NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Texas El-Paso scored 31 points in first half, pulling away easily in route to a 44-7 victory over Tulane on Saturday.

Vernon Frazier opened the scoring for the Miners (3-3, 1-2 Conference USA) on a 15-yard run on UTEP's first drive of the game. Joe Banyard, who led UTEP with 97 yards rushing on nine carries, scored on a 72-yard run to give them an early 14-7 lead.

Advertisement

Four seconds into the second quarter, Leilyon Myers scored on a 3-yard run. Adrian James recovered a block punt in the end zone on Tulane's next possession and Dakota Warren added a field goal late in the second, giving UTEP a 31-7 halftime lead.

UTEP totaled 192 yards on the ground behind the combination of Frazier, Banyard and Myers.

The UTEP defense intercepted four Tulane (2-5, 1-2) passes and stopping the Green Wave on 11-of-17 third-down attempts.