Winners of their own Sun Bowl Invitational 31 times in 53 years and three-time defending champion of the event, UTEP took out their frustration over the Miners' opening loss to Norfolk State Monday night on Sam Houston Tuesday with an 87-68  victory over the Bearkats in the tournament's third place game.

UTEP, now 7-5 for the season, shot 50 percent from the field (28-of-56) including 12 three-pointers. Sam Houston fell to 5-7 for the year.

Junior guard Dakarai Henderson led the Kats with 15 points while Aurimas Majauskas added 11 points. Jamal Williams scored nine points and assisted on five other scores.

Sam Houston opened the game with a 4-0 lead on baskets by Aurimas Majauskas and Jamal Williams in the first minute and ten seconds. The Miners went on a 23-0 run in the next 12 minutes to build a 23-4 lead.

The Bearkats responded with a 24-12 run of their own to cut the margin to seven points with 3:34 left before intermission on a jumper by Josh Delaney to make the score 35-28. UTEP led 45-30 at halftime.

Back-to-back three point baskets by Jalin Barnes pulled Sam Houston back to within nine points, 51-42, three minutes into the second half. The Sam men never came closer the rest of the way.

Sam Houston sank 11 three-point shots with Henderson leading the way with three treys and Majuaskas, Barnes and Albert Almanza adding two apiece. Majauskas was the top rebounder for the Kats with eight boards.

The Kats take a break for Christmas then return to action next Tuesday night against North Texas in Denton. The contest will complete Sam Houston's non-conference schedule for the 2015-16 season.

Two road games will open the 2016 Southland Conference schedule for the Sam Houston men. The Kats travel to San Antonio to face Incarnate Word on Saturday, Jan. 2, then head to Natchitoches, La., to take on Northwester State.

First home Southland Conference matchup for Sam Houston will be a Saturday, Jan. 9, meeting with New Orleans at 4:30 p.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum/