UTEP Miners

Game Notes In PDF Format
 

THE OPENING TIP

The UTEP women's basketball team (2-1) will face Nicholls State (0-4) at 3:30 p.m. MT Friday as part of the seventh-annual UTEP Thanksgiving Classic. The event begins with a contest between Texas Southern and Abilene Christian at 1 p.m. MT Friday. One ticket serves as admission for both games. They are $5 for adults and $3 for kids, and may be purchased by calling (915) 747-5234. The Miners were edged, 69-65, last time out against NM State on Nov. 17, to slip to 2-1 on the year. The Colonels are 0-4 on the year, including 0-3 on the road. Most recently they were upended in a neutral-site game against Delaware, 71-56, on Nov. 17. The contest will be broadcast locally on 600 ESPN El Paso with Steve Kaplowitz and Traci Miller on the call. There will also be a live stream on CUSAtv.com (subscription based). 

 

GAME FORMAT

NCAA women's basketball games are played in four 10-minute quarters. Teams reach the bonus and shoot two free throws on the fifth team foul in each quarter. In the four-quarter format, team fouls reset to zero at the start of each frame. Teams have four timeouts (three 30s, one 60), three of which carry over to the second half. They will be able to advance the ball to the frontcourt after a timeout with less than 59.9 seconds in 4Q. There are seven media timeouts (four under five minutes in quarter/first called), two intermission media timeouts (after first and third quarters) and the first team-called timeout during the second half. Bands or amplified music may play during any dead ball.

 

GET TO KNOW NICHOLLS STATE (0-4 OVERALL; 0-0 HOME; 0-3 ROAD, 0-1 NEUTRAL)

Nicholls State returned three starters and seven letter winners overall from last year's team that finished 19-14, including 11-7 in the Southland Conference to earn a share of fourth place in the regular. The unit got hot at the SLC Championships, taking down the No. 5, No. 1 and No. 2 to claim its initial championship in program history and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Colonels are 0-4 this year, with each of the match-ups part of the preseason WNIT. They have played a challenging schedule, with three road games, including a contest at No. 5 Baylor. Most recently Nicholls was clipped by Delaware, 71-56. Nicholls is led by reigning SLC Player of the Year Cassidy Barrios.  She has secured the SLC Women's Basketball Player of the Week in consecutive weeks. Overall, on the year she is producing 22.0 points per game (first SLC/30th NCAA) to go along with 9.8 rebounds per contest (third SLC/70th NCAA). Barrios  has played every minute of the season (first SLC/fifth NCAA). She has gotten to the free-throw line early and often, nailing 26 (first SLC/70th NCAA) of 28 attempts (first SLC/32nd NCAA) for a readout of 92.9 percent (first SLC/51st NCAA). Barrios is a sharpshooter who has hit 10-23 from distance. Destiny Collins supports her with 8.5 points per game but no one else is better than 5.5 ppg. As a team, Nicholls leads the Southland Conference and is 51st nationally with its effort of 74.6 percent from the charity stripe. It also is in the upper echelon of the league and boasts a top-100 national ranking by hitting 35.1 percent (third SLC/74th NCAA) from distance. Nicholls State was founded in 1948. Notable alumni include Ed Orgeron (head football coach at LSU).

 

HE SAID IT (COACH BAKER ON NICHOLLS STATE)

"Friday we will go up against a very talented team that won the Southland Conference tournament last year.  They will be led by one of the best players we have seen so far this year in Cassidy Barrios.  She was the Player of the Year in their conference last year and has improved her game this year.  They have a solid nucleus and have already played a tough preseason schedule.  This will be a quality match up for the Miners."

 

THE SERIES (NICHOLLS STATE LEADS, 1-0 OVERALL; FIRST MEETING IN EL PASO)

Nicholls State won the only match-up between the programs, 48-40, at home on Jan. 11, 1990. 

 

LAST MEETING WITH NICHOLLS (AT NICHOLLS 48, UTEP 40, JAN. 11, 1990)

Charsa Palamore flirted with a double-double (14 points, nine rebounds) and T.D. Foster made a big impact off the bench (seven points, nine boards), but UTEP was upended at Nicholls State, 48-40, on Jan. 11, 1990. The Miners and Colonels were even (22-22) through 20 minutes of action before the home side got a bit of momentum in the second half. The Miners had a slight edge in boards (40-39) and also forced 23 turnovers but were done in by shooting 28.8 percent (15-53) from the floor and finishing at 44.0 percent (11-25) on free throws. 

