Game Notes In PDF Format

OPENING TIP
Fresh off a convincing 79-65 first-round win against Sam Houston, the No. 8 seed UTEP men's basketball team (18-14) will lock up with top seed and regular-season league champion Liberty (25-6) in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Conference USA Championships in Huntsville, Ala., at 4:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Miners fought off an early 10-point deficit (down 13-3) with a 24-7 run to vault ahead for good in the eventual 14-point vanquishing of the Bearkats, who had won back-to-back contests and five of seven. The effort snapped a seven-game skid for the Orange and Blue while also improving them to 3-1 on the year in neutral-site contests. LU has also experienced success on neutral sites this year, boasting a 4-1 mark in the situation. That included triumphs against both Kansas State (67-65, Nov. 24) and McNeese (62-58, Nov. 25). UTEP and Liberty split the season series, with the Miners knocking off the Flames, 72-70, on the road on Jan. 16. Liberty avenged that setback by vanquishing UTEP, 76-69, at the Don Haskins Center on Feb. 15. It marks the second straight season that the Miners and Flames will be meeting up in the quarterfinals of the CUSA Championships. Last season, then No. 4 seed UTEP used a game-closing 24-3 run to rally past No. 5 seed Liberty, 66-57, on March 14, 2024. The Flames are red hot, having won two straight and eight of the past nine contests, including sweeping the final weekend of the regular season to stake the outright 2025 CUSA regular-season championship. All-CUSA second-team honoree Otis Frazier III joined the 1,000-point club at UTEP in the victory against Sam Houston. Fellow senior Kevin Kalu hit a milestone as well, pulling down 15 a career-high rebounds to become part of the 500-point (541) and 500-rebound (502) club at 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, with audio airing on the UTEP Miners app as well. It will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required) with Matt Warner and Paul Nazigian behind the mic.
 
UTEP IN THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Following the win vs. Sam Houston on March 11, UTEP marched to 44-33 all time at the conference tournament (includes a forfeit against Hawaii in the 1996 WAC Tournament). The Miners won the WAC Tournament in 1984, 1986, 1989, 1990 and 2005. They have 13 total appearances in the championship contest, including three (2010, 2011 and 2024) since joining C-USA. UTEP has also advanced to the semifinals 20 times (nine as a CUSA member).
 
UTEP IN THE CUSA TOURNAMENT
UTEP knocked off Sam Houston, 79-65, in the first round on March 11 to improve to 4-3 at the CUSA Tournament under head coach Joe Golding. The effort also moved the Miners to 17-18 all time in CUSA Tournament games. UTEP has now advanced to at least the quarterfinals for the third time in four seasons under Golding after failing to reach that round from 2018-21. It is the 14th showing in the quarterfinals at the event as a CUSA member. The Orange and Blue have also picked up a win at the league's pinnacle event for the second straight season, something that hadn't happened since an eight-year run from 2010 through 2017. In addition to 14 quarterfinal appearances, as a CUSA member the Miners have qualified for the semifinals nine times (2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2024) and the finals on a trio of occasions (2010, 2011 and 2024).
 
TRYING TO MAKE SOME NOISE AS THE NO. 8 SEED
This year's Miners, seeded eighth, are looking to become the lowest seed in program history to punch a ticket to the semifinals of the conference tournament. A victory would allow them to surpass the efforts at the 2008 CUSA Championships when sixth-seeded UTEP won a game in both first round and the quarterfinals before being bounced by No. 7 seed Tulsa in overtime.
 
SECOND TOURNEY APPEARANCE AT THE TOURNEY AS THE NO. 8 SEED
UTEP is making its second appearance as a No. 8 seed in what is its 39th conference tournament. With the 79-65 first-round win against Sam Houston on March 11, the Miners are now 2-1 in the event as the No. 8 seed. UTEP was 1-1 as the No. 8 seed at the 2012 CUSA Championships, defeating No. 9 Houston, 67-62, in OT in the first round, before falling to host and top seed Memphis, 65-47, in the quarterfinals.
 
