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63RD WESTSTAR DON HASKINS SUN BOWL INVITATIONAL – DAY ONE December 21, 2024

EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP Miners are heading to the Championship of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational to take on the Yale Bulldogs as both teams won their respective games on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in the Don Haskins Center.

Yale defeated the Akron Zips 74-58 in game one of the tournament before UTEP was victorious over Jackson State 67-61.

Game One Recap via Yale Athletics Communications:
The Yale men’s basketball team opened the Sun Bowl Invitational with a 74-58 victory over Akron at the Don Haskins Center. The Bulldogs improved to 6-5 on the season, while the Zips moved to 6-4.

There were five different players who scored in double figures led by an 18-point performance from Nick Townsend and a 17-point showing from Casey Simmons. A big difference in the game was that Yale had 42 points in the paint compared to Akron’s 14. The Bulldogs also outrebounded the Zips, 49-26. Townsend and Simmons accounted for 24 of Yale’s 49 total.

Big, unanswered runs were something that stood out in this showing. After both sides had power pushes in the first half, Yale went into the break with a two-point lead after a late jumper by Nick Townsend with 28 seconds left in the first. Out of the break, the Bulldogs’ offense ignited for a 16-0 run over a five-minute span to take a 17-point lead. The next six minutes belonged to the Zips, who clawed their way back within four points of Yale’s lead. The Bulldogs countered with an 11-0 run – stretching their lead back to double figures once again with just over three minutes left to play.

Game Two Recap via UTEP Athletics Strategic Communications:
Kevin Kalu had a big night with his first career double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) while Otis Frazier III (team-high 16 points), Ahamad Bynum (12 points) and David Terrell Jr. (10 points) all joined him in double figures in scoring to help the UTEP men’s basketball team knock off pesky Jackson State, 67-61, in the first round of the 63rd-Annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational on Friday.

The Miners (8-3), who have won two straight and five of six, advance to the title tilt to challenge 2024 NCAA Tournament participant (second round) Yale (6-5) at 7 p.m. MT Saturday. UTEP will be in search of back-to-back crowns at the event, something it hasn’t done since a three-year run (2012-14) under then head coach Tim Floyd.

The Orange and Blue controlled for most of the contest, leading for nearly 38 minutes UTEP connected on 52.2 percent (24-46) from the floor, including 42.9 percent (6-14) from beyond-the-arc. The Miners also got after it with guarding, limiting the Tigers (0-11) to just 33.9 percent (20-59) shooting. That was affected by a paltry 3-24 (12.5 percent) from 3-point range.

UTEP forced 15 turnovers that led to 16 points, with 12 of those giveaways coming during the first half. That helped the Miners build a nine-point edge (31-22) heading into the locker room. JSU never got within six the rest of the way.

Rebounding (40-33) went in favor of the SWAC opponent, which was aided by 17 at the offensive end. JSU also forced UTEP into making 17 giveaways of its own.

Corey Camper Jr. only had two points, but he did pull down four boards, log a team-high 28 minutes while recording a squad-best +22 for plus/minus.

Akron vs Yale – BOX SCORE – Dec. 20, 2024

Jackson State vs UTEP – BOX SCORE – Dec. 20, 2024

Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024
5 p.m. – Akron Zips vs. Jackson State Tigers
7 p.m. – Yale Bulldogs vs. UTEP Miners
In the Don Haskins Center

Saturday, Dec. 21, 5 p.m. (MT)
Akron (designated away) vs. Jackson State (designated home)
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=561055

Saturday, Dec. 21, 7 p.m. (MT)
Yale at UTEP
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=550722