 

GOING BACK IN TIME (NM STATE 69, AT UTEP 65, 11/17/18)

Zuzanna Puc registered her second straight double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) and UTEP battled valiantly but its comeback bid came up short in a 69-65 defeat to NM State in the FirstLight Federal Credit Union Battle of I-10 at the Don Haskins Center on Nov. 17. The Miners dug themselves an 18-5 hole nine minutes into the game, allowing the four-time defending WAC regular-season champion Aggies a much greater cushion than they needed. UTEP went to work, reducing the deficit to eight (30-22) at the break. The margin remained eight (53-45) with 7:14 remaining in regulation before the Miners uncorked an 11-3 surge to finally pull even at 56 with 3:03 left. NM State didn't flinch, countering with 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to extend its advantage back to six (62-56). UTEP inched within three (64-61) with 1:08 left but the Aggies put the game away by nailing their eighth and final triple of the contest. Katarina Zec (14 points), Ariona Gill (14 points) and Alexa Hoy (career-high 13 points) joined Puc in double figures for scoring. Neidy Ocuane got involved as well, setting career bests for points (five), rebounds (five) and assists (three).

 

PROGRESS IN TURNOVERS

After committing a combined 46 turnovers in the first two games, the Miners had just 14 giveaways against NM State on Nov. 17. No player on the squad had more than three turnovers in the contest after there were four such performances over the first two games. 

 

STREAKY SHOOTING

UTEP was 6-12 from 3-point range in the opener against Alcorn State (11/10), but it is a combined 6-42 (14.3 percent) from distance the past two tilts. 

 

DEFENDING WITHOUT FOULING

The Miners lead C-USA and are 62nd in the nationally for fewest fouls per game (15.7). Conversely foes have been tagged for 26.0 fouls per contest. One direct impact has been UTEP having more makes at the free throw line than opponent attempts. The Miners are 55-80 from the charity stripe compared to their foes standing 28-39. 

 

GETTING AFTER IT ON THE GLASS

UTEP has won the rebounding battle in each of the first three contests. The Miners enter Friday's game vs. Nicholls State at +14.0 on the glass (second C-USA/23rd NCAA). That figure has been aided by having both Zuzanna Puc (9.7 rpg, third) and Katarina Zec(7.0 rpg, tied ninth) among the top 10 in C-USA. Puc is producing 4.0 offensive boards per game (second C-USA) while Zec is grabbing 6.0 defensive rebounds per contest (tied third).

 

BALANCED ATTACK

Three different Miners are in double figures for scoring average. Zuzanna Puc paces the team at 15.7 ppg, followed by Katarina Zec and Ariona Gill at 11.3 ppg. Alexa Hoy tops the reserves at 7.0 ppg, which was aided by a career-best 13 points last time out vs. NM State (11/17).

 

PUC POWER

Zuzanna Puc enters Friday's game vs. Nicholls State on the strength of back-to-back double-doubles for the first time of her career. She has hit double figures in scoring in all three contests, which is one shy of matching her longest such streak. Puc has earned 35+ minutes in consecutive games for the first time of her career, including a personal-best 38 vs. CSUB (11/14).

 

TALKING PLAYING TIME

All five starters are earning at least 20 minutes per game, with Zuzanna Puc (32.7 mpg), Katarina Zec (29.7 mpg) and Ariona Gill (29.3) carrying the heaviest workload. Each of the reserves have secured between 9-23 minutes per contest, with Alexa Hoy (22.3 mpg) pacing the bench bunch. Overall she leads the team in scoring (15.7 ppg), rebounding (9.7 rpg), steals (2.0 spg), and playing time (32.7 mpg).

 

UTEP IN THE RANKINGS

UTEP is in the upper echelon of C-USA and among the top-100 nationally in rebound margin (+14.0, second/23rd), for fewest fouls per game (15.7, first/62nd), scoring defense (55.7, third/79th), rebounds per game (43.3, second/82nd) and 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.258, sixth/97th).

 

INDIVIDUALS IN THE RANKINGS

Zuzanna Puc is tied for the C-USA lead and has a share of 26th nationally for double-doubles (two) and is second in the league for offensive rebounds per game (4.0). She also is in the C-USA/NCAA rankings in field-goal percentage (69.0, third/25th), for rebounds per game (9.7, third/76th) and scoring (15.7, 10th/203rd). Katarina Zec is tied for third in C-USA in defensive boards per game (6.0). and owns a share of ninth in the league for total rebounds per game (7.9). She is also sixth in C-USA and 116th in the country for free-throw percentage (86.7). Jordan Jenkins checks in eighth in C-USA and 189th nationally for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.80).

