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62ND WESTSTAR DON HASKINS SUN BOWL INVITATIONAL - DAY ONE - RECAP December 21, 2023

EL PASO, Texas – The 62nd Annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational, day one, took place on Wednesday, Dec. 20 in the Don Haskins Center with Wyoming defeating South Dakota State, 78-65 in game one and UTEP beating Norfolk State 67-65 in game two.

GAME ONE RECAP (courtesy of Wyoming Athletics Media Relations)
The Wyoming Cowboys used a 12-0 run in the second half on their way to a 78-65 win over Summit League favorite South Dakota State at the Weststar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas on Wednesday. Wyoming will play in the championship game on Thursday. Wyoming shot 50 percent from both the field and behind the arc on the night.

“We had great response from our guys tonight,” UW head coach Jeff Linder said. “Our effort tonight was tremendous. It started with stopping South Dakota State’s best player in Zeke Mayo. Wenzel and Newton did outstanding work guarding him. We got great effort from our front court guys tonight. Their presence and physicality was special. Holding a team to36 percent is how you win games.”

Akuel Kot led all scorers with 22 points on the night for the Brown and Gold. He was 4-of-7 from behind the arc. Mason Walters, who was playing in his first game added 12 points. Brendan Wenzel and Sam Griffin added nine points with Griffin adding a career-high nine rebounds. Caden Powell added eight points and eight rebounds.

The Pokes shot 51 percent from the field on the night and held South Dakota State to 36 percent from the field and 21 percent from behind the arc. UW has held opponents to under 40 percent from the field four times this season. Wyoming shot 50 percent from behind the arc for the fourth game shooting 50 percent or better in the last five games.

South Dakota State tied the contest in the early going of the second half. The Pokes held SDSU scoreless for over two minutes and built a 44-38 lead thanks to a three-pointer from Kot with 14:54 left in the game.

SDSU cut the Cowboy lead to one point at 46-45 with 11:38 left in the contest. SDSU tied the contest with 10 minutes left. The Jackrabbits took a 51-49 lead, as part of an 11-3 run with 8:34 left in the game.

Walters hit a three-pointer and a and-one play from Kot made it a 57-51 game with under seven minutes left. Wenzel and Walters added buckets for a 12-0 run and a 61-51 lead with just over five minutes left in the contest.

The Cowboys would maintain the double-digit lead into the final minutes of the contest. SDSU made it a 72-64 contest with 1:41 left, but Kot sealed the game with a three for the 78-65 win and a spot in the title game.

South Dakota State was led by Charlie Easley with 17 points with William Kyle III adding 16 points.

Wyoming vs South Dakota State – Dec. 20, 2023

GAME TWO RECAP (Courtesy of UTEP Athletics Media Relations)
In a back-and-forth game featuring 11 ties and 14 lead changes, the UTEP men’s basketball team made plays when it mattered most in a 67-65 vanquishing of Norfolk State in the opening round of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational Wednesday night.

The Miners (7-5) advance to the championship game, where they will square off against old WAC rival Wyoming at 7 p.m. MT Thursday. For tickets, fans may call (915) 747-UTEP. The Spartans (8-6), who have registered consecutive 20-win seasons, will challenge South Dakota State in the consolation contest at 5 p.m. MT Thursday.

Calvin Solomon led the Orange and Blue in both scoring (13) and rebounding (nine), including coming up with a critical offensive board with five seconds left off a missed Miners’ free throw with UTEP up just one. Solomon dropped it off to Tae Hardy, who was fouled immediately. He showed ice water in his veins by making two tosses at the charity stripe, capping his night with 12 points (four shy of 1,000 career points).

Norfolk State vs. UTEP – Dec. 20, 2023

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023
5 p.m. – Consolation Game: South Dakota State vs. Norfolk State
7 p.m. – Championship Game: Wyoming vs. UTEP
In the Don Haskins Center