AIMING FOR BACK-TO-BACK SEMIFINAL SHOWINGS
If UTEP can take out top-seed Liberty, the Miners would secure a spot in the semifinals of the CUSA championships for the second straight season. That hasn't happened since the Orange and Blue played for the tournament title in both 2010 and 2011. It is also the second straight season UTEP is facing the top seed at the event. Last year, the Orange and Blue ousted No. 1 seed Sam Houston in the semifinals.
 
GOT A WIN AT LEAGUE TOURNEY FOR SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON
The victory against Sam Houston marks the second consecutive campaign that the Miners have won at least one game in the conference tournament. The last time that occurred was during an eight-year run (2010-17).
 
LOOKING BACK (No. 8 SEED UTEP 79, No. 9 SEED SAM HOUSTON 65, MARCH 11)
Corey Camper Jr. poured in 18 points, Kevin Kalu recorded a monstrous double-double (15 points, career-high 15 rebounds) and Otis Frazier III and Devon Barnes each netted 12 points to help lead the No. 8 seed UTEP men's basketball team past No. 9 seed Sam Houston, 79-65, in the first round of the 2025 Conference USA Championships inside Propst Arena on March 11. The Bearkats (13-19), who had won two straight and five of seven, jumped out to a 10-point cushion (13-3) six minutes into the game. UTEP shook off the sluggish start by responding with a 24-7 run over the next nine minutes to vault ahead by seven (27-20, 5:13, 1H). The Miners would never trail again.
 
WE LOVE RALLYING IN PROPST ARENA
The victory against Sam Houston improved the Miners to 3-1 inside Propst Arena since the Conference USA Tournament moved to Huntsville, Ala, last year, with UTEP trailing by 10+ points in each of those wins. The Miners faced a 10-point deficit (13-3) six minutes into the contest against Sam Houston before unleashing a 24-7 run over the next nine minutes to vault ahead by seven (27-20, 5:13, 1H). UTEP never relinquished the advantage on the way to the 79-65 win on March 11. Last year, the Orange and Blue erased a 12-point deficit (54-42, 10:33, 2H) in a 66-57 vanquishing of Liberty in the quarterfinals on March 14, 2024. The Miners wiped out a 14-point (13:11, 2H) differential in the 65-63 defeat of top seed Sam Houston in the semifinals on March 15, 2024.
 
UNPRECEDENTED DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Kevin Kalu scored 15 points while adding a career-high 15 rebounds in the victory against Sam Houston March 11. He is the first Miner at the CUSA Tournament with at least 15 points and 15 boards since UTEP joined the league in 2005-06. Prior to Kalu, Arnett Moultrie (13 points, UTEP conference tournament record 17 rebounds) was the closest to achieving that stat line in an 89-85 OT setback to Houston on March 12, 2009.
 
DIVING DEEPER WITH THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Kevin Kalu's huge double-double (15 points, career-high 15 rebounds) was the first by a Miner at the league tournament since Keonte Kennedy had 11 points and 10 boards in a 66-59 setback vs. Middle Tennessee on March 3, 2022. Kennedy was also the last Miner to produce a double-double with at least 15 points and 15 caroms since he had 22 and 15, respectively, in an 80-54 vanquishing of Western Illinois in The Basketball Classic on March 19, 2022.
 
LOCKING IT DOWN ON DISTANCE
UTEP kept Sam Houston to 10.5 percent on 3-point shooting (2-19) to achieve its best 3-point percentage defense at the CUSA Tournament since the Miners joined the league in 2005-06. It surpasses the prior effort of holding Marshall to 12.5 percent (2-16) on March 10, 2011. Making the effort even more impressive is that the prior two foes of this year's regular season were a combined 22-37 (59.5 percent). Furthermore, Sam Houston had entered the game fifth in the country for 3-point shooting percentage (39.5).
 
RECORD-TYING EFFORT FROM DEEP
The Miners banged homed 12 triples against Sam Houston in the first round on March 11. It equaled the most in a conference tournament in program history. UTEP was 12-26 vs. SMU at the 2008 championships, nearly 17 years to the date (March 12, 2008). Corey Camper Jr. nailed a career-high four 3-pointers on six shots from distance to lead the way, with Devon Barnes (2-5), Otis Frazier III (2-5) and Trey Horton III (2-4) also had multiple treys.
 