 

THE BAKER FILE (OVERALL: 363-146, COLLEGE: 141-45, UTEP: 19-15)

Kevin Baker is in his second year (19-15) at the helm of the UTEP women's basketball team. He is in his 17th year overall (363-146) as a head coach, including his seventh season (141-45) as a college head coach. He has a unique background which has seen him rise through the coaching ranks from the high school level, to NCAA Division III, then NCAA Division II and now his NCAA Division I position at UTEP. He has set school records for wins at every previous stop of his career, and has taken every prior school to the postseason with a total of five district championships. He is an eight-time Coach of the Year. In his most-recent posts prior to UTEP, Baker's teams captured back-to-back conference championships at UT-Tyler and Angelo State. Baker led both a Division II (Angelo State) and Division III (UT-Tyler) school to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

 

BAKER'S FIRST-YEAR SUCCESS

Kevin Baker set the school record for most wins (17-14) by a first-year Miner head coach in 2017-18, but that doesn't even begin to tell the whole story. The seven previous first-year head coaches had an average combined record of 8-17. Carol Ammermann(11-5, 1974-75) and Janet Wood (11-16, 1979-80) shared the school mark for wins (11). Baker obliterated that figure while also joining Ammermann as the lone individuals to experience a winning season in year one at UTEP. Furthermore, Baker became the initial first-year Miner head coach to taste victory at the league tournament.

 

CHANCE AT MORE HISTORY

It's still very early, but if the Miners can finish above .500 (currently 2-1) Kevin Bakerwould become the first coach in program history to post winning records in each of their opening two seasons. Carol Ammermann went 11-5 in 1974-75, but slipped to 6-11 the ensuing year. Baker is the eighth head coach in program history.

 

WINNING NUMBERS UNDER BAKER

The Miners are 8-0 under Kevin Baker ( 1-0 this year) when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor. Other notable records in the Baker era include being 14-4 (1-0 in '18-19) when tied or leading after three quarters, 9-1 (1-0 this year) when scoring 70+ points, 8-1 (1-0 this season) when drilling better than 40 percent from 3-point range (min. four makes) and 6-2 in November (1-1 in '18'19).

 

45 YEARS AND COUNTING

The 2018-19 season marks the 45th in program history. The 1974-75 squad, the inaugural one at UTEP, will be honored in the Miners' game against WKU on Feb. 2, 2019. The 1974-75 finished 11-5, including 8-1 in El Paso.

 

GETTING TO KNOW THE 2018-19 MINERS

UTEP returned four letter winners (Jordan Alexander-8.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, Jordan Jenkins-2.0 ppg, 1.4 apg, Zuzanna Puc-9.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg and Katarina Zec-9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg) from last year's squad (17-14, 7-9 C-USA). Also back are a pair of players (Ariona Gill and Neidy Ocuane) who sat out last year as redshirts. The Miners also added six newcomers (Eliana Cabral, freshman guard, Alexa Hoy, sophomore guard, Sabine Lipe, freshman guard, Jade Rochelle, junior guard/forward, Conchi Satorre, freshman point guard and Ariana Taylor, freshman forward), but Cabral is slated to take a redshirt year in 2018-19. The squad is under the direction of second-year head coach Kevin Baker, who is assisted by Lori Morris, Michael Madrid and Kayla Weaver.  

 

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

Half (6-12) of the Miners' roster in 2018-19 is comprised of international players. It is the largest such ratio (50 percent) in program history Eliana Cabral (Portugal), Sabine Lipe (Latvia), Neidy Ocuane (Mozambique), Zuzanna Puc (Poland), Conchi Satorre (Spain) and Katarina Zec (Serbia) give UTEP a distinct international flavor this season. 

 

TEXAS STRONG

The Miners feature five native Texans (Jordan Alexander, Dallas, Alexa Hoy, Rockwall, Jordan Jenkins, Tennessee Colony, Jade Rochelle, Grandview andAriana Taylor, Houston) on the roster. The only other American on the team (Ariona Gill) hails from Las Vegas, Nev.

 

SHARING THE LEADERSHIP

For the third straight season the Miners features a squad with just one senior (Jordan Alexander). She is far from alone in terms of leadership, with five juniors (Ariona Gill, Neidy Ocuane, Zuzanna Puc, Jade Rochelle and Katarina Zec) on the roster. Puc and Zec have earned a pair of letters for the Miners. Gill and Ocuane sat out last season as redshirts, while Rochelle is a transfer from Blinn College. 

