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MATCH-UPS ANNOUNCED FOR 57TH ANNUAL WESTSTAR BANK DON HASKINS SUN BOWL INVITATIONAL August 1, 2018

EL PASO, Texas – The Sun Bowl Association and WestStar Bank have announced the match-ups for the 57th Annual WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational, which will be held in the Don Haskins Center, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 21-22.

The four-team tournament includes two top-100 (RPI) teams and a former UTEP-conference rival from the Western Athletic Conference. Wyoming returns to El Paso for the holiday tournament and joins East Tennessee State, Norfolk State and home team, UTEP on the hardwood.

“We appreciate all the hard work that the Sun Bowl committee puts into hosting this tournament and finding quality opponents to compete in it year in and year out,” said UTEP Head Coach Rodney Terry.

East Tennessee State, who is making its first appearance in the oldest collegiate holiday basketball tournament in the nation, will open against Wyoming at 5 p.m. (MST) in the Don Haskins Center. Wyoming is making its second appearance in the tournament. The first time the Cowboys played in the WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational was in 2007, going 1-1 that year.

UTEP will open the tournament against Norfolk State, which is making its third appearance in the Invitational after making it to the championship game in 2015. The Miners have played in every tournament since it began in 1961.

Friday, Dec. 21, 2018
5 p.m. (MST) – East Tennessee State vs. Wyoming
7 p.m. (MST) – Norfolk State vs. UTEP

Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018
5 p.m. (MST) – Consolation Game
7 p.m. (MST) – Championship Game

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT
In 2009, the tournament was renamed to honor former UTEP head coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Don Haskins. “The Bear” coached at UTEP from 1961 to 1999, winning 719 games and making 14 postseason appearances. Haskins famously led the Miners to victory in the 1966 National Championship game over Adolph Rupp and the heavily favored Kentucky Wildcats.

The Sun Bowl Association would like to thank WestStar Bank for supporting the nation’s oldest holiday basketball tournament as it has been the title sponsor for 10 consecutive years.