EL PASO, Texas – Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace combined for 57 points but UTEP got a 34-point, 10-rebound effort from Bryson Williams to edge UTSA men's basketball in overtime, 80-77 on Wednesday night at the Don Haskins Center.
UTSA (8-10, 2-3 Conference USA) owned a 24-point lead with 14:43 left in the second half but UTEP (11-7, 2-3 C-USA) outscored the Roadrunners 40-26 in the second half – including a 19-0 run – to erase a 42-28 UTSA lead at halftime. The Miners rallied past UTSA in overtime, outscoring the Roadrunners 11-9.
The Roadrunners got 29 points from Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace, with Jackson owning his third double-double of the year with 13 rebounds and two assists. Wallace had 26 points on 10 of 17 from the field, with five rebounds and three assists. Luka Barisic added 12 points and three rebounds.
UTSA will return to action on Saturday, playing host to UTEP at 3 p.m. at the Convocation Center. The game will be televised live on ESPN+ and will also be live on the Roadrunners Sports Network on Ticket 760-AM and goUTSA.com, with the Voice of the Roadrunners, Andy Everett (play-by-play), calling the action, along with Jim Goodman (analyst).
Jackson opened the scoring with a midrange jumper from the corner, and after a UTEP triple, Barisic completed a post-move bucket for an early 4-3 lead. After UTEP's second triple, Wallace went on a 5-0 run, splashing a triple and completing a dunk for a 9-6 lead. UTEP cut the lead to 9-8 at the first media timeout and took a 12-9 lead on a 6-0 run before Jackson's offensive rebound and floater cut the lead to one and his corner jumper gave UTSA a 13-12 lead.
Wallace gave UTSA a 16-12 lead and Jacob Germany's jumper stretched the lead to 18-12 and forced a UTEP timeout. Out of the timeout, Coach Steve Henson drew up a play designed to give Jackson an open look and the guard delivered, sinking his first triple. Knox Hellums extended UTSA's run to 17-2 with a layup in transition for a 26-14 lead.
UTSA came out of a media break hot, getting a Frohnen basket on a nifty bounce pass from Barisic for a 28-19 lead. After a UTEP bucket, Wallace spurted on an 8-2 run, sinking a runner in traffic, completing an and-1 play and drilling a triple off the dribble.
After UTEP cut the lead to nine, Atem Bior found a cutting Wallace in the paint for a 38-27 lead. UTSA delivered a defensive stop on one end and Jackson used here offensive rebounds to put it back in for a 40-27 lead. UTEP cut the lead to 12 after a made free throw but Hellums cleaned up the offensive glass on the other end for a 42-28 halftime lead. Wallace led UTSA with 18 points in the first half, on 7-of-9 shooting, with Jackson owning 14.
The second half opened strong for UTSA, which spurted off to an 8-2 run behind Barisic, who drilled a pair of triples and hit a midrange jumper off the dribble to take the lead to 50-30 with 16 minutes left in regulation.
Jackson splashed a deep jumper and Wallace added a layup in the paint for a 54-30 lead, which was answered by a 3-pointer from UTEP. Wallace responded with a contested 3-pointer of his own for a 57-33 lead.
UTEP ripped off a 17-0 run to cut the lead to 56-50 with just under 10 minutes left, forcing a Henson timeout. Barisic snapped the run with an up-and-under move for a 58-50 lead. An 8-0 run for the Miners evened up the game at 60 with 4:43 left.
Jackson nailed a pair of free throws to give UTSA a 62-60 lead and after UTEP evened it up at 62, Wallace had an aggressive take to the rim to give UTSA a 64-62 lead at the final media timeout.
Jackson drilled a step-back jumper to give UTSA a 66-62 lead with just under three minutes left. UTEP got a pair of free throws from Nigel Hawkins to cut the lead to 66-64 with 1:54 left. Bryson Williams executed a hook shot to even the game at 66-66 before Henson used his next-to-last timeout with 90 seconds left.
Wallace sank a pair of free throws for a 68-66 lead but Williams responded with a step-back jumper to even it at 68 with 46.6 seconds left. UTEP had a pair of looks in the closing seconds but just missed, with Wallace's 30-foot game-winning attempt sailing wide, taking the game to overtime at 68-68.
Both teams missed the first shots in overtime and Jackson broke the seal with a free-throw line jumper for a 70-68 lead. After a UTEP bucket, Jacob Germany executed a slam for a 72-71 lead but UTEP got a corner mid-range jumper from Williams for a 73-72 lead. A pair of Jackson free throws were answered by a UTEP floater from Williams to give UTEP a 75-74 lead with two minutes left in overtime.
A drive and dunk from Eric Vila gave UTEP a 77-74 lead with 77 seconds left. After. A pair of free throws from Souley Boum gave UTEP a 79-74 lead but Jackson splashed a triple to cut the lead to 79-77 with 42.3 left.
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