 

FOURTH BEST IN TEXAS SINCE 2006-07

The Miners have the fourth-highest winning percentage and fourth-most victories among all DI programs in the state of Texas since 2006-07. Power conference members Baylor (386-53, 87.9%), Texas A&M (312-109, 74.1%) and Texas (265-140, 65.4%) lead the way followed by the Miners (248-135, 64.8%). Lamar (236-143, 62.3%), Stephen F. Austin (229-147, 60.9%), TCU (225-164, 57.8%), Prairie View A&M (205-179, 53.4), SMU (198-176, 52.9%), and Texas Tech (188-196, 48.8%-10th) round out the top 10. 

 

SPECIAL RUN

The Miners are 148-81 since the start of the 2011-12 season (2-1 this year), with 86 double-digit victories in that time frame. UTEP has played postseason basketball three times during the stretch, making two deep runs in the WNIT (2014 runner-up, 2016 quarterfinals) and earning the C-USA automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Tournament (lost, first round). The Orange and Blue have enjoyed 15 separate winning streaks of at least three games during that time frame. 

 

HOME SWEET HOME

UTEP has an all-time home record of 362-220, including standing 2-1 in the Don Haskins Center in 2018-19. The Miners have amassed a record of 162-45 at home since 2006-07, including 95-28 since 2011-12. Aiding that 95-28 mark was a school-record (winning percentage) 19-1 home record in 2015-16. UTEP has been particularly strong in nonconference play, standing 82-12 in the Sun City in such contests since 2006-07. 

 

TRAVEL TIME

UTEP is 144-363 all time on the road, including finishing 5-8 in 2017-18. When playing at a neutral site the Miners stand 60-79, including 3-1 last year. Since the start of the 2006-07 season UTEP is 60-68 on the road, including 36-37 since 2011-12. The first road trip in 2018-19 is at Weber State on Nov. 28. 

 

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

UTEP juniors Zuzanna Puc and Katarina Zec are starting to sprinkle their names in the UTEP career records. Zec shares 20th place for 3-pointers made (61), stands tied for 22nd in career games started (53) and is 24th in 3-pointers attempted (171). Zuzanna Puc is 15th in blocked shots (37) and recently became the 50th player in program history with 500+ career points (509). 

 

BASIC FACTS ON UTEP

UTEP is 566-663 in its 45th season as a women's basketball program, including standing 2-1 in 2018-19. The Miners have made four postseason bids (2016,-WNIT quarterfinals; 2014-WNIT runner-up, 2012-NCAA first round and 2008-NCAA second round), sporting a combined record of 9-4 (8-2 WNIT, 1-2 NCAA). UTEP has claimed four league championships (2016 C-USA regular season, 2012 C-USA regular season and conference tournament and 2008 C-USA regular season). It has a 1-1 record all time in league tournament title games, cutting down the nets in 2012 and falling in 2008. There have been six 20+ win seasons (all since 2006-07), UTEP has cracked the top-25 poll in two seasons (2015-16, 2007-08), including being ranked in the final six weeks in '07-08, while receiving votes in seven campaigns total ('15-16, '13-14, '12-13, '11-12, '08-09, '07-08 and '06-07). The Miners have been mentioned in the AP Preseason Poll four times (most recent 2016-17). In 2008 UTEP became the first C-USA women's team to finish undefeated in league play (16-0) while claiming the program's initial league title. The Miners finished 15-1 in C-USA in 2012 in addition to also winning the program's first conference tournament championship. UTEP owns the C-USA single-season record for winning streak at 23, which was set in 2007-08. The University of Texas at El Paso was founded in 1914. Notable alumni include former ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Sam Donaldson, well-respected and former NFL referee Ed Hochuli, former NASA astronaut Danny Olivas engineer & Dennis Poon, who designed Taipei 101 & some of the tallest buildings in the world.

 

QUICK 2017-18 YEAR IN REVIEW

The Miners compiled an overall record of 17-14 (7-9 in C-USA play, 9-4 in nonconference action) to surge past the 2016-17 team's overall victory total (8-23) by nine wins while also exceeding the number of league victories (5-13 C-USA). UTEP also won a game at the C-USA tournament, and it even led top-seed UAB by five points late in the third quarter before ultimately succumbing, 75-66, on March 8, 2018.

 

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Fans are encouraged to connect with the Miners on Facebook (UTEP Women's Basketball), Instagram (@utepwbb) and Twitter (@UTEPWBB). 

