Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
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UTEP
Men's Basketball Loses Close Contest To UTEP
December 05, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2000
By PAM EASTON
Associated Press Writer
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas-El Paso got its revenge Tuesday night against Texas Tech with an 81-80 victory that was led by Brandon Wolfram's 25 points.
Tech led the game throughout the second half until Leonard Owens hit a 3-pointer with less than two minutes to go to tie it at 77.
UTEP's Eugene Costello then hit a running jumpshot and two free throws after Tech's Jamal Brown fouled him.
UTEP (4-0) was ahead 81-77 with less than three seconds on the clock.
Brown then hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it wasn't enough.
The Miners had three players, including Wolfram, score in the double digits. Costello added 21 and Roy Smallwood another 15.
Andy Ellis and Cliff Owens each scored 16 to lead the Red Raiders (3-2). Ronald Hobbs contributed another 12 and Brown and Andre Emmett added 11.
Tech had their biggest lead with 11 points with 18:28 left in the second half. They maintained the lead throughout the second half until with just over two minutes left in the game the Miners moved ahead on a basket by Costello.
Tech fought back with a basket by Emmett and two points by Owens off of free throws, but the Miners tied it up off of Owen's 3-pointer.
Tech led 46-39 at halftime after an Ellis basket and a Marcus Shropshire 3-pointer with seconds to go.
It was UTEP's fifth straight non-conference road win, the most for the team since the 1965-66 season.
Last year Texas Tech grabbed a last-minute 75-74 win over UTEP off of a jumpshot by Rayford Young.
