The UTEP Miners Men’s Basketball team dominated the Western Illinois University Leathernecks 80-54 in the first round of the Basketball Classic Saturday Afternoon in the Don Haskins Center.
The Miners got off to a fast start as they went on a 11-0 run to start the game. UTEP’s great defense made the Leathernecks struggle to score as they missed their first 11 shots of the game. But once they did score they went on 11-7 run to cut the UTEP lead to 18-11. But that’s as close as WIU would get in the first half as the Miners would go on a run on their own to build up a 15 point lead at halftime 36-21.
In the second half the Miners continued their domination as they shot 52 percent from the field and they outscored Western Illinois 44-33 to give them a 80-54 win.
The Miners were lead by Souley Boum who had a triple double 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. It was only the second time in program history that a Miner has had a triple double. Three other Miners scored in double figures as Keonte Kennedy scored 22 points with 15 rebounds, Jamari Sibley had 11, Alfred Hollins had 10 and Tydus Verhoeven scored 10 points.
With the win UTEP advances in the Basketball Classic and they will host a game on Tuesday night at 7pm the Don Haskins Center against an opponent yet to be named.
After the game UTEP Coach Joe Golding talked about the win over Western Illinois: