The UTEP men’s basketball team ( 9-8, 2-3 Conference USA) won in overtime against Old Dominion University (8-9, 1-1 C-USA) Jan. 15 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The Miners manufactured enough offense and defense towards the end to take this game into overtime and win the contest. 

In the start of the first half, the Miners would take a 4-1 lead after some scores from junior forward Tydus Verhoeven and freshman forward Jamari Sibley.  

 ODU would get a bucket to go in after about four minutes to make the score 4-3. 

 Junior guard Souley Boum made his presence felt after scoring on a transition bucket to put the Miners up 6-3. However, the Monarch’s countered with a bucket to put the score at 6-5. 

At the 10:03 mark, junior guard Jamal Bieniemy scored a lay-up to put the Miners up 8-5. Boum followed up that score with a lay-up to put the Miners up 10-5. 

The Monarchs would eventually take a 13-12 lead, but the Miners quickly answered with a couple scores to go up 19-15. 

Towards the end of the half, the Miners had a 26-24 lead, but the Monarchs were able to tie the game after a couple of made free throws from sophomore guard Mehki Long. 

At the half, the game was tied 26-26. 

In the start of the second half, ODU senior forward Austin Trice would dunk the ball to put the Monarchs up 28-26. Sibley would answer with a bucket to tie the game 28-28. 

At the 16:47 mark, freshman guard Jorell Saterfield got a lay-up to fall to put the Miners up 34-31. Saterfield followed up that score with a 3-pointer to increase the Miners lead to 37-31. 

ODU would suddenly take a 43-41 the lead after making some free throws.  

The Miners, however, ballooned the lead to 56-48, after a steal from Boum that would convert to a lay-up. 

But the Monarchs would not go away quietly as they scored 15 straight points to take a 63-56 lead late in the second half. 

With 39 seconds remaining in this contest, Sibley would hit a quick 3-pointer to put the score at 63-60. Then, Bieniemy would hit a 3-pointer to tie the game 63-63 with 19 seconds remaining. 

 The Monarchs could not break the tie on the final possession and the game would go into overtime. 

 In overtime, Boum would end up taking over the game, scoring the majority of the points and giving the Miners a 78-70 victory. 

Boum lead the team with 28 points and five rebounds, followed by Bieniemy with 14 points and three rebounds. Finally, Sibely contributed to the win with 11 points and five rebounds.  

The Miners would also force 15 turnovers int his contest. 

The UTEP men’s basketball team can be seen back in action in their next game against the University of Texas at San Antonio at 7 p.m. at the Don Haskins on Jan. 20.  

Daniel Lopez is a staff reporter and can be reached at [email protected].