Karlis Silins had a career-high 22 points in the win.
The fourth-seeded FAU Owls won their fifth straight game in the first round of the C-USA tournament in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday night, outlasting fifth-seeded UTEP 76-70 in a nail-biting, physical contest that wasn’t decided until the final minutes.
Junior center Karlis Silins had a career-high 22 points before fouling out late, shooting 7-12 from the floor, repeatedly burning UTEP defenders in the pick-and-roll and the post for short jumpers and hooks.