 

NEXT UP

The Miners will wrap up the seventh-annual UTEP Thanksgiving Classic against Abilene Christian at 7 p.m. MT on Saturday. A match-up between Texas Southern and Nicholls State is set for 5 p.m. MT Saturday. One ticket serves as admission for both games of the day. They are $5 for adults and $3 for kids, and may be purchased by calling (915) 747-5234. 

 

CLIFF NOTES ON THE 2018-19 SEASON

UTEP GRINDS OUT WIN VS. CSUB (AT UTEP 53, CSU BAKERSFIELD 47, 11/14/18)

Zuzanna Puc registered her fifth career double-double (12 points, personal-best tying 12 rebounds), and the defense did the rest in UTEP's 53-47 win against CSU Bakersfield at the Don Haskins Center on Nov. 14. The Miners held the Roadrunners to 28.8 percent (17-59) from the field, while also winning the rebounding battle (46-34) in the tightly-contested ballgame. UTEP outscored CSUB, 19-9, in the final frame to rally back from a four-point deficit (38-34) through 30 minutes of action. There were six ties and eight lead changes, with the final with coming during a 9-0 Miner run in the fourth quarter. The surge, which spanned roughly five minutes, turned a 41-36 deficit into a 45-41 advantage. UTEP never relinquished the lead from that point. The biggest shot was a 3-pointer byNeidy Ocuane, which proved to be the lone triple (1-20) of the game for the Orange and Blue. CSUB did fight back to tie the contest, 47-47, but the Miners pitched a shutout over the final 2:18. Katarina Zec connected on 6-8 at the charity stripe in that sequence to give the home side just enough to pull out the win. Zec finished with nine points and eight boards to support Puc, while Jordan Alexander contributed eight points and a quartet of rebounds. Sophomore Jordan Jenkins added six points and a career-high tying five boards. The Roadrunners were led by 13 points and 12 boards from Malayasia McHenry. CSUB's Alexxus Gilbert and Jazmine Johnson were held to a total of 14 points on a combined 4-16 shooting. The duo entered the contest contributing 29.5 ppg on a combined 22-49 from the floor. 

 

UTEP DOWNS ALCORN STATE IN OPENER (AT UTEP 77, ALCORN STATE 51, 11/10/18)

Zuzanna Puc poured in 18 points to pace a quartet of players in double figures as the UTEP women's basketball team cruised to a 77-51 season-opening win vs. Alcorn State on Nov. 10. Ariona Gill (15 points), Jordan Jenkins (career-high 11 points, six assists) and Katarina Zec (11 points, personal-best tying nine rebounds) also got after it for the Miners. UTEP connected on 52.6 percent (30-57) from the floor, tied for the sixth-best rebounding margin (+27, 48-21) in program history and racked up 23 assists on 30 made field goals. They held ASU to 30.2 percent (16-53) shooting and forced 20 turnovers.Conchi Satorre pitched in five points and a trio of boards in 10 minutes of action to lead the reserves in scoring. The Lady Braves scored the first two points of the contest on a jumper, but UTEP punched back with a 12-0 surge over the next five minutes. The home side never trailed again.

 

BIGGEST WIN UNDER COACH BAKER

UTEP's 26-point romp against Alcorn State served as its largest margin of victory under head coach Kevin Baker. The previous high was a 20-point differential (69-49) vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Nov. 18, 2017.

 

START IT UP

UTEP improved to 25-20 all time in season openers, including 21-7 when doing so in El Paso. The Miners are now 2-0 under Kevin Baker in season lidlifters.

 

EXHIBITION REWIND

UTEP tuned up for the 2018-19 season with a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Division II programs. The Miners downed Western New Mexico, 66-45, on Oct. 27, and dispatched St. Mary's (Texas), 70-51, on Nov. 4. Jordan Alexander (17 points, six rebounds) and Ariona Gill (14 points, rebounds) set the tone in the win vs. WNMU.Zuzanna Puc pitched in nine points and six boards while Jordan Jenkins added seven points and three assists. The Miners led by 15 (20-5) after the first quarter, and they were never truly threatened the rest of the way. Puc (15 points), Alexander (13 points, six rebounds) and Katarina Zec (10 points, four assists) set the tone in the victory vs. St. Mary's. Once again the Orange and Blue started strong, racing out to a 22-8 lead on the way to the 19-point win. UTEP drilled better than 44.0 percent from the floor in both contests while holding each of its foes to less than 31 percent shooting. It also forced 18+ turnovers in each tilt. All 10 Miners earned at least seven minutes of playing time in both games, but no one played more than 30 minutes.