Dec. 8, 2007
Final Stats
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Jareica Hughes (14 points, 10 assists) and Izabela Piekarska (12 points, 10 rebounds) both collected double-doubles to lead the UTEP women's basketball team to a 64-57 win against its I-10 rivals New Mexico State at the Don Haskins Center on Saturday afternoon.
"It is a good win against a quality team," head coach Keitha Adams said. "We've got to work on picking up our tempo, as it wasn't where we needed it to be today. It is still a good win, though, against a good team."
The Miners improve to 5-2 on the campaign, including 3-0 at home, while the Aggies fall to 6-2. Both of their losses have come at the hands of the Orange and Blue, who have now swept the season series for three straight years. Moreover, UTEP has emerged victorious in eight of its past nine tilts against NMSU.
Hughes, who matched her career high with the 10 helpers, was instrumental in UTEP closing out to the first half on a 9-0 run to take control of the contest. The effort afforded the Miners a seven-point lead at the break (37-30), and they did not trail from that point.
The sensational sophomore had plenty of help, though, as UTEP's balanced offensive attack wore down the Aggies. Kasia Krezel became the fifth different player in seven games to pace the Orange and Blue in scoring, doing so with an 18-point effort on a sizzling 6-of-8 from the floor.
Piekarska pitched in 12 points, while Timika Williams chipped in 10 points to go along with eight rebounds. Anikia Jawara led the Aggies with 20 points and seven boards.
The Miners won the battle of the boards (40-38), improving to a perfect 5-0 on the year when doing so.
UTEP started slowly, as it vaulted out to a 13-8 edge just five minutes into the contest. The two teams traded buckets the next several minutes, with the Miners trying to find that higher level of intensity. Facing a four-point deficit (28-24) with only 3:44 left in the half, UTEP got the boost it needed courtesy of Hughes.
Hughes made a brilliant pass to a streaking Krezel for an easy lay-up to bring the Miners within two. On the ensuing possession, Hughes knotted the contest with a pair of free throws.
The Aggies then moved back up by two (30-28) with 2:52 remaining in the period, but UTEP turned up the intensity at both ends of the court. Krezel drained a pair of free throws to tie the game, before filling up a long triple from a nifty pass by Hughes.
Hughes capped off the 9-0 run with four points in the final 28 seconds, making a pair of lay-ups. The latter came on the heels of picking the pocket of talented NMSU point guard Madison Spence.
In the second half, UTEP was able to put it on cruise control. The Miners twice led by as many as 11 points, thanks to baskets by Brittnay Jones and Williams, and the Aggies were never able to get closer than four points down the stretch.
UTEP will have a lengthy break before returning to action for the first of three games in five days when it takes on Savannah State on Dec. 16 at 2:05 p.m. at the Don Haskins Center.
