Nov. 15, 2007
Final Stats
Box Score in PDF Format 
Led by Timika Williams' 22-point, 12-rebound effort, the UTEP women's basketball team rolled to a convincing 67-52 triumph against a pesty Texas A&M-Corpus Christi squad at the Don Haskins Center Thursday evening. The Miners used a 14-0 run halfway thru the second-half to break open the contest.
"We've got high expectations with this team," head coach Keitha Adams said. "There's better basketball down the road for us to play, but I am pleased that we got the win."
UTEP improves to 1-1 on the campaign, while the Islanders drop to 0-3. It was an impressive victory, considering TXAMU had lost its first two games on the year by a combined seven points. It marks the fifth straight home-opening triumph for the Orange and Blue, which is the longest streak since the mid 1990's
Joining Williams in double figures were Kasia Krezel (13 points, seven boards) and Claudia Porras (11 points, two caroms), while Natsha Lacy effectively ran the point with a game-high five assists. The Miners, who were without the services of sensational sophomore Jareica Hughes, were effective offensively, connecting on 49.1 percent of their chances.
At the other end of the court, the Orange and Blue turned up the intensity while resulted in a challenging night for the Islanders. TXAMU filled up only 36.4 of its shots, while it was forced into committing 19 turnovers. UTEP converted those giveaways into 25 points.
The Miners, who had struggled in the rebounding department thus far in 2007, controlled the boards to the tune of 41-31. UTEP dominated the paint, racking up 40 points compared to just 10 for TXAMUCC.
It looked like UTEP would be in for a dogfight early on, as Corpus Christi raced out to an early lead. The Miners had an answer, though, in the form of an 11-0 run to assume control of the game. Williams was instrumental in the stretch, scoring six points.
The two teams traded hoops the next several minutes before UTEP rattled off eight straight to vault ahead by 11 (24-13) with 7:52 left in the half. Joanna Zalesiak and Alyssa Faubion came off the bench to provide five of the eight points in the sequence.
The Islanders finished the period well, closing to within six (31-25) at the break.
UTEP was a bit sluggish at the onset of the second half, as TXAMUCC got within one on two different occasions. That was the case with a little more than 12 minutes to play, after Shaye Montgomery connected on a triple for three of her squad-high 17 points.
The Miners did not rattle, though. Rather, they patiently worked the ball inside to Porras who was fouled going to the hoop. The senior converted one of two at the charity stripe. Lacy then blocked a shot at the other end of the court and fed Porras, who muscled in a lay-up in traffic despite being fouled on the play.
She drilled the free throw to pick up the old-fashion three-point play, to start the game-deciding 14-0 stretch that would put away the Islanders.
UTEP will be back in action in the first Thanksgiving Classic hosted by the Miners on Nov. 23 when they take on Cal-State Fullerton at 7:30 p.m.