WINNING BIG
UTEP's 14-point win (79-65) vs. Sam Houston in the first round on March 11 served as its largest margin of victory at the CUSA Tournament in exactly 15 years. The Miners blasted then league member UCF by 22 (76-54), in the quarterfinals on March 11, 2010.
 
POINTS GALORE AT THE CUSA TOURNEY
UTEP's 79 points against Sam Houston marked its most at the CUSA Tournament in eight years. At the 2017 championships, the Miners outlasted Rice, 86-76, in the quarterfinals on March 9, 2017.
 
ALWAYS GOOD TO PLAY FROM AHEAD
UTEP led 36-30 at the break against Sam Houston on the way to the 78-65 win in the first round of the tournament on March 10. The effort improved the Miners to 15-5 this season when leading through 20 minutes of action.
 
CLOSED OUT THE GAME
UTEP carried the lead (64-53) into the final five minutes of action of vs. Sam Houston before closing out the Bearkats, 79-65. The Miners march to 18-1 on the year when being up with less than five minutes to play.
 
INCREDIBLY ACTIVE ON THE OFFENSIVE BOARDS
Kevin Kalu posted a career-high 15 rebounds, aided by a career-high eight at the offensive end. He also cleaned up defensively, pulling down seven at that end of the court. The activity helped him pace the team in both free throws made (five) and attempted (six).
 
THE WORD TIRED ISN'T IN CAMPER JR'S VOCABULARY
Corey Camper Jr. logged a career-high 40 minutes in the win vs. Sam Houston on March 11. He left the court for a total of seven seconds. Overall, Camper Jr. is now averaging a team-most 31.5 minutes per game (tied 10th CUSA).
 
TERRELL JR. RAN THE SHOW
All-CUSA Honorable-Mention honoree David Terrell Jr. dished out 3.8 apg (fifth CUSA) during the regular season, including 4.9 apg in league action (third CUSA only games). He kept up his unselfish ways in the first-round victory against Sam Houston, registering a game-high seven assists (three turnovers) while logging nearly 38 minutes of action. The seven dimes were the most by a Miner at the league championships since Shamar Givance was credited with eight in a 73-67 setback to WKU on March 8, 2023.
 
HIGH-ENERGY MINUTES FROM JONES
Elijah Jones logged nine minutes of action against Sam Houston on March 11, and he certainly made an impact in that time. He registered five points on 2-3 shooting, including sinking his lone 3-point attempt. He added four defensive boards.
 
SHARING IT AS A TEAM
UTEP registered 16 assists while making nine turnovers in the win vs. Sam Houston on March 11. It marked a stark turnaround from the final two tilts of the regular season when the Orange and Blue had 10 total assists compared to 26 giveaways.
 
KALU JOINS THE 500/500 CLUB
Buoyed by his huge night (15 points, career-high 15 rebounds) against Sam Houston in the first round on March 11, senior Kevin Kalu moved past 500 career rebounds. He had previously surpassed 500 points earlier this year, and the Baltimore, Md. native heads into the matchup vs. top seed Liberty with more than 500 career points (540) and rebounds (502) in his four seasons with the Orange and Blue.
 
FRAZIER III HITS 1,000 POINTS AS A MINER
Otis Frazier III tallied 12 points in the win vs. Sam Houston, which allowed him to join the 1,000-career point club at UTEP. He is the 36 Miner to surpass 1,000 career points, and he becomes the 17th to do so in three seasons or less.
 
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT
After allowing six straight foes to surpass double figures in scoring, including Sam Houston going off for an opponent season-high tying 89 points in the second-to-last game of the regular season on March 6, UTEP got back to guarding in the first-round victory against the Bearkats on March 11. Sam Houston managed just 65 points, 11 shy of their average. It was also the lowest output by a UTEP foe since the Orange and Blue limited both NM State (Feb. 8) and FIU (Feb. 13) to 63 points.
 
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
After going winless (0-5) in the regular season in the Central Time Zone, the Miners led for more than 26 minutes of action on the way to the 79-65 vanquishing of Sam Houston on March 11. It allowed them to pick up their first victory this year when playing in CT, in addition to the first triumph of the campaign in the month of March (now 1-3).
 
TOOK CARE OF THE BALL
UTEP did a good job with valuing the basketball, committing only nine turnovers in the first-round victory vs. Sam Houston on March 11. The Miners forced 13 giveaways to improve their turnover margin to +4.34. Regular-season champion and Wednesday's opponent Liberty and is the closest league foe to the Orange and Blue at +2.23.
 
