Dec. 20, 2006

Box Score

EL PASO - Texas-El Paso shot a blistering 57 percent from the field and drained 14 three-pointers en route to a 108-60 win over Texas State Tuesday in the Don Haskins Center.

Leading 44-25 at the half, UTEP came out of the break and made 63 percent of their second-half three-pointers (12-of-19), led by a 4-of-9 performance by Kevin Henderson who finished with 13 points and three assists. Henderson was one of four players off the bench to score in double figures including Darren Clarke who scored 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

UTEP starting guard Stefon Jackson, who has led the Miners in scoring all year, finished with a game-high 23 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field.

While UTEP was hot from the floor, the Bobcats were not. Texas State made just 8-of-41 shots in the first half (19 percent) and finished the game shooting 27 percent from the floor.

The game marked the first time since a 105-60 loss at Texas in 1994 the Bobcats had an opponent score 100 points against them. Tuesday's triple-figure loss was the first in 340 games.

With the win, UTEP improved to 6-5 and plays Jackson State Friday. Texas State heads into its Christmas break at 4-7. The Bobcats begin a four-game home stand next Thursday when they play host to Texas A&M-International.

In Tuesday's loss, Texas State was led in scoring by Brent Holder who finished with 14 points. But like the rest of his team, even Holder struggled form the field, making 4-of-13 total shots and 2-of-8 three-pointers. The Bobcats made just 19-of-70 attempts from the floor.

Antwoine Blanchard added 12 points and Dylan Moseley finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Texas State senior forward Charles Dotson has been one of the team's leading scorers but had four personal fouls by the 8:15 mark of the first half. He did not play the second half and was held scoreless.

Dotson sat most of the early part of the first half after picking up two quick personals. He would be whistled for a third moments after reentering the game at the 8:15 mark and was also called for a technical after the play which accounted for his fourth foul. Both Matt Fullenwider and Antwoine Blanchard had three fouls at the break.

Texas State was whistled for 33 fouls on the night and the Miners went to the free throw line 39 times on the night.

The Bobcats had several scoring droughts in the first half which led to a 19-point deficit at intermission.

After a floating jumper by Blanchard at the 6:43 mark, Texas State managed just two free throws in the next four-plus minutes. UTEP's lead was 25-15 after Blanchard's shot. By the time Brandon Thomas scored on a putback tip-in at the 2:28 mark, the Miners lead had extended to 16, 37-21.

Thomas' putback was the only basket over the Bobcats' final eight shots from the field in the half. Brandon Bush and Dylan Moseley would each add a pair of free throws but two free throws by UTEP's Maurice Thomas coupled with back-to-back three-pointers by Jeremy Sampson and Malik Alvin would give the Miners a 44-25 lead at the break. Alvin's jumper came when he beat the buzzer and got off a shot despite being closely guarded by George Kiel.