UTEP men’s basketball held off a second-half rally by Yale to win, 75-74, and claim the 63rd Annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational for the second straight year.
UTEP has won the Invitational in consecutive years for the first time since it won three straight from 2012-14.
Yale had two chances Saturday night to win the game in the final 19.2 seconds, but senior forward Otis Frazier III blocked a Bez Mbeng shot, and then Yale’s Trevor Mullin couldn’t get a shot off before the final buzzer after taking a Mbeng from the baseline after a timeout with 2.3 seconds left.
UTEP is now 9-3 and 6-0 at home, while Yale is 6-6. This was the first meeting between the two programs.
UTEP led 45-33 at halftime by making eight of nine from 3-point range and 17 of 29 overall from the field. The hot shooting helped the Miners overcome 10 turnovers. Eight players scored for the Miners in the opening 20 minutes, who tied the season high for 3-pointers in the first half.
Otis Frazier III earns MVP award
Frazier III was outstanding in the Invitational. In Saturday’s win, he scored 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. On Friday, he scored 16 points and four rebounds.
UTEP Miners with balance on offense
The Miners had nine players score and five score in double figures. In addition to Frazier III’s 15 points, Devon Barnes scored 12 points, David Terrell, Jr. and Ahamad Bynum scored 11 points and Kevin Kalu scored 10.
The Miners made 11 of 17 3-pointers and were 25 of 52 from the field.
Yale basketball solid on offense
The Bulldogs shot 45.9% from the field for the game and finished 10 of 22 from 3-point range. Riley Fox led Yale with 19 points and Isaac Celiscar had 13 points to lead Yale.
Kevin Kalu and Ahamad Bynum step up for Miners
In the two games in the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational, Kalu had 22 points and 20 rebounds and Bynum scored 23 points and was five of eight from 3-point range.
What UTEP coach Joe Golding said
“I’m really proud of this team. We fought and we won it tonight. Yale had an injury early. It made it tough to guard. They put more shooters on the floor,” Golding said. “Otis has been a leader for us. I’ve challenged him and he’s risen to the occasion.”
What UTEP players Ahamad Bynum and Otis Frazier III said
“We executed on offense and shot the ball well,” Bynum said.
Added Frazier III on the final sequence to win the game: “It was a big play. No. 2 (Bez Mbeng) was driving to the basket all night and we knew he was going to do it again.”
Up Next
The Miners are off until Saturday, Dec. 28 when they play Northern New Mexico at the Don Haskins Center.
More: UTEP wins at home UTEP men’s basketball hold off Tarleton State to spoil Billy Gillispie’s return
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP holds off second half rally by Yale basketball for one point win
