The UTEP men’s basketball team will compete in the 63rd Annual WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational along with Yale, Jackson State and Akron.
The invitational will be Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Don Haskins Center.
Akron State and Yale made the NCAA tournament last season, with Yale upsetting No. 4 seed Auburn in the first round. Yale ended up 23-10 in 2023-24, Akron went 24-11 and Jackson State went 15-17.
Akron won this tournament in 2016. Jackson State is making its third appearance (2000 and ‘06), while Yale will be coming for the first time.
UTEP won the tournament last season, defeating Wyoming 78-67 in the championship game. The Miners have previously won the Invitational 33 times.
Sun Bowl Invitational schedule
On Friday, Yale plays Akron at 5 p.m., followed by Jackson State and UTEP.
On Saturday, the two losers from Friday play at 5 p.m., followed by the championship game at 7 p.m.
Sun Bowl Invitational tickets at Don Haskins Center
Fans can purchase tickets online at: http://utepminers.com/sports/2020/2/11/tickets.aspx or by phone: (915) 747-UTEP (8837).
Fans can buy tickets in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office (201 Glory Road, Brumbelow Building on UTEP campus).
Here are some ticket packages available: Four-game, two-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; Two-game, one-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.
Yale basketball
The Bulldogs are 5-5 on the season and last played on Dec. 7, a 65-60 win vs. Vermont.
Among their five losses were to Big 10 schools Minnesota (59-56) and Purdue (92-84).
Guard John Poulakidas leads the team in scoring at a 21.1 point per game clip and forward Nick Townsend averages 13.4 points per game.
Janes Jones is the head coach and owns 401 career wins.
Akron basketball
The Zips are 6-3 on the season and lost 100-81 to the University of Milwaukee on Sunday.
Akron is led in scoring by guards Nate Johnson (13.1 per game) and Tavari Johnson (13.0 per game).
The head coach is John Groce, who is 146-84 at Akron.
Jackson State basketball
The Tigers are 0-10 and have played all 10 games on the road.
The Tigers have lost by two points to Arkansas State and eight points to Saint Louis. They have also lost to national powers Iowa State and Kentucky as well as Western Kentucky from Conference USA.
Guard Jayme Mitchell, Jr. leads the Tigers in scoring with 12.8 points per game and guard Dorian McMillian averages 10.3 points per game.
The head coach is former NBA guard Mo Williams. He is from Jackson, Mississippi, and has been the coach since 2022. His overall record is 29-46.
UTEP basketball
The Miners are having a strong season and are 7-3 after Monday’s 67-62 win vs. Tarleton State.
Forward Otis Frazier III leads UTEP in scoring at 13.4 points per game and guard Ahamad Bynum has made 25 of 39 from 3-point range.
Head coach Joe Golding is in his fourth year with the program and has had two winning seasons and is 59-51 during his time with Miners.
More: UTEP news UTEP men’s basketball hold off Tarleton State to spoil Billy Gillispie’s return
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Sun Bowl Invitational 2024 at Don Haskins Center: Schedule, tickets
