EL PASO, Texas – UTEP outlasted UTSA men's basketball in a defensive struggle 69-51, using a 14-2 run in the second half to separate from the Roadrunners, on Saturday night at the Don Haskins Center.
UTSA (8-9, 4-6 Conference USA) couldn't complete the sweep over UTEP (8-8, 4-6 C-USA) after topping the Miners, 86-79 on Thursday night in San Antonio.
The Miners owned a 32-29 lead after a defensive first half that saw the teams combine for just two assists, with both shooting under 40-percent.
The game resembled the first half in the final stanza as the Miners were able to build an insurmountable double-digit lead with an 11-0 run over a four-minute stretch, holding off the Roadrunners for the split of the two-game series.
UTSA was held without a basket from the field over the final 8:17 in the game, with UTEP making the final seven shots and closing on a 17-4 run.
The Roadrunners were led by senior guard Keaton Wallace who had 15 points and four rebounds.
Senior guard Jhivvan Jackson added a season-low seven points and three rebounds. Jackson, the all-time leading scorer in UTSA history, moved past Marshall legend Jon Elmore for second in C-USA career history in field goals made (799).
Sophomore center Jacob Germany finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
UTEP was paced by Jamal Bieniemy who had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Souley Boum had 16 for the Miners.
UTSA shot a season-low 29.5 percent in the loss, while UTEP shot 46 percent. UTSA was 2 of 17 from 3-point range and 0 of 5 in the second half.
UTSA will return to action on Friday at FIU at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+ and Ticket 760 AM.
UTSA scored the first six points of the game, getting a floater from Jackson, a 3-pointer from Ivy-Curry and a free throw from Adrian Rodriguez.
After UTEP got on the board, Wallace sank a floater in the paint but the Miners cut the lead to 8-5 with an and-1 from Bieniemy.
Cedrick Alley Jr., and Germany each laid in buckets in the paint but the Miners made their next five shots to take a 14-12 lead. UTSA evened the game at 16 after an Alley 3-pointer but UTEP scored the next four to take a 20-16 lead.
Jackson's corner floater cut the lead to 20-18 with just under eight minute left in the first. The teams traded 6-0 runs, with UTSA using a nifty layup from Ivy-Curry, a pair at the foul line from Germany and a midrange jumper from Wallace to cut the lead to 26-24 with 3:25 left.
Wallace answered four points from the Miners with an and-1 play but UTEP took a five-point lead before Wallace sank a pair at the line for a 32-29 margin at the half. UTSA shot just 31 percent in the first half, including 2 of 12 from distance, while UTEP shot 36 percent. UTEP owned a 25-16 margin on the boards.
UTEP sank a 3-pointer to open the second half and Germany answered with an and-1. The Miners scored the next four points before a Jackson floater and a Germany follow dunk in transition cut the lead to 39-36.
Wallace answered a UTEP bucket with a couple midrange shots to narrow the lead to one with just under 14 minutes left.
Two straight buckets from Eric Parrish evened the game at 44 before Keonte Kennedy gave UTEP a 46-44 lead with 11 minutes left.
UTEP took the lead to eight, equaling its largest lead of the game, after a Bryson Williams' 3-pointer with just over eight minutes left. Germany's follow dunk cut the lead to six with 8:22 left and UTSA head coach Steve Henson called timeout.
The lead grew to nine after a Williams' hook shot and the Miners were able to hold off the Roadrunners over the final seven minutes to secure the win.
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