UTEP interim head coach Phil Johnson talks about the teams first CUSA road trip Thursday against Southern Miss. and Saturday against La Tech. The Miners are sporting a 1-1 conference record. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES
A basketball game was there — waiting, waiting, waiting to be taken.
And Western Kentucky took it.
The Hilltoppers forced turnovers at crunch time, dominated the boards and held off a valiant UTEP attempt to take a 72-60 win Thursday night in the Don Haskins Center.
It was one of those proverbial games that was far, far closer than that final score indicated.