FRISCO, Texas (KTSM) – It was, in a way, a microcosm of UTEP’s entire 2021-22 season in the first campaign of Joe Golding’s tenure in El Paso.
UTEP fought tooth and nail against Middle Tennessee in the Conference USA Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night in Frisco, but the Miners ultimately ran out of gas in overtime, falling to the Blue Raiders, 66-59.
It was a dejected UTEP team that walked off the court in Frisco, ending Joe Golding’s first season in El Paso at 19-14. It’s also a Miners team that made a ton of progress and changed the narrative of the program in year one under Golding.
“I just feel for those guys, they laid it on the line and they did it all year,” said Golding. “They’ve been through a lot all year. For them to leave it all out there and have a chance to win the game, I’m super proud of them.”
The Miners got off to a slow start, trailing 25-21 at halftime while shooting under 41 percent from the floor. Then, a 9-1 run by Middle Tennessee to open the second half put UTEP in a big hole, 34-22, with under 16 minutes to play.
At that point, UTEP finally woke up. The Miners uncorked an 18-4 run over the next eight minutes to take their first lead since early in the first half at 40-38, on a Souley Boum steal and lay-up.
UTEP took its largest lead of the second half at 45-41 with 4:46 remaining on a Boum three-point play and it looked like they might make it out of the game with a win. However,…
