Dec. 16, 2008
Box Score 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The UTEP women's basketball team fell behind by double figures early in the contest and could never recover, falling 66-43 to New Mexico in front of 8,451 at the The Pit Tuesdaty evening.
The Miners (5-5) were led by Briana Green and Jareica Hughes, who scored 12 points a piece. Angela Hartill paced the Lobos (10-1) with 20 points, who remained undefeated in Albuquerque this year.
UTEP's pressure defense forced UNM into committing 16 turnovers- the 68th straight game the opposition has posted double digits in giveaways- but the Lobos overcame that by shooting 51.1 percent from the floor.
The Miners were challenged to connect on shots (17-of 64 for 26.6 percent), but did do a good job of fighting for rebounds and loose balls. UTEP won the battle of the boards against UNM, 36-35, with 17 of those rebounds coming on the offensive end.
The Miners faced some early adversity, with the Lobos scoring the first eight points of the game. UTEP got on the board thanks to a triple from Green, but UNM-as would be the case all night- had an answer. The Lobos rattled off 10 straight points over a span of two-and-a half minutes to make the score 18-3 with 14:03 on the clock.
Sviatlana Trukshanina- who finished with eight points- and Hughes knocked down jumpers on consecutive possessions to slice the UNM advantage to 11 (18-7) with 11:55 remaining in the period. The Lobos struck back with eight straight points over the next two minutes, taking their largest lead of the half (26-7) as result.
The Miners countered with a mini 5-0 spurt courtesy of a triple from Trukshanina and a lay-up by Ilda Chambe, only to have UNM extend its advantage to 18 (30-12) following a bucket from Hartill.
Rather than fold up shop, the Miners dug deep and closed the half by playing inspired basketball. UTEP out-scored the Lobos to the tune of 10-4 over the final few minutes of the period, which allowed them to reduce the deficit to 12 (34-22) heading into the locker room.
UNM opened the half with a lay-up from Hartill to make it a 14-point lead, but Green quickly pulled the Miners within 11 by draining a long triple to beat the shot clock. The Lobos countered by dropping in nine successive points, with Hartill capping the run with her third triple of the evening. Hartill had entered the game only 5-of-23 on three pointers this year, but certainly found her touch Tuesday.
UTEP mounted one final push, clawing back to down by 14 (53-39) with 8:15. The Lobos would clamp down defensively down the stretch, though, and the Miners could get no closer.
The Orange and Blue return to action against Big 12 foe Nebraska for a 1:05 p.m. tip on Saturday at the Don Haskins Center.