KEEP OPPONENTS BELOW 70 AND WIN
UTEP shut down Sam Houston in the 79-65 triumph in the first round on March 11. The effort moved the Miners to 11-0 this year when allowing less than 70 points.
 
REBOUND AND WIN AS WELL
UTEP outrebounded Sam Houston, 35-34, in the first-round victory on March 11, to stay undefeated (7-0) this year when winning the boards.
 
SAME GOES FOR TRIPLES
UTEP tied its conference tournament single-game record with 12 triples against Sam Houston on March 11. The Miners are now 5-1 this year and 16-2 in the Joe Golding era when making at least 10 3-pointers in a game.
 
SHOOT BETTER AND WE WIN
UTEP has been nearly unbeatable (13-2) this year when shooting it better than the opposition, but it's been a struggle (5-12) when foes outshoot the Miners.
 
BUILDING BIG LEADS AND HOLDING ON
UTEP led by as many as 16 points in the victory against Sam Houston on March 11. The Miners now stand 16-3 this season when holding a double-digit advantage in a contest.
 
DEV IS ON A ROLL
Devon Barnes tallied 12 points in the win against Sam Houston on March 11, marking his third straight contest in double figures for scoring. That equals his longest stretch of the season, which previously happened from Nov. 9-Nov. 20 (second, third and fourth games of the year). He has drained 12-30 (40.0 percent) in the stretch, including 6-13 (46.2 percent) on 3-pointers, during his upswing. He was a combined 6-33 from the floor (18.2 percent), including 1-15 on triples (6.7 percent), in the prior five games.
 
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER TO CRASH THE OFFENSIVE BOARDS
UTEP has grabbed at least 10 offensive rebounds in six of the past seven games, including snagging 11 vs. Sam Houston. The Miners are averaging 10.7 orpg in the stretch. During the first 25 contests of the campaign, the Miners had seven such efforts and accounted for 8.2 offensive rebounds per game.
 
ANOTHER DOUBLE-DIGIT STEAL GAME
UTEP registered 10 steals in the first-round win against Sam Houston on March 11. It marked the second straight game with double digits in thefts and the 14th such contest on the campaign. The Miners have now produced 54 contests with at least 10 steals under head coach Joe Golding. To put the 54 tilts with 10+ thefts into perspective, consider that it is six more than the Orange and Blue amassed (48) in the previous 14 seasons combined prior to Golding's arrival.
 
LATE-SEASON OPPONENT, NO PROBLEM
For the third straight year, UTEP's first foe (Sam Houston) in the league tournament was the same one it locked up with in the second to last game of the regular season. The Miners are now 2-1 in that situation over the past three years. They tell fell to WKU in the first round in 2023 before besting Liberty in the quarterfinals in 2024.
 
