UTEP tops Rice 66-57

Jan 4, 2015, 05:54 pm

HOUSTON -- Earvin Morris scored 16 points off the bench -- including four 3-pointers -- while Vince Hunter had 15 points with 10 rebounds, four blocks and four assists and UTEP topped Rice 66-57 on Sunday.

Julian Washburn had 13 points and Cedrick Lang added 11 points for UTEP (10-4, 2-0 Conference USA).

Rice (4-9, 1-1) was paced by Marcus Jackson with 20 points and eight boards. Seth Gearhart added 10 points and eight rebounds.

UTEP trailed early, but Morris' 3-pointer with 8:08 left in the first put the Miners up 17-16. They closed the half on a 13-5 run and led 30-21 at the break.

Washburn drilled a pair of 3-pointers in the first 4 minutes of the second half as UTEP built a 16-point lead. Rice cut it to two on Jackson's trey with 5:31 left, but Morris and Washburn responded with 3s and held off the Owls late.