:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49979105/IMG_4988.0.0.JPG)
The Sun Bowl Association officially unveiled the 2016 field for the 55th annual WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational which will include UTEP, UC-Irvine, Akron, and Maryland Eastern Shore.
The tournament starts December 21st at 5 p.m. Mountain Time, with the championship and third place game on December 22nd in the Don Haskins Center.
UC-Irvine returns to defend their Sun Bowl Invitational title from last season in where they posted a school record 28 wins on the year, Akron went 26-9 last season making the NIT, and Maryland Eastern Shore finished 10-22 last season.
UTEP is 78-22 all-time in the tournament with 30 titles, last season's third place finish stopped a six year tournament championship streak for the Miners.
In 2009 the tournament was renamed to honor former UTEP head coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Don Haskins. "The Bear" coached at UTEP from 1961 to 1999, winning 719 games and making 14 postseason appearances.
UTEP's 2016-17 schedule will be released when Conference USA announces the conference portion of the 2016-17 schedule.