UTEP ousts Tulsa 75-61, reaches title game of Conference USA tournament

UTEP bounces Tulsa 75-61

TULSA, Okla. — Randy Culpepper scored 21 points to lead No. 25 UTEP to a 75-61 victory over Tulsa in the semifinals of the Conference USA tournament on Friday.

Arnett Moultrie added 18 points, Christian Polk scored 13 points and Derrick Caracter added 10 for the top-seeded Miners (26-5).

The Miners’ offense was effective from the perimeter as well as the paint while their defense forced Tulsa into off-target shots.

The Golden Hurricane (23-11) was led by Justin Hurtt, who scored a game-high 22 points. Jerome Jordan, their leading scorer entering the game, had a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

UTEP will play the winner of Houston-Southern Mississippi for the conference title.

Tulsa, seeded fifth in the tournament, had rallied for wins over Rice and Marshall. But it could not get past UTEP.

UTEP shot 51.9 percent in the half and limited Tulsa to 39.6 percent.

The Miners had 13 steals, with nine coming in the first half.

UTEP got off to a 15-4 lead through the first 4:37.

The Hurricane got within five points with a 6-0 run. That would be the closest they would get.

UTEP made it 35-19 when Moultrie had a lay-up, after grabbing a rebound at the rim from a missed 25-foot jumper by Culpepper.

The Miners continued to build the lead through the second half.