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63RD WESTSTAR DON HASKINS SUN BOWL INVITATIONAL – DAY TWO December 22, 2024

EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP Miners defeated the Yale Bulldogs 75-74 to hoist the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational Trophy for the second consecutive year on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. This is the first time that UTEP has won consecutive Sun Bowl titles since it did it three straight years in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The Akron Zips defeated the Jackson State Tigers in the consolation game of the tournament to 3-1 all-time in the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational as they won it all in 2016.

63rd WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational All-Tournament Team
Shammah Scott – Akron
Romelle Mansel – Jackson State
Nick Townsend – Yale
Kevin Kalu – UTEP
Ahamad Bynum – UTEP – Don Haskins Award
Otis Frazier III – UTEP – Barry Kobren MVP

Game One Recap via Associated Press:
Shammah Scott scored 12 points off the bench, Isaiah Gray added a double-double and Akron beat winless Jackson State 68-50 on Saturday night in the consolation game of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational.

Scott added six rebounds for the Zips (7-4). Gray finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Sharron Young also scored 11.

The Tigers (0-12) were led by Keiveon Hunt with 11 points, four assists and three steals. Romelle Mansel added nine points and six rebounds. Delyle Williams had eight points and four steals.

Akron took the lead with 2:00 left in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 30-29 at halftime, with James Okonkwo racking up eight points. Akron pulled away with a 14-2 run in the second half to extend a 14-point lead to 26 points.

Akron vs Jackson State BOX SCORE – Dec. 21, 2024

Game Two Recap via UTEP Athletics Strategic Communications:
Tournament MVP Otis Frazier III tallied a team-high 15 points and made a game-saving blocked shot with two seconds left, to help lift the UTEP men’s basketball team to a 75-74 victory against Yale as the Miners won the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in front of the 5,300+ fans Saturday night.

Devon Barnes (12 points, two assists, two steals), Ahamad Bynum (11 points), David Terrell Jr. (11 points, four rebounds, four assists) and Kevin Kalu (10 points, eight rebounds) all got after it as well to help UTEP (9-3) take home the tournament title for the second straight season, something that hasn’t happened since a three-year run (2012-14).

The reigning Ivy League champions didn’t make it easy, though, with the Bulldogs (6-6) fighting back from a 12-point halftime deficit (45-33) to climb within one on three occasions, but UTEP never relinquished the lead. Frazier III made the play of the night by blocking Bez Mbeng’s shot with 2.3 seconds remaining. RS-freshman Bababcar Mbengue then did such a good job disrupting the inbounds play that Yale couldn’t get a shot off.

The Miners have won three straight game and six of the past seven while also marching to 6-0 at home on the season. The 9-3 start to the year is the best mark in five years when UTEP also got out of the gates with that mark.

UTEP shot 48.1 percent for the game (25-52), including a 58.6 percent over the first 20 minutes, to build a 12-point lead at the half (45-33). The Miners were also locked in from long distance for the tilt by connecting on a season-high 64.7 percent (11-17), with a sensational 88.9 percent (8-9) in the first half. The 64.7 percent ties as the sixth best all time at UTEP. The eight triples made equaled the most in a stanza for the Miners this year, as they also did so vs. Sul Ross State (Nov. 4) in the opener while the 11 are the most vs. a DI opponent this season.

Kalu joined Frazier III on the all-tournament team while Bynum was voted as the Don Haskins Award winner. UTEP kept Yale to 43.5 percent shooting (27-62), but the Bulldogs did connect on 45.5 percent (10-22) on 3-pointers. The Miners made up for that by forcing 16 turnovers which led to 23 points. The Bulldogs had three players hit double figures in scoring, with Riley Fox leading the way at 19 points.

Yale vs UTEP – BOX SCORE – Dec. 21, 2024

All-Tournament Team