Editor’s note: This recap is not the most recent game for UTEP men’s basketball.
The UTEP men’s basketball team handed UC Santa Barbara (4-1, 0-0 Big West) its first loss of the season, securing a hard-fought 79-76 win on Nov. 20 at the Thunderdome. UTEP (3-1, 0-0 Conference USA) dominated early with a 14-2 run to open the game, setting the tone for a tough, defensive battle.
Senior forward Otis Frazier III was prominent in the first half, scoring 11 consecutive points during a game-changing 11-1 stretch that pushed the Miners’ lead to 15.
In the second quarter, junior guard Devon Barnes knocked down two early triples, and Frazier III contributed with aggressive play in the paint and sharp passing.