-best record nationally in that span. The Aggies are very balanced offensively, with five different players in double figures for scoring and three others at better than 6.0 ppg. MJ Collins Jr. (17.3 ppg-) leads the way, followed by Falslev (12.3 ppg), Garry Clark (12.0 ppg), Karson Templin (10.7 ppg) and Kolby King (10.3 ppg). Clark adds a team-leading 10.0 rpg (third MW/43rd NCAA) to average a double-double. Drake Allen chips in 4.7 ppg, but he runs the offensive very effectively by dropping 7.0 apg (first MW/18th NCAA). Allen also tops the squad in steals (3.3 spg-second MW/19th NCAA). Clark shoots a ridiculous 78.9 percent (first MW/12th NCAA) from the floor. The end result is an offense that puts up 91.0 ppg (third MW/68th NCAA). USU loves to get out in transition with 23.3 fastbreak points per game (first MW/15th NCAA). It is also in the league and national leaders for numerous other categories, including assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.8-third/47th), assists per game (21.7-first/17th), bench scoring (39.0-second/43rd), field-goal percentage (51.8-second/38th), field-goal percentage defense (37.9-third/82nd), scoring margin (+23.0-third/59th), steals per game (12.3-first/14th), 3-point percentage (38.4-fourth/80th), turnover margin (4.3-third/78th), turnovers forced per game (16.3-fourth/72nd) and winning percentage (100.0, one of 105 undefeated teams nationally). The only stat category that the Aggies rate outside of the top-200 (among 355 teams) is fouls per game (20.3-ninth/267th). The school, located in Logan, Utah, was founded in 1888 and has an enrollment of nearly 30,000 students. Notable alumni include Mary L. Cleave (NASA Space Shuttle astronaut), Merlin Olsen (Pro Football Hall of Famer, actor and broadcaster), Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers QB).
 
SERIES HISTORY: UTEP LEADS, 4-1
UTEP is 4-1 all-time against Utah State, but the two sides have not met since the 1970 Tournament. The No. 18 Aggies held off the Miners, 91-81, in UTEP's first game of the Big Dance that year. The Miners had won four straight vs. USU prior to that setback.
 
GOING BACK IN TIME (LMU 71, AT UTEP 58, 11/11/25)
UTEP was upended by WCC member LMU, 71-58, at home on Nov. 11. The Miners (2-1) carried a four-point lead (38-34) into the locker room only to have the Lions (4-0) come out firing on all cylinders after the break, using an 18-2 run to take control of the contest. Jamal West Jr. led a quartet of Miners in double figures with 14 points, followed by KJ Thomas (11 points), Tyreese Watson (11 points) and Elijah Jones (10 points). Caleb Blackwell added nine points, all on 3-pointers. UTEP finished at 35.1 percent from the floor (20-57), which was hindered by a readout of 23.1 percent (6-26) after the break. The Miners registered 12 assists to only eight turnovers, with Tyreese Watson dropping a team-best five helpers. LMU knocked down 53.8 percent (28-52) of its shots, aided by going 11-24 (45.8 percent) from 3-point range. The Miners forced 19 turnovers which led to 19 points, but LMU compensated by winning the boards (39-25) and the strong shooting night.
 
BOMBS AWAY
UTEP got its 3-point shooting going in the 71-58 setback last time out against LMU. The Miners finished at 42.1 percent (9-21) from distance, aided by a readout of 58.3 percent (7-12) in the opening half. Caleb Blackwell knocked down a career-best three treys, accounting for UTEP's first nine points in the tilt. KJ Thomas (career-most two) and Elijah Jones (two) also had multiple triples. The nine 3-pointers were two shy of the Orange and Blue's combined total (11) through the first two games of the season.
 
REFS LET 'EM PLAY
There were not many whistles in the game between UTEP and LMU, resulting in a severe drop off in trips to the charity stripe for the Miners. After attempting at least 30 free throws in the first two contests of the campaign, UTEP finished 9-12 on its tosses. The readout of 75.0 percent did set a season high. LMU, meanwhile, had only five free throw attempts. That was the fewest by a Miner opponent since Northern New Mexico finished 3-4 at the stripe in an 87-50 UTEP win on Dec. 3, 2022.
 
