Vint's career day leads UTEP over North Texas 84-75
EL PASO, Texas (AP) Hooper Vint scored 20 points with 12 rebounds - both career highs - and UTEP thwarted a comeback attempt to beat North Texas 84-75 on Sunday.
Lee Moore scored 15 points with eight boards for UTEP (10-5, 2-0 Conference USA). Omega Harris had 13 points and Dominic Arits added 11. The Miners shot over 45 percent despite going 4 of 18 from beyond the arc.
North Texas (6-9, 1-1) was led by Jeremy Combs with 20 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. J-Mychal Reese scored 17 points with nine assists and six boards, while Eric Katenda added 12 points and nine rebounds. North Texas gathered 50 rebounds.
North Texas overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and led 71-70 with 4:05 left after Deckie Johnson's 3-pointer. But UTEP closed the game on a 14-4 run as the Mean Green missed their last five shots from the field and made just 4 of 9 from the line over the stretch.