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UTEP Runs By Houston in Second Half To Win 88-61
Dec. 8, 2003
El Paso, Texas - Playing their first road game in the 2003-04 season, the University of Houston didn't have enough answers in the second half as the UTEP Miners used two decisive runs to defeat the Cougars, 88-61, at the Don Haskins Center. "When you play on the road, it's a different mindset," Houston head coach Ray McCallum said. "We ran into a hot team with a lot of firepower." UTEP's firepower came to the forefront in the first four minutes of the game when the Miners hit their first seven shots in the game and finished the first half shooting 64 percent from the field. UTEP led 19-9 before Marcus Oliver and Andre Owens hit back to back jumpers to pull the Cougars to within 19-13. UTEP increased it lead to 30-22 when Elijah Miller made a lay-up and Bryan Shelton scored five points on a three-point shot from the right wing and jumper just inside the arc on the left hand side to pull Houston to within 30-29. The Miners returned the volley and opened up a 39-29 lead after Chris Craig made a three-point basket from the top of the key. But, once again Houston stormed back. First, Owens hit a trey from the left corner, then Lanny Smith hit a three-pointer from the top of the key before Owens canned another trey from the right corner to pull the Cougars to within 41-38. The first half ended with UTEP's Omar Thomas hitting a free throw and John Tofi adding a jumper from the left block to give the Miners a 44-38 lead at halftime.
Houston came out in the second half ice cold and UTEP took advantage. The Miners opened the second half with a 12-0 run in the first three and a half minutes to open a 56-38 lead.
Houston made one more valiant effort to get back into the game as Shelton came off the bench to score five points and pull the Cougars to within 56-43. That was as close as Houston could get as Giovanni Amant hit a three-point field goal in front of the Miners' bench to extend the lead back to 59-43. UTEP never looked back. Giovanni Amant hit a three-point goal from the left corner and UTEP never looked back. "They were able to go to another level in the second half and we didn't have any answers," McCallum said. Shelton led the Cougars with a career-high 16 points. UTEP had five players in double figures. Jason Williams led the Miners with 18 points, while Chris Craig scored 17 points, Omar Thomas had 11 and Houston native Roy Smallwood added 10 points. John Tofi scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds off the Miners' bench. |
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