STUFFING THE STAT SHEET
Tyreese Watson stuffed the stat sheet against LMU, putting up 11 points (5-11 FG, 1-2 on treys, to go along with team bests in both assists (five) and steals (five). He played the second-most minutes (31) of any Miner in the game. His five thefts were the most since legendary UTEP defender Otis Frazier III (1.84 spg-third all-time at school) also had five against Kennesaw State (2/22/25).
 
DOING PLENTY WELL BY THE NUMBERS
The Miners place among the top-100 nationally in 14 different categories, including rating 50th or better in five areas. Overall, UTEP is top 100 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93-34th),  assist per game (18.0-83rd), bench scoring (34.3-83rd), blocked shots per game (5.0-64th), field-goal percentage (50.0-65th), field-goal percentage defense (36.3-63rd), offensive boards per game (13.7-100th), scoring defense (65.7-89th), scoring margin (+22.0-66th), steals per game (11.0-33rd), turnover margin (11.0-fourth), turnovers forced per game (20.3-10th) and fewest turnovers per game (9.3-36th).
 
KASEEM ON THE BOARDS
Kaseem Watson is leading the charge on the glass with 6.0 rebounds per game. While it's only three games in, that would be the best single-season average by a Miner since Calvin Solomon (6.0 rpg) in 2022-23.
 
GIVE US THAT BALL
UTEP has been turning the opposition over at will to start the season, forcing at least 19 giveaways in each of the initial three contests. Overall, the opposition is making 20.3 tpg which puts the Miners 10th nationally for the category. The last time UTEP foes committed 19+ turnovers in four straight games at any point of the season was during a seven-tilt stretch in the middle of the 2023-24 campaign.
 
JONES TAKING A LEAP
After scoring in double figures five times over his first two seasons as a Miner (60 games played), Elijah Jones has taken a leap to start his junior campaign. Jones is producing 13.0 ppg (tied second on team), aided by surpassing double digits in each of the first three tilts of 2025-26. It is the longest such streak of his career, besting his prior effort (two, twice).
 
KJ'S STEPPING UP
KJ Thomas, who had one double-digit scoring game as a true freshman last year, has put up at least 10 points in back-to-back contests. He went off for a career-best 13 points in the 107-70 romp of WNMU (11/7) before pitching in 11 points last time out against LMU. That was aided by setting career highs for 3-pointers made (two), free throws made (five) and attempted (six). He also had a personal-best three rebounds while logging the most minutes (34) of his collegiate career.
 
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL TOO
While his scoring has been a nice addition to his game, KJ Thomas has thrived while running the point for the Orange and Blue. He showed off that skillset with a career-best seven assists in the 98-56 rout of UTPB in the season opener on Nov. 3. The Amarillo, Texas, native has continued to thrive in that department, as he enters Saturday's contest with 12 total assists (4.0 apg) compared to just two turnovers. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 6.0 tops CUSA and is 39th in the country.
 
LOTS OF GUYS SHOOTING IT WELL
UTEP is connecting on 50.0 percent of its shots through three games in the season, which is good enough for fourth in CUSA and 65th nationally. It has been a group effort with six different Miners are making at least 50.0 percent of their shots (min. 10 FGA). Cassius Brooks leads the way at 70.0 percent (7-10), followed by Jamal West Jr. at 61.5 percent (16-26), LA Hayes at 58.3 percent (7-12), Elijah Jones at 57.7 percent (15-26), Tyreese Watson at 52.9 percent (9-17) and KJ Thomas at 52.6 percent (10-19).
 
STEALING THE SHOW
While UTEP only has one individual (KJ Thomas, 2.3 spg-94th) in the top-100 nationally for steals per game, the Miners head into the matchup at Utah State high in the rankings. UTEP is coming up with 11.0 spg (33rd NCAA). It continues the trend of dominance in the department the past few years under head coach Joe Golding. The Orange and Blue were second nationally for steals per game in 2024-25 (10.2), led the country in 2023-24 (11.4) and were 12th in the NCAA in 2022-23 (9.0).
 
LOOKING FOR MORE NOVEMBER SUCCESS
UTEP stands 21-10 in the month of November under head coach Joe Golding. That trend of success is not recent, though, as the Orange and Blue have not endured a losing record in the month since going 2-4 in 2018-19.
 
