UTEP men ready for Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The 2023 WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational is set to begin on Wednesday. This year’s participants: South Dakota State, Wyoming, Norfolk State, and UTEP are all vying to be named the invitational’s champion this year.

UTEP will host Norfolk State in its opening round game of the invitational. UTEP and NSU will go head-to-head on Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. MT at the Don Haskins Center.

Wyoming (home) will play South Dakota State (away) in the first game of the invitational at 5:00 p.m. MT at the Don Haskins Center.

The winners of the opening round games will play in the championship game on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. MT. The losers will play in the consolation game earlier in the day at 5:00 p.m. MT. Both games will be played at the Don Haskins Center.

UTEP Miners (6-5, 0-0 CUSA)

UTEP enters the 62nd annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational looking to win big. The Miners have hit a rough patch in its season recently, losing five of its last six games. All five losses came against division one programs. The last time UTEP beat a DI opponent was on Nov. 20, when it beat Cal, 75-72, in the SoCal Challenge with a Tae Hardy buzzer-beater. Since then, UTEP has gone onto lose to Bradley, LMU, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Oregon, and Abilene Christian.

UTEP, who started the season 5-1, now sits with a 6-5 overall record and are looking to get back in the win column when it faces Norfolk State in the opening round of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Don Haskins Center.

The last time UTEP won the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational was in 2019. The Miners have lost in the last two championship games (Bradley, 2021; Kent State, 2022) in the invitational.

UTEP has three players averaging double digits in points so far this season. Tae Hardy leads the way with 15.5 points per game, Zid Powell is averaging 11.1 points per game, and Otis Frazier III is averaging 10.9 points per game.

Norfolk State Spartans (8-5, 0-0 MEAC)

Norfolk State, led by head coach Robert Jones for the 11th straight season, heads into the invitational with an 8-5 record. NSU is coming off a 108-52 blowout against Southern Virginia, a NCAA DIII program, on Monday. It’s a quick turnaround for NSU but they’ll be ready to show out at the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational. NSU is 3-2 in its last five contests.

Norfolk State’s Jamarii Thomas will be the player to watch out for in the invitational. Thomas leads NSU in scoring (18.8 points per game), assists (4.2 assists per game), steals (2.3 steals per game), and minutes played (29.1 minutes player per game).

South Dakota State Jackrabbits (6-5, 0-0 Summit League)

South Dakota State, led by fifth year head coach Eric Henderson, heads into the invitacional with a 6-5 overall record on the season. South Dakota State has won its last two games, beating Wichita State, 79-69, on Dec. 9 and then Mayville State, a NAIA program, 94-62, last Thursday.

South Dakota State has picked up some momentum at this point of the season. After starting its year out 1-4, the team has won five of its last six games, four of those games coming against division one opponents.

The player to watch on South Dakota State will be Zeke Mayo. Mayo leads the team in points (18.5 points per game), assists (3.4 assists per game), and in rebounds (6.5 rebounds per game).

South Dakota State will match up with Wyoming in the first opening round game of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational at 5:00 p.m. MT at the Don Haskins Center.

Wyoming Cowboys (6-4, 0-0 Mountain West)

Wyoming, led by fourth year head coach Jeff Linder, heads into the invitational with a 6-4 overall record. The Cowboys, who made an NCAA Tournament appearance in the 2021-2022 season, is looking to bounce back from an 84-71 loss to Weber State on Saturday.

As of Tuesday, Wyoming leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage as the team is shooting 42.8%, knocking down 78 three-pointers on 182 total attempts so far this season.

The player to watch on Wyoming’s squad will be Sam Griffin. The senior guard is averaging 19.3 points per game and is shooting 49.1% from three-point land for the Cowboys.

Wyoming will match up with South Dakota State in the first opening round game of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational at 5:00 p.m. MT at the Don Haskins Center.

DON HASKINS BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL (Courtesy: Sun Bowl Association)

The 2023 WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 20-21.

Participating Teams
Norfolk State Spartans
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Wyoming Cowboys
UTEP Miners

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023
5 p.m. – South Dakota State (visitor) vs. Wyoming (home)
7 p.m. – Norfolk State (visitor) vs. UTEP (home)

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023
5 p.m. Consolation Game (loser of game one vs. loser of game two)
7 p.m. Championship Game (winner of game one vs. winner of game two)

Ticket Information:
Tickets available beginning Monday, Oct. 2, 2023
Through UTEP Athletics
• Website: http://utepminers.com/sports/2020/2/11/tickets.aspx
• Phone: (915) 747-UTEP (8837)
• Email: tickets@utep.edu

In-Person: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office (201 Glory Road, Brumbelow Building on UTEP campus)

4-game, 2-night package – $45 (Rows 1 -34) and $25 (Rows 35-39)
$10 Military; up to four tickets with active military ID.
$10 UTEP Students, plus one guest ticket for same price

2-game, 1-night package – $24 Rows 1 – 34, $13 Rows 35-39
$6 Military; up to four tickets with active military ID
$6 UTEP Students, plus one guest ticket for same price

For more information call: Sun Bowl Association, David Brown, 915-533-4416 ext. 200

2023 WestStar Don Haskins Basketball Program

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