The Texas at El Paso Miners secured a hard-fought 70-69 win over the Delaware Blue Hens at the Bob Carpenter Center, thanks in large part to a strong performance from Kaseem Watson. The junior forward dropped 20 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, leading UTEP to a crucial non-conference victory. Delaware's Macon Emory was equally impressive, posting 21 points and 7 rebounds in a losing effort.
The first half belonged to the Blue Hens, who took a 36-30 lead into the break. Emory was unstoppable, scoring 13 points in the opening period to pace Delaware. However, UTEP regrouped and refocused, outscoring the Blue Hens 40-33 in the second half to snatch the win. Jamal West Jr. was instrumental in the Miners' comeback, chipping in 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Caleb Blackwell added 15 points to support Watson's efforts.
As the game unfolded, it became clear that this would be a contest decided by the slimmest of margins. Delaware's Tyler Houser and Justyn Fernandez joined Emory in double figures, combining for 33 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the balanced attack of UTEP. The Miners' ability to spread the scoring load and crash the boards ultimately was the difference.
With this win, UTEP improves to 7-13 on the season, while Delaware falls to 5-14. While neither team is currently in the NCAA Tournament picture, this result still holds significance for both programs. For UTEP, the victory marks a much-needed confidence boost, and the Miners want to build on this momentum as they navigate the remainder of their schedule.
As for Delaware, the loss is a tough pill to swallow, but the Blue Hens can take solace in the fact that they pushed a fellow mid-major program to the limit. Emory's performance, in particular, is a promising sign for the future, and Delaware will need more of the same from their star forward if they hope to turn their season around.
In terms of resume implications, this result is classified as a Quadrant 4 win for UTEP and a Quadrant 4 loss for Delaware. While it may not significantly impact either team's tournament chances, the win does provide a slight boost to UTEP's overall profile. As the Miners continue to navigate their schedule, they'll need to secure more victories like this one to bolster their case for a potential postseason berth. For now, UTEP will savor this hard-fought win, while Delaware want to regroup and refocus in their pursuit of a stronger finish to the season.