EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Evan Gilyard scored 20 points, largely on 6-of-9 3-point shooting, and UTEP defeated Wyoming 76-65 in the third-place game of the Sun Bowl Invitational on Saturday night.
Freshman Efe Odigie had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Miners (5-6). Nigel Hawkins scored 13 points and Paul Thomas and Jordan Lathon added 10 points each.
Wyoming (3-9) was led by Justin James with 22 points and seven rebounds. He averages 23 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. A.J. Banks had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Cowboys.
Gilyard made 3-of-4 3-pointers while UTEP stretched its lead from 49-38 to 63-45 with 8:39 remaining. Wyoming drew within 69-60 with 2:24 remaining but Lathon scored twice in the paint and made 3 of 4 free throws to rebuild an 11-point lead in the final minute.
UTEP leads the series 44-22, although the Miners and Cowboys had not played since the 2007 championship game of the Sun Bowl Invitational.
