Leathernecks end season at UTEP

Saturday, March 19, 2022 | By: Western Illinois Athletic Communications

Will Carius

WIU falls to Miners, 80-54

The Western Illinois men had their basketball season come to an end on Saturday, falling to Texas-El Paso in the first round of the Basketball Classic Tournament, 80-54.

The Leathernecks end the season with a record of 16-16.

The 16 wins were the most for the program since the 2012-13 season.

UTEP (20-13) was able to get off to a hot start, scoring the game's first 11 points.

Will Carius' three pointer at the 12 minute, 36 second mark of the first half finally put the Leatherneks on the scoreboard.

Western Illinois would get as close as seven after a Luka Barisic basket, but would trail by 15 at halftime, 36-21.

A Carius three cut the deficit to 12 in the second half but Western could not get any closer.

Tamell Pearson led Western Illinois, scoring 15 points in 35 minutes. Carius added 13 points and a team-high 13 rebounds.

Off the bench, Cameron Burrell scored 10 for the Leathernecks. Barisic added eight.

WIU went 19-62 (30.6 percent) from the floor, 4-24 (16.7 percent) from three.

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WIU falls to Miners, 80-54

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