HENDERSON, Nev. — San Jose State triumphed over UTEP 71-65 during the Ball Dawgs Classic on Monday night, propelled by Josh Uduje’s impressive performance, in which he secured 23 points for the Spartans.

Uduje demonstrated his scoring ability by making 9 of his 18 attempts from the field and successfully converting 4 out of 5 free-throw shots, while also hitting 1 of 4 from beyond the arc. His fellow teammate, Will McClendon, contributed significantly to the team’s success by scoring 22 points. McClendon was particularly efficient, making 7 of 11 shots, including 5 of 8 from the three-point line, in addition to sinking 3 of 5 free throws. Donavan Yap rounded out the scoring for San Jose State with eight points, going 0 for 1 from the field but an impressive 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, and he also provided seven assists.

On the other side, UTEP’s Corey Camper Jr. led the Miners with a solid performance, scoring 21 points along with five assists and two steals. Otis Frazier III contributed another 14 points, adding four assists to his tally. Derick Hamilton also made his mark on the score sheet with eight points. The Miners faced an uphill battle as they entered halftime trailing the Spartans 36-27, with McClendon having already notched 14 points in that half.

In the second half, San Jose State expanded their lead, turning a nine-point advantage into a commanding 16-point lead after going on a 7-0 run, bringing the score to 43-27 with just over 16 minutes left in the game. Uduje’s outstanding performance continued, as he added 13 points in the second half to help his team secure the victory.