EL PASO -- The University of Texas at El Paso Handed UTPA it's worst loss in nearly two years, defeating the Broncs 97-56 in men's basketball action Monday night at the Don Haskins Center.

The loss was the largest for the Bronc since a 112-66 loss at Louisana Lafayette (then Southwestern Louisiana) during the 1997-98 season.  The win was the biggest for the Miners since downing Cardinal Stritch, 113-61, on Dec. 20, 1994.

UTPA Junior Brian Merriweather was hounded by the Miner defense all game and was held to a season low eight points.  Merriweather, who came into the game averaging 26.0 points per game made just 3-11 shots from the field and 2-of-7 from beyond the three point arc.  The only other time in Merriweather's career that he was held below 10 points was his first game as Bronc, when Rice held him to single digits.

Sophomore Watara Banks led the Broncs with 13 points, while Kyle Sanders added 12.  Junior Gary Booker had a team-high eight rebounds.

UTEP freshman Roy Smallwood established career-highs for points (18) and rebounds (12) versus the Broncs, while putting together the first "double-double" of his young career. Smallwood also had four blocks.  Three other UTEP players also scored in double figures -- William Smith (19), Jarvis Mullahon (18) and Brandon Wolfram (18). The Miners shot 56 percent for the game, including a sizzling 63 percent in the first half when they raced to a 56-24 halftime edge.

UTEP forced 22 turnovers and held the Broncs to 33 percent shooting. The Miners outrebounded UTPA 42-30, marking the fifth time in six games the undersized Miners have tied or outrebounded their opponent.

UTPA (1-3) lost its 61st consecutive road game and will next face Illinois in Champaign on Wednesday at 7 p.m. UTEP improved to 4-2 on the season.

UT-Pan American Broncs at UT-El Paso Miners
Don Haskins Center
December 6, 1999

UT-Pan American Broncs (1-3)

No. Name                   FG  FGA  3FG 3FGA  FT  FTA  OF DE TOT  PF  TP  A   TO BLK S  MIN
10  Carlos Haywood, f      1   5    0   0     2   4    1  0  1    3   4   0   1  0   1  26
21  Kyle Sanders, f        5   6    0   0     2   4    2  3  5    4   12  2   5  0   2  29
33  Matt Palmquist, c      3   7    0   0     2   3    0  2  2    3   8   1   3  1   1  21
05  Kwasinda Curtis, g     2   7    1   4     3   4    1  2  3    3   8   1   3  0   1  20
23  Brian Merriweather, g  3   11   2   7     0   0    0  2  2    1   8   0   3  0   0  31
00  Reggie Kuzet           0   0    0   0     0   0    0  0  0    1   0   0   1  0   0  1
01  Bernard Preston        0   0    0   0     0   0    0  0  0    0   0   0   0  0   0  1
11  John Braxton           0   6    0   2     0   1    0  3  3    1   0   0   3  0   1  21
12  Gary Booker            0   5    0   0     3   6    3  5  8    2   3   0   0  1   0  22
15  Watara Banks           5   9    0   1     3   3    0  2  2    1   13  2   3  0   1  27
32  Machi Warner           0   1    0   0     0   0    1  0  1    0   0   0   0  0   0  1
    Team                                               2  1  3                             
    Totals                 19  57   3   14    15  25   10 20 30   19  56  6   22 2   7  200

Total FG% 1st Half: 9-27   .333   2nd Half: 10-30   .300   Game: .333     Deadball
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-7    .143   2nd Half: 2-7     .286   Game: .214     Rebounds
F Throw% 1st Half:  5-5   1.000   2nd Half: 10-20   .500   Game: .600     6

UTEP (4-2)

No. Name                   FG  FGA  3FG 3FGA  FT  FTA  OF DE TOT  PF  TP  A   TO BLK S  MIN
05  Roy Smallwood, f       6   8    2   2     4   5    2  10 12   4   18  1   4  4   0  29
31  William Smith, f       6   7    2   3     5   7    1  5  6    3   19  4   4  0   0  32
30  Brandon Wolfram, c     7   12   0   1     4   4    1  2  3    2   18  1   1  2   2  25
24  Jarvis Mullahon, g     8   10   2   3     0   0    0  3  3    2   18  4   2  0   3  28
35  Eggie McRae, g         1   3    0   2     2   4    0  2  2    3   4   2   0  0   0  19
10  Parker Vandivort       1   1    0   0     0   0    0  0  0    1   2   2   1  0   1  4
11  Rico Nelson            2   7    1   5     0   0    0  2  2    1   5   2   2  0   1  21
20  Victor Luces           0   2    0   1     0   0    0  1  1    3   0   4   1  0   0  16
25  Jose Escobedo          2   8    0   0     5   6    4  4  8    1   9   0   1  0   2  21
44  George Vargas          0   1    0   0     0   0    0  1  1    0   0   0   0  0   0  1
50  Javier Mendoza         1   2    0   0     2   2    2  0  2    1   4   0   1  0   1  4
    Team                                               0  2  2                             
    Totals                 34  61   7   17    22  28   10 32 42   21  97  20  17 6   10 200

Total FG% 1st Half: 19-30  .633   2nd Half: 15-31   .484   Game: .557     Deadball
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-10   .500   2nd Half: 2-7     .286   Game: .412     Rebounds
F Throw% 1st Half:  13-17  .765   2nd Half: 9-11    .818   Game: .786     3

Officials: Stanley Roberts, David Hall, Steve Olson

Technical Fouls: UTPA - Bench
Attendance: 5,793

Score by Periods        1st   2nd   Final
UTPA                    24    32    56
UTEP                    56    41    97