QUICK RUNDOWN
- Lost all five starters and 11 letter winners overall from last year.
- Lost 89.0 percent of scoring, 77.7 percent of the rebounding, 90.3 percent of its assists, 90.8 percent of the steals and 74.7 percent of its blocks.
- Returned four players from last year, including two who started the opener (Elijah Jones & KJ Thomas), and another (Jordan Hernandez) who made his UTEP debut.
- Ten newcomers joined the squad, including DI transfers C.J. Smith (Oklahoma State), David Tubek (Seton Hall), Tyreese Watson (ULM), third-team All-MEAC member Kaseem Watson (Delaware State) and back-to-back All-Southland Conference second-team honoree Jamal West Jr. (Nicholls State). Second-team NJCAA All-American and the No. 12 JUCO player nationally Caleb Blackwell (South Plains), first-team all-conference and NJCAA All-Tourney team LA Hayes (Frank Phillips College) and 2025 NJCAA National Champion Mouhamed Mbaye (Trinity Valley CC) venture from the JUCO ranks. Three-star recruit Bobby Montgomery Jr. (Mt. Zion Prep) is a true freshman. DII transfer and second-team All-GAC recipient Cassius Brooks (Arkansas Tech), who scored more than 900 points in two years, rounds out the list of newcomers.
 
WINNING WAYS WITH GOLDING
UTEP head coach Joe Golding has led his squad to three winning seasons in four years, securing 18+ wins in each of them. That hadn't happened since the Miners claimed 18+ games in four straight seasons from 2012-16. UTEP has also posted consecutive campaigns with 18 wins for the first time since that stretch.
 
HOME COOKING
The Miners are 2-1 thus far at home, and they are looking for 10+ wins in the Sun City for the sixth straight year. UTEP was 11-5 at the Bear's Den last year, including winning the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the second straight year.
 
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE
UTEP stands 24-4 at home in nonconference games dating to the start of the 2022-23 campaign, including 2-1 his year. The Miners were 7-0 in the Sun City in the situation last year. It was the first undefeated effort (min. five games) in the area since 2019-20 (8-0).
 
THE BEST FANS IN CONFERENCE USA
UTEP has led Conference USA in attendance for either total number of fans or average attendance for all four years of head coach Joe Golding's tenure. In 2024-25 the Orange and Blue topped the league in both categories. UTEP averaged a CUSA-best 5,247 fans and had a league-most 83,954 pass through the turnstiles.
 
PRESEASON PREMONITIONS
UTEP was predicted to finish eighth in Conference USA for the 2025-26 season, as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Defending regular-season and tournament champion Liberty (143) led the way, followed by Kennesaw State (113), NM State (113), Middle Tennessee (103), LA Tech (82), WKU (79), Jax State (67), the Miners (66), Sam Houston (56), FIU (36) and league newcomers Delaware (35) and Missouri State (30). UTEP did not land anyone on the league's All-CUSA Preseason Team.
 
A YEAR IN REVIEW
-           Compiled a record of 18-15 in 2024-25, marking the third season of at least 18 triumphs in four years under head coach Joe Golding.
-           Outlasted I-10 rival NM State, 66-63, on the road, for its first victory against the Aggies in the Pan-American Center in 14 years.
-           Won the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the second straight season.
-           Surged out to the best record through 20 games (15-5) in 15 years.
-           Won at least one contest at the CUSA Championships for the second consecutive campaign. That hadn't happened since an eight-season run (2010-17).
-           Nailed 241 triples, the second-most in a single season in program history.
 
THE BASIC FACTS ON UTEP'S PROGRAM
-           This is the 105th 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 fifth 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 230-209 in his 15th season as a collegiate head coach, including 72-64 at UTEP. He has enjoyed three winning seasons in four years, piling up at least 18 triumphs in those campaigns above .500. He stands fifth all-time on the school's list for career victories, and he has a very good chance of taking over third place by year's end. Tony Barbee (82-52, 2006-10) and George McCarty (77-58, 1954-59) hold third and fourth, respectively. Golding set the tone for his tenure in his first year (2021-22) on the sidelines in the Sun City. He became the fourth head coach in program history to have a winning season in their first season. Don Haskins was the first to do so 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 will be back home for one game when it locks up with St. Thomas (Texas) at 7 p.m. on Nov. 19. Tickets may be obtained by visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/tickets or calling (915) 747-UTEP. Jon Teicher (45th year) and Steve Yellen (23rd 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), with Andy Morgan and former Miner assistant coach Bobby Braswell describing the action.
 

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