UTEP Miners

Game Notes In PDF Format

(9) UTEP TO CHALLENGE C-USA REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPION AND (1) UAB IN C-USA QUARTERFINALS
Ninth-seeded UTEP (17-13) will lock up with Conference USA regular-season champion and top-seeded UAB (24-5) in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Conference USA Championships presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, at 10 a.m. MST/11 a.m. CST Thursday. The Miners advanced to the quarterfinals after downing (8) Southern Miss, 72-67, and also pushing their overall win streak to three. The Blazers won their final two games of the regular season and were one of four teams to secure a first-round bye. UTEP, which became the first ninth seed to win the 8/9 match-up at the event since 2012, will now try to be the initial ninth seed to punch a ticket to the semifinals in C-USA tournament history. The Miners are also aiming at avenging their second regular-season loss in as many days. Southern Miss bested UTEP, 70-63, in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Feb. 25 before the Miners avenged it Wednesday. UAB topped the Orange and Blue, 84-64, in El Paso on Feb. 2, but the Blazer lead was just two (54-52) through three quarters of play. Steve Kaplowitz and Traci Miller will have the call of the game on 600 ESPN El Paso while it will also be streamed live on Facebook (Doug Anderson-play-by-play, Kyle Youmans-analyst and Madi Morris-sideline reporter). The winner of the game will advance to face either (4) Middle Tennessee or 5 (Rice) in the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. MST/5:30 p.m. CST Friday.
 
CONFERENCE TOURNEY QUICK HITTERS
Making its 10th quarterfinals appearance in 13 trips to the C-USA championships after knocking off Southern Miss, 72-67 on Wednesday ... 17-24 all time in conference tournament play (13-10 in C-USA; 4-14 as a member of WAC) ... advanced to the league semifinals in four of the past six years, five times total since joining C-USA and eight occasions in program history (WAC- 1993, 1995 and 2004; C-USA 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016) ... played in the championship contest twice (2008 and 2012), winning it all in 2012 ... seeded ninth for the third time (2003-WAC & 2011-C-USA) ... Kevin Baker is the initial first-year UTEP head coach to win a game at the league tournament ... Tamara Seda posted the first double-double (19 points, 14 rebounds) by a Miner in the conference tournament since 2014 ... her 14 rebounds tied for third in UTEP league tourney action ... Faith Cook earned a share of second for 3-pointers made (four) and minutes played (40) for Miners at the league tournament ... her four 3-pointers also established a career high ... UTEP posted its fifth-highest field-goal percentage (22-44, 50.0 percent) in conference tourney play, aided by matching the standard for 3-point percentage (50.0) ... also cracked the school's top-five league tournament record books for free-throw percentage (84.0-3rd) and assists (18-3rd).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The series between UTEP and UAB is knotted up, 9-9. The Miners and Blazers will be locking up in the Conference USA Championships for the fifth time in the past seven years. UTEP is 3-1 against UAB in the situation, posting wins in 2012 (60-49, semifinals), 2013 (61-59, quarterfinals), and 2016 (62-59, quarterfinals). The Blazers got the best of the Miners in 2015 (62-53, first round). This is the second meeting on the year between the programs. UAB knocked off the Miners, 84-64, in El Paso on Feb. 2. UTEP trailed by just two (54-52) through three quarters of play before the Blazers used a huge fourth quarter to cruise to the 20-point victory.
 
GETTING TO KNOW UAB
Top-seed UAB, under the direction of C-USA Coach of the Year Randy Norton, has matched its program record for overall wins (24-5) while setting the school standard for league victories (13-3) on the way to claiming its initial Conference USA regular-season title. It marked the first championship since the Blazers grabbed the 1994 Great Midwest regular-season crown. UAB stormed out of the gates at 21-3 before losing two of the next three. It got back on track with back-to-back wins the close the regular season with momentum, including a 74-66 triumph at UTSA on March 3 that clinched the C-USA crown. The Blazers are paced by a trio of 2018 All-Conference USA honorees in the form of first-team honorees Rachael Childress (14.1 ppg-16th C-USA) and Deanna Kuzmanic (13.9 ppg-17th C-USA, 3.7 apg-6th C-USA/192nd NCAA) and second-team selection Miyah Barnes (11.2 ppg-tied 25th C-USA, 5.0 apg-3rd C-USA/56th NCAA). Childress has been lights out from distance; she leads C-USA and is among the top-20 nationally for 3-point field-goal percentage (45.1-10th), 3-pointers per game (3.21-15th) and 3-pointers made (93-19th). Kara Rawls is the top rebounder (8.1 rpg-8th C-USA/136th NCAA) while Katelynn Thomas paces it in field-goal percentage (62.4-1st C-USA). UAB has three of the best four free-throw shooters in C-USA, in the form of Kuzmanic (92.1-1st), Childress (89.2-2nd) and Barnes (84.3-4th) while the Blazers are responsible for three of the top 10 in 3-point shooting in the form of Childress (45.1-1st), Barnes (41.1-7th) and Kuzmanic (38.7-10th). Angela Vendrell leads the squad in blocked shots (1.4 bgp-6th C-USA/131st NCAA) while Rawls (0.8 bpg-13th C-USA) has also demonstrated some ability in the area. As a team UAB is among the C-USA and NCAA leaders for 3-point field-goal percentage (39.3-1st/5th), assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.5-1st/10th), assists per game (17.8-1st/14th), scoring margin (+12.7-1st/37th), field-goal percentage defense (38.2-1st/72nd), fewest turnovers per game (12.3-2nd/23rd), field-goal percentage (44.8-2nd/35th), free-throw percentage (75.3-2nd/40th), 3-point field goals made (8.1-2nd/40th) scoring offense (73.3-2nd/50th), 3-pointers made (234-2nd/52nd), rebounding margin (+4.2-3rd/74th), blocks per game (3.9-3rd/90th) and scoring defense (60.6-5th C-USA/75th NCAA). The university was founded in 1969. Notable alumni include Regina Benjamin (U.S. Surgeon General), Steve Chiotakis (co-host of the NPR morning report), Deidre Downs (2005 Miss America) and Vonetta Flowers (2002 Olympic gold medalist in bobsled).
 
