EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Gabriel McCulley had 18 points and 13 rebounds and made the go-ahead layup with 2:37 remaining as UTEP defeated New Mexico State 73-69 on Sunday.
Michael Perez led the Miners (2-4) with 19 points, and Julian Washburn added 16.
McCulley's layup gave UTEP a 68-67 lead, and the Aggies (5-4) went 0 for 4 from the floor and committed two turnovers down the stretch. That enabled the Miners to protect their cushion at the free-throw line.
Hernst Laroche had 16 points and Tyrone Watson 11 for New Mexico State. Wendell McKines collected 11 rebounds.
The teams split their Interstate-10 rivalry series this season, with the Aggies winning 89-73 at Las Cruces, N.M., on Nov. 19.
UTEP retired Nolan Richardson's No. 42 at halftime. Richardson played for the Miners from 1960-63 before enjoying a distinguished college coaching career, including a national championship with Arkansas in 1994.
| Scoreboard | |||
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
| New Mexico State (5-4) | 38 | 31 | 69 |
| Texas-El Paso (2-4) « | 45 | 28 | 73 |
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| New Mexico State Aggies | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| T. Watson, F | 24 | 5-8 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 |
| H. Rahman, F | 19 | 1-2 | 6-10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| W. McKines, C | 35 | 1-7 | 2-2 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| C. Kabongo, G | 35 | 3-10 | 0-0 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 9 |
| H. Laroche, G | 35 | 5-7 | 2-4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 16 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| B. Sy | 22 | 2-9 | 3-4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| T. Nephawe | 20 | 2-2 | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| D. Mullings | 10 | 2-2 | 2-6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Totals | 21-47 | 17-32 | 30 | 15 | 25 | 69 | |
| 44.7% | 53.1% | ||||||
| Texas-El Paso Miners | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| G. McCulley, F | 36 | 8-10 | 1-4 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 18 |
| C. Lang, F | 18 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| M. Perez, G | 37 | 6-13 | 3-6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 19 |
| J. Washburn, G | 37 | 7-13 | 1-2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 |
| J. Streeter, G | 31 | 0-2 | 5-8 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| M. Moore | 12 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| H. Vint | 12 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| J. Ragland | 9 | 0-5 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| D. Campbell | 8 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Totals | 26-52 | 14-27 | 39 | 21 | 22 | 73 | |
| 50% | 51.9% | ||||||
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