GET TO KNOW LIBERTY (25-6, 13-5 CUSA, 12-3 HOME, 9-2 AWAY, 4-1 NEUTRAL)
Regular-season champion and top seed Liberty is rolling, having won two straight and eight of the past nine to enter the CUSA Championships with a record of 25-6. They swept the final two tilts of the regular season, both on the road, to claim the outright league title and No. 1 seed at the tournament as result. The squad thrived in every situation this year, sporting a mark of 12-3 at home, 9-2 on the road and 4-1 in neutral-site action on the way to entering the conference tournament with an overall record of 25-6. It also has the best NET ranking (66) among all league programs. The Flames are absolutely smothering on defense, boasting the third-best mark in the country (23-0) when keeping the opposition to less than 70 points. Only Houston (26-0) and Duke (24-0) have better records when accomplishing the feat. Opponents have been held to just 39.9 percent shooting (second CUSA/15th NCAA), aided by Liberty featuring the top-rated 3-point percentage defense (27.6) in the nation. The Flames lock opponents down to the tune of a scoring defense of 62.3 (first CUSA/ninth NCAA), despite committing the fifth-fewest fouls per game (13.3) in the country. LU also boxes out well, snagging 26.97 defensive rebounds per game (fourth CUSA/39th NCAA). The Flames are also among the CUSA and national leaders for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6-first/ninth), assists per game (16.6-first/30th), field-goal percentage (48.8-first/16th), scoring margin (+13.9-first/10th), 3-point percentage (38.0-second/18th), 3-pointers per game (10.4-first/18th), turnover margin (2.2-second/54th), fewest turnovers per game (10.2-second/34th) and winning percentage (80.6-first/15th). Individually, Liberty has the most combined All-CUSA selections (between first, second and third team), with Kaden Metheny landing on the second team and Zach Cleveland and Taelon Peter grabbing spots on the third team. Peter was also the CUSA Sixth Player of the Year while Colin Porter was an All-CUSA Honorable-Mention member. Peter tops the team in scoring (13.7 ppg-10th CUSA), aided by averaging 21.5 ppg in two contests against UTEP this season. Metheny (12.8-tied 14th CUSA) and Cleveland (10.8 ppg-20th CUSA) are also in double figures for scoring while Porter (9.1), Owen Aquino (9.0) and Jayvon Maughmer (8.8 ppg) have also been consistent scorers. Cleveland is dangerous as a passer, dishing out 5.1 apg (second CUSA/49th NCAA). Metheny (2.77-third CUSA/64th NCAA) and Peter (2.13-ninth CUSA) both are assassins from distance with multiples makes per contest. Metheny shoots it at 37.2 percent from distance (third CUSA/80th NCAA). Porter (44.1 percent) and Peter (43.4 percent) are even better, but they don't qualify for the NCAA rankings in the category due to not making 2.5 treys per game. Cleveland is the top rebounder (6.5 rpg-eighth CUSA), followed by Aquino (5.8 rpg-tied 11th CUSA). Notable university alumni include Terry Fator (Ventriloquist who won America's Got Talent who now is a Vegas Headliner), Toby Mac (hip-hop artist) and Michael Tait (lead singer for the Newsboys.
 
SERIES HISTORY: UTEP LEADS, 3-2
UTEP leads the series with Liberty, 3-2, with both sides winning on the road this year to split the season series. Most recently, the Flames used a 16-3 to erase a seven-point deficit (53-46, 9:35) on the way to holding off the Miners, 76-69, at the Don Haskins Center on Feb. 15. The win for LU halted a three-game victory streak for the Orange and Blue against the Flames. That included the Miners unleashing a game-closing 24-3 surge to best Liberty, 66-57, in the quarterfinals of the 2024 CUSA Tournament.
 
SECOND-MOST TRIPLES IN A SEASON
UTEP bombed home 12 triples in the first-round win against Sam Houston. The effort propelled the Miners' campaign total for 3-pointers made to 234, which allowed them to surpass the 2015-16 squad (223) for second place all time on school single-season charts. The program standard, which was set during head coach Joe Golding's first season on the sidelines, is safe at 259, but with every 3-pointer hit this year's team makes it harder for future Miner squads to surpass it.
 
TERRELL JR. IN TOP FIVE OF ASSIST LIST FOR UTEP SOPHOMORES
David Terrell Jr. was credited with seven assists in the win vs. Sam Houston on March 11, elevating his season total to 122. It is the most helpers by a UTEP sophomore since Julyan Stone's (236, No. 1 on sophomore list, No. 2 regardless of class) in 2008-09. He currently occupies fourth on that list, needing five dimes vs. top-seed Liberty to surpass Prince Stewart (126, 1988-89). Terrell Jr.'s 3.93 apg would also be the highest since Stone (6.38, 2008-09) and fourth on the program's single-campaign average for sophomores, just in front of Stewart (3.82).
 
STEALING THE SHOW
UTEP, San Diego and Ole Miss are the only schools in the country to boast two players producing at least 2.0 steals per game. Otis Frazier III (2.34-first CUSA/15th NCAA) and Corey Camper Jr. (2.03 spg-second CUSA/34th NCAA) are leading the way for the Miners in that department. UTEP has never had two players average at least 2.0 spg in the same season.
 
SECOND-MOST STEALS IN SCHOOL HISTORY
The Miners registered 10 steals against Sam Houston in the first-round triumph on March 11. That brought their season total to 331. The 2024-25 UTEP squad is second all time on the school's single-season list for takeaways. The program standard (389) was set last year, making it the most successful run of steals in school history. The program record is safe, but with every theft this year's squad makes it harder for future teams to catch it.
 
