Johnson scores 15 points to help No. 3 Arizona avoid upset with 60-55 win at UTEP

EL PASO, Texas — Stanley Johnson scored 15 points to help No. 3 Arizona survived a scare in its first true road game of the season, pulling away late for a 60-55 victory against UTEP on Friday night.

Gabe York scored 13 points and Brandon Ashley added 10 for the Wildcats (12-0), who played eight of their first 11 games at home and three neutral-site games at the Maui Invitational.

Vince Hunter scored 18 points before fouling out with more than eight minutes remaining to lead the Miners (6-4), who were hosting a top-3 team for the first time in program history. Omega Harris added 10 points.

Arizona made six of its first seven shots, including a dunk by Johnson to take a 15-2 with 14:46 remaining in the first half. But the game changed after Johnson missed a 3-pointer the next time down the court and Ashley missed two free throws.

UTEP stepped up its defensive intensity to help fuel a 16-4 run that saw the Miners pull to a 21-all tie after a dunk by Cedrick Lang with 3:11 to go in the first half.

Arizona led 28-25 at halftime and the game remained tight in the second half, as the Miners led 40-38 lead with 12:41 to go on an inside bucket by Hunter.

But it was all Wildcats after that. Arizona held UTEP without a basket for more than 5 minutes while it pushed its lead up to 48-41 with a 10-1 run.

Arizona: Wildcats coach Sean Miller wasn't happy with the team's 17 turnovers, even though they had one fewer than the Miners. "Seventeen is too many," he said. "But in this environment, you're gonna turn the ball over." ... Both teams finished with 34 rebounds, 10 steals and two blocks.

UTEP: The Miners historically have not done well against ranked teams. They've lost 21 of their past 22 games against ranked foes. Their last win over a ranked team came in 2010 against No. 25 UAB.

SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES

Arizona and UTEP used to play each other regularly when both were members of the WAC from 1969-78. However, Friday's game was only the fourth between the teams in the past 20 seasons. Arizona leads the all-time series 61-30.

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Arizona: At UNLV on Tuesday.