EL PASO, TX-- Graduate forward Jonathan Arledge scored a game high 17 points and junior guard Aaron Bacote added 11, but the UTEP Miners held off the Monarchs for a 62-47 C-USA victory at the Don Haskins Center. ODU falls to 18-6 overall and 7-5 in C-USA, while UTEP is 18-7 overall and 10-3 in C-USA.
The Monarchs led, 8-7 with 14:07 left in the first half and tied the game nine-to-nine with 12:47 left after a Richard Ross free throw.
C.J. Cooper's three-pointer put the Miners up for good at 12-9 at the 11:39 mark in the first half and would go on to a 28-19 halftime lead. The Miners led by as much as 14, 44-30 with10:27 left in the game.
ODU would cut the UTEP lead to six, 48-42 with a 12-4 run with 3:02 left in the game after two Aaron Bacote free throws, but Julian Washburn hit two free throws, followed by two from C.J. Cooper and one by Cedrick Lange and UTEP's lead was at 12, 54-42 with 1:06 left in the game.
UTEP was led by Julian Washburn and Earvin Morris with 15 points each, followed by C.J. Cooper with 12. Vince Hunter hauled down a game high nine rebounds for the Miners.
ODU shot .308 (16-52) from the field, while UTEP shot .442 (19-43). The Miners outrebounded ODU, 35-34. ODU junior forward Javonte Douglas led with eight rebounds, followed by Arledge with seven.
The Monarchs return to action next Thursday when they host Southern Miss at 5:30 p.m. in a nationally televised contest at the Constant Center on American Sports Network which can be seen in Hampton Roads on WTVZ channel 33 (over the air) and on Cox Cable on channel 2.