FRAZIER III IN FOURTH PLACE FOR STEALS ON UTEP CAREER CHARTS
Otis Frazier III has registered a team-leading 75 steals on the season, with 60 of those coming in the past 22 games. The surge has elevated his career total as a Miner to 177, which puts him fourth all time at UTEP. He officially took over that spot after posting five steals at Jax State on Feb. 22, surpassing the late, great Jeep Jackson (165, 1983-87). There is a significant gap between Frazier III and the top-three individuals, who are in the form of school-record holder and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway (262, 1985-89), Randy Culpepper (251, 2007-11) and Julyan Stone (209, 2007-11).
 
TIED FOR THIRD FOR MOST IN A SEASON AT UTEP
Otis Frazier III registered three steals against Sam Houston in the first round on March 11. Those three thefts pulled him into a tie for third place all time on the UTEP single-season charts for takeaways with himself. He also had 75 last year. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway holds both the No. 1 and No. 2 slots for the school single-campaign standard (93, 1988-89, 77, 1987-88), with Frazier III's 75 from last year occupying third.
 
SPECIAL COMPANY
Otis Frazier III enters the game against Liberty with 75 steals on the season. He joins Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway as the only players in school history with at least 70 steals in multiple seasons. Frazier III had the third-most ever by a Miner (75) last year, and he has matched that total again this year. Hardaway posted a school-record 93 in 1988-89 while recording the second-highest sum (77) at the school the prior year in 1987-88. Frazier III (currently 2.34-first CUSA/15th NCAA) will also post his second straight season with at least 2.0 spg. That will put him alongside Hardaway (three in a row) as the lone Miners to achieve the feat.
 
IN RARE AIR
Otis Frazier III is the only player in program history to have multiple games of eight steals, doing so vs. Kennesaw State (Jan. 25, 2025) and vs. Middle Tennessee (Jan. 18, 2024). Furthermore, he joins Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway as the only Miners with at least seven steals in four games. Frazier III has two with eight and two with seven while Hardaway had four with seven.
 
WHAT A DUO FOR DEFENSE
Conference USA All-Defensive Team honorees Otis Frazier III (2.34-first CUSA/15th NCAA) and Corey Camper Jr. (2.03 spg-second CUSA/34th NCAA) provide a lethal one-two punch for steals for the Miners. UTEP has never had two players record at least 2.0 spg in the same season, but it could happen this year. In fact, there have been only six times total in program history that a Miner has done so. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Tim Hardaway accounted for three of those efforts, doing so in his sophomore (2.19-1986-87), junior (2.41-1987-88) and senior (2.82, 1988-89) seasons. Frazier III accomplished the feat last year (2.21), with former Miners Randy Culpepper (2.03, 2010-11) and Calvin Solomon (2.00, 2022-23) rounding out the list.
 
STEALS ALMOST EVERY GAME FOR FRAZIER III
Otis Frazier III picked up three steals against Sam Houston on March 11. He has now registered at least one takeaway in 30 of 32 contests this season, including 20 with two or more thefts. Six times he has produced at least four takeaways, including tying his own school record (eight) vs. Kennesaw State on Jan. 25.
 
FOUR MINERS IN TOP FIVE FOR STEALS
There's not just one player that teams have be aware of when it comes to the Miners' pressure defense that is second in the country in steals per game (10.3) while rating sixth in turnovers forced per game (16.2). Including ties, UTEP sports the top three players in Conference USA for steals. Otis Frazier III (2.31, first CUSA/18th NCAA) and Corey Camper Jr. (2.03, second/37th NCAA) and David Terrell Jr (1.6 tied third CUSA) lead the way. Devon Barnes (1.5-tied fifth CUSA) gives the Orange and Blue four in the top five of the conference.
 
HEBB STREAKING AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Baylor Hebb has drained 20 straight free throws, with his last miss coming in the third game of the season against UTPB on Nov. 12.
 