LAST MEETING WITH UAB (UAB 84, at UTEP 64  (2/2/18)
UTEP went toe-to-toe with Conference-USA leading UAB through three quarters of play before the visitors found another gear in the final frame to pull away for an 84-64 victory at the Don Haskins Center on Feb. 2. UAB, which led 54-52 heading to the final frame, opened up the fourth quarter on a 16-1 run on the way to outscoring the Miners by a count of 30-12 over the final 10 minutes of action. Jordan Alexander tallied a career-high 18 points to pace UTEP. She was joined in double figures in scoring by Tamara Seda (10 points, 10 rebounds), Najala Howell (10 points) and Zuzanna Puc (10 points, nine boards) while Katarina Zec pitched in nine points. The Miners shot 41 percent (25-61) from the floor and finished with 17 assists to only 11 turnovers but they simply didn't have enough firepower to keep pace with the Blazers for the entire contest. UAB finished at 53.4 percent (31-58), including 47.2 percent (17-36) from beyond-the-arc. Aiding those numbers was shooting a ridiculous 84.6 percent (11-13) in the final 10 minutes of action. Rachael Childress powered the attack for the Blazers with 26 points, including going 8-13 from home-run range. Deanna Kuzmanic (19 points) and Trista Magee (14 points) buoyed her efforts.
 
GOING BACK IN TIME (#9 UTEP 72, #8 Southern Miss 67, 3/7/18)
Tamara Seda posted a huge double-double (19 points, 14 rebounds) to pace a quintet of Miners in double figures as ninth-seeded UTEP outlasted eighth-seeded Southern Miss, 72-67, in the opening round of the 2018 Conference USA Championships presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance at the Star Wednesday. The Miners, who became the first ninth seed to win at the league's pinnacle event since 2012, advance to lock up with top-seed and regular-season champion UAB (24-5) in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. MST/11 a.m. CST Thursday while the Lady Eagles (15-15) conclude their campaign. It was a back-and-forth contest with five ties and 11 lead changes. The Miners showed their mettle by surviving a 22-3 USM run in the third quarter that turned an 11-point lead (41-30) into an eight-point deficit (52-44) with 2:13 left in the frame. UTEP struck back with a 20-6 surge wrapped around the quarter break to regain the lead (64-58) for good, icing the contest at the free-throw line late.  UTEP shot 50.0 percent (22-44) from the floor, including 7-14 from distance, won the boards (34-25) and nailed 21-25 (84.0 percent) from the charity stripe. USM tried to compensate by forcing 17 turnovers that led to 23 points while also holding an advantage in bench scoring (26-12) but the Miners did too much elsewhere. Faith Cook (14 points, four assists), Najala Howell (13 points, four boards) Jordan Alexander (10 points, four rebounds) and Zuzanna Puc (10 points, four rebounds) buoyed the play of Seda. Cook nailed a career-high four three pointers to account for 12 of her 14 points (tied second-highest total of season). Nine of Seda's 14 rebounds came in the final frame. Southern Miss was led by 23 points and eight assists from Shonte Hailes while Jayla King came off the bench to add 12 points.
 
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
UTEP is 17-13 (7-9 in C-USA, 9-4 in non-conference play), which more than doubles last season's overall victory total (8-23, 5-13 C-USA) while also exceeding the number of league victories. UTEP finished 5-8 on the road on the regular season after going 1-9 in hostile territory last year. The Miners have enjoyed four different winning streaks of at least two contests, including riding the current three-game stretch. Last year's squad only managed win back-to-back games once. The difference in play extends beyond wins and losses, especially with 3-point shooting and scoring defense. The chart below compares and contrasts the overall average stats by this year's Miners (17-13, 7-9 C-USA) vs. the 2016-17 squad (8-21, 5-12 C-USA) through 30 contests. Bold indicates the statistical advantage between the two seasons.

