The UTEP men’s basketball team (1-1) returns to the familiar surroundings of the Don Haskins Center on Tuesday night to host Division II member UTPB (1-1) at 7 p.m. MT. This game counts towards UTEP’s record, while UTPB will treat it as an exhibition.
UTEP aims to get back on track after a tough 89-60 loss at Utah Valley on November 9. UTPB also seeks to rebound following a 95-88 setback at Adams State on November 10. This game is the second of three home contests to start the season for the Miners, both against Division II opponents, before they embark on a four-game road trip.
UTEP holds a 4-0 record against UTPB, with all matchups taking place in El Paso. The Miners first dominated the Falcons 109-49 on November 22, 2003. They followed up with another win in 2005, defeating UTPB 97-54 on November 21, 2005. The two teams didn’t face off again until the 2018-19 season, where UTEP secured a 90-63 victory on November 6, 2018. The most recent encounter was on November 25, 2020, during the Covid-19 affected season, with UTEP winning 100-81. The Miners have an impressive average winning margin of +37.2 points (99.0-61.8) in these four games.
Division II member UTPB is 1-1 this season, having secured a 75-71 victory over Westminster in their opener on November 9 before falling in a high-scoring 95-88 affair at Adams State on November 10. Their game against the Miners will be treated as an exhibition match for the Falcons.
Last year, UTPB finished with a 17-11 record, including 12-10 in the Lone Star Conference, marking their second overall winning season in the past three years. Despite this, they were picked to finish ninth in the regular season according to the league’s preseason poll.
Alex Matthews leads the team in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounding (6.5 rebounds per game), and shares the lead in steals (2.5 steals per game). He was a third-team All-LSC honoree in 2023-24 and was named to the LSC Players to Watch list this year. Matthews heads a balanced attack, with Dario Domingos (14.0 ppg), DJ Armstrong (12.0 ppg), Freddie Word (11.0 ppg), and Maison Adeleye (10.0 ppg) also scoring in double figures.
UTPB is averaging 81.5 points per game through two contests but has allowed 83.0 points per game. Their opponents are shooting 51.3 percent from the field, including 45.2 percent from three-point range. The Falcons have struggled with a -7.0 rebound margin (29.0-36.0), but they have compensated by forcing 18.0 turnovers per game, resulting in 12.0 steals per contest. UTPB has also taken good care of the ball, averaging just 10.0 turnovers per game.
Notable UTPB alumni include the late Sean Roden, a NASA flight surgeon involved in various medical operations, including for the International Space Station from 2004 to 2007, and Sandy Collins, a retired professional tennis player who competed from the late 1970s until 1994.
UTEP found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 15-0 just five minutes into their game against Utah Valley on November 9. Although the Miners managed to cut the deficit to six points (18-12) midway through the first half, the Wolverines responded with a 23-8 run, dashing UTEP’s hopes of a comeback. By halftime, the Miners were down 43-28 and were unable to make any significant progress in the second half. A late surge by Utah Valley further extended their lead, culminating in an 89-60 loss for UTEP.
The Miners struggled with their shooting, hitting just 26.3 percent (15-57) from the field, while Utah Valley shot a robust 52.1 percent (25-48). This disparity in shooting performance played a crucial role in the outcome of the game.
UTEP hit an impressive 86.2 percent (25-29) of their free throws at the charity stripe during their game at Utah Valley on November 9. This marked their highest free throw percentage in a game (minimum of 25 free throws made) since they shot 91.2 percent (34-37) against Southern Miss on January 9, 2020. Otis Frazier III led the effort, going a perfect 9-for-9 at the line, matching his career-best for free throws made.
