UTEP men rout Northern New Mexico in final tuneup before Conference USA play

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To answer the obvious question, UTEP men’s basketball coach Joe Golding scheduled Northern New Mexico, an NAIA school that fell to 4-18 after a 79-60 loss to the Miners, because he didn’t want to open Conference USA Thursday coming off a two-week layoff.

To the list of things UTEP got out of the expected rout, the Miners emptied their bench early, saw Otis Frazier flirt with a quadruple-double for a half and generally did what they were expected to do in the decisive first half against an outmatched opponent.

UTEP freshman guard KJ Lewis drives the lane against Northern New Mexico at the Don Haskins Center Saturday night

More: CUSA men’s basketball standings

That got the Miners to 10-3 and feeling good about themselves as they prep for the part of the season that matters.

Quoting coach Joe Golding

“There were some good things, and it was really sloppy,” coach Joe Golding said after his team got off to its best start for a season in 14 years. “It gets us a game before conference play.

“You’re off for five days; we had one day of practice and a shootaround. You could tell it was sloppy. We have to get back in shape. That’s why I wasn’t going crazy over there. You have to get them some minutes; you have to get them going. Our guys know they have to play a heck of a lot better next Thursday.

How it went

Frazier finished the night with 12 points, six rebounds, seven assists and seven steals despite playing limited minutes in the second half. Corey Camper led the Miners with 15 points.

UTEP forced 27 Eagle turnovers and turned those into 28 points. They pushed the lead past 20 with 5 minutes left in the first half and cruised home.

Quoting the Miners

“We had to come in ready to play; we had to get back in shape from winter break,” Camper said. “Compete.”

Frazier said he enjoyed the night

“It was fun. It’s always fun to play a good team at home,” he said. “I think we’re in great shape. We’re 10-3, there are some things need to clean up, but I like where we’re at right now.”

Miners up 47-22 at…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/utep-men-rout-northern-mexico-152410320.html

Author : The El Paso Times

Publish date : 2024-12-29 15:24:00

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