EL PASO, Texas -- A late first-half surge is what UTEP needed to defeat the North Carolina A&T men's basketball team 81-66 Wednesday night at the Don Haskins Center.
Dwane Joshua led the Aggies with a career-high 21 points on 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point range. Thomas Coleman added 11 points and five rebounds.
The Aggies trailed 22-9 before the Aggies hit five 3-pointers over a seven-minute span in the first half to take a 29-28 lead with 4:02 remaining in the first half. The Miners answered with two 3-pointers during a 12-0 run. The biggest came on a Julyan Stone three at the buzzer that gave the Miners a 40-29 advantage at the half.
"There's no question that was a big shot,'' said North Carolina A&T head coach Jerry Eaves. "I thought with a little more discipline to close the half we really could have put a scare into them. But we let them get away."
The closest the Aggies came in the second half was 11. The Miners placed five players in double figures led by Christian Polk and Jeremy Williams who had 14 points apiece. The Aggies play again on Thanksgiving Day when they travel to face New Mexico State at 9 p.m., eastern.