AN INCREDIBLE OFFENSIVE JUMP
Kevin Kalu was averaging 3.2 ppg while shooting 57.0 percent from the floor for his career heading into his senior season. He has certainly saved the best for last, contributing 8.1 ppg on 61.3 percent shooting (95-155). One factor has been his effort at the line, which jumped to 67.4 percent (62-92). That's a huge improvement from making 46.6 percent (27-58) last year. Overall, he has produced 11 double-digit scoring games, including a career-best 26 points vs. Middle Tennessee on March 1. That is more than five times as many double-figure efforts (two) over 91 appearances in his first three years with the Miners.
 
DON'T BLINK, YOU MIGHT MISS A SCORE
UTEP is quick to get into its offense, especially off turnovers. The Miners lead CUSA and are 21st nationally at 14.2 fastbreak points per game.
 
1,000 CAREER POINTS AND COUNTING FOR OTIS
Otis Frazier III surpassed 1,000 for his collegiate career with his first basket against FIU on Feb. 13. He heads into the matchup with Liberty with 1,094 (including time with George Mason), with the majority of those (1,007) coming as a Miner.
 
1,000 POINTS AS A MINER TOO
Otis Frazier III enters game vs. Liberty with 1,007 points in a UTEP uniform. He joined it in the first-round win vs. Sam Houston. That made him the 36th member of the club at the school, and the 17th to accomplish the feat in three seasons or less.
 
GET TO THE CHARITY STRIPE
UTEP is second in CUSA in both free throws made per game (15.3-87th NCAA) and free throws attempted per contest (21.5-61st NCAA). That aggressive drive to the rim has helped compensate for rating seventh in CUSA and 294th in the country by committing 18.3 fouls per game.
 
OTIS WITH 1,000+ POINTS, 500+ REBOUNDS
Including his time with George Mason, Otis Frazier III enters the matchup with Liberty with more than 1,000 career points (1,094) and 500 career rebounds (509) in his collegiate career. He has the majority of those as a Miner, with 1,007 points and 448 caroms in a UTEP uniform.
 
AWARDS AVENUE
Otis Frazier III (All CUSA Second Team, All-Defensive Team), Corey Camper Jr. (All-Defensive Team, All-CUSA Honorable Mention) and David Terrell Jr. (All-CUSA Honorable Mention) were all recognized in postseason Conference USA awards announced by the league office on March 10. Frazier III jumped from an honorable-mention recipient last season to the second team this year. Terrell Jr., the 2024 CUSA Freshman of the Year, took another step in the right direction while Camper Jr. was rewarded for his all-around play.
 
TALKING ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
For the second straight year and fourth time under head coach Joe Golding, UTEP has had an individual earn All-CUSA honors. Otis Frazier III (second team) joins Tae Hardy (2024), Souley Boum (2022) and Jamal Bieniemy (2022) to be so distinguished.
 
SPECIAL DEFENSIVE PAIRING
Otis Frazier III (2.32 steals per game-first CUSA/18th NCAA) and Corey Camper Jr. (2.03 spg-second CUSA/37th NCAA) become just second Miner duo to earn all-defensive team honors in the same season. It also happened in 1995 (Phil Crocker and Mark Ingles) when UTEP competed in the WAC. Frazier III, who earned the distinction last year, becomes the first Miner since Julian Washburn (three times, 2013-15) and third all time (Julyan Stone, 2010-11) to do so on multiple occasions.
 
ACADEMIC KUDOS TO KALU
Kevin Kalu was named to the CUSA All-Academic men's basketball team on March 6. He boasts the top GPA on the team (3.72) while pursuing a degree in multidisciplinary studies. Kalu is the second Miner in the past three years (Shamar Givance, 2023) to be voted to the squad and the sixth to be so distinguished since UTEP joined Conference USA (2005-06). The other Miners to have been selected are Dominic Artis (2016), Cedrick Lang and McKenzie Moore (2013) and Isaac Gordon (2010).
 
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 228-206 in his 14th season as a collegiate head coach, including 70-62 at UTEP. He has enjoyed two winning campaigns in three years and is assured of another in 2024-25. Golding moved past Marshall Pennington (63-83, 1937-43) to take over 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
A win would advance the Miners to the semifinals of the Conference USA championships for the second straight year. They would challenge the victor of Thursday's game between fourth-seeded NM State and No. 5 seeded Kennesaw State. Otherwise, UTEP would bow out of the league's pinnacle event at 18-15 on the campaign.