UTEP AVERAGE STATS THROUGH 30 GAMES (17-13 IN 2017-18; 8-22 IN 2016-17)
Team       PPG      PPGA     FG%     FGD%    3FG%    3FGD%     FT%    RB     RBM     AST    TO    STL   BLK
2017-18       64.9       63.8        43.5     39.3       33.1       32.5           73.7      39.4     +8.0         13.8        18.1      4.7        1.6
2016-17       65.6         71.3               39.9         41.1              27.0           31.4               68.1       39.7    +0.2           13.9     16.5   6.7    4.3

TURN IT AROUND
Last season UTEP won 10 games or less (8-23) for the 17th time in program history, and traditionally that has had put a damper on the ensuing campaign. Thirteen of the previous 16 times the Miners entered a year on the heels of a season with 10 or fewer victories they went on to experience a losing campaign. But this year's team will buck the trend as it heads into the C-USA Quarterfinals at 17-13 on the season. Such turnarounds previously occurred in 2003-04 (16-13 after finishing 10-19), 1988-89 (16-14 after going 8-19) and 1976-77 (13-12 after concluding 6-11).
 
BAKER HAS MADE HISTORY
Kevin Baker has secured the most wins by a first-year UTEP head coach in program history. He has piloted the Miners to a record of 17-13 to shatter the prior standard of 11 that was shared by Carol Ammermann (11-5, 1974-75) and Janet Wood (11-16, 1979-80). Baker is also guaranteed of a winning record in his first season, something that previously was only achieved by Ammermann. To truly appreciate the job Baker has done, consider that the prior seven head coaches at UTEP went a combined 54-120 (8-17 average record) in their first year at the helm of the program.
 
TALKING CLOSE GAMES
UTEP is 7-5 this year in games decided by five points or less, which are the most such victories in a season in program history. This season the Miners have a pair of one-point victories (77-76-at FIU-1/5/18 and 92-91 at Cal State Fullerton-12/29/17), a two-point win (50-48, at North Texas-1/28/18), a triumph by three (64-61 vs. Arkansas-11/24/17) and a trio of five-point wins (72-67, vs. Southern Miss-3/7/18, 80-75, WKU-3/3/18 and 75-70, Florida Atlantic-1/18/18). The losses have been by two points (64-66, at Marshall-2/15/18), three points (55-58, UTSA-2/23/18, 62-65, LA Tech-2/10/18 and at 73-76, at Arkansas State-12/5/18) and four points (52-56, at Old Dominion-2/17/18).
 
WHAT'S TRENDING WITH THE TEAM
Riding a three-game winning streak, to tie its second-longest surge of the year ... claimed the final two games of the regular season before dispatching Southern Miss in the opening round of the C-USA Championships ... tallied 70+ points in three straight games (3-0); limited to 55 points or less in the previous three tilts (0-0) ... had more assists than turnovers in three consecutive contests for the first time this season ... shot at least 50 percent from the floor in back-to-back games ... connected on seven 3-pointers in consecutive contests for the second time of the campaign ... held to a season-low five offensive rebounds vs. Southern Miss (3/7/18) ... three of the past four opponents have attempted fewer than 10 free throws ... allowed a third-quarter season-high 27 points vs. USM but only yielded 13 points in the final frame.
 
WHAT'S TRENDING WITH INDIVIDUALS
Jordan Jenkins went 4-7 (57.1 percent) from distance in C-USA play after going 6-23 (26.1 percent) in non-conference action ... after logging 16 minutes at Marshall (2/15/18), she has earned a combined 19 minutes the past six games ... Roeshonda Patterson is a combined 4-5 (80.0 percent) from the floor the past two games; she had shot 15.8 percent (6-38) overall her previous 10 appearances ... Patterson matched her career high with two free throws made vs. Southern Miss (3/7/18) ... Jordan Alexander has hit double figures in four straight games; she never had back-to-back such efforts before the current surge ... she's averaging 12.5 points on 54.5 percent shooting (18-33) during the hot streak ... after committing a season-high tying five turnovers at Southern Miss (2/25/18), she has two giveaways in the three tilts since ... she is 5-13 from distance the past four games; she was 3-24 in the 11 preceding tilts ... Zuzanna Puc is averaging 18.7 points on 65.6 percent (21-32) shooting during UTEP's three-contest winning streak ... she has reached double figures in three consecutive contests for the second time on the campaign ... for the first time of her career, Puc has dished out at least three assists in back-to-back games ... Faith Cook has averaged 9.5 points on 46.7 percent (14-30) shooting the past four contests; she pitched in 2.7 points per game on 20.0 percent shooting (4-25) in the seven prior contests ... Cook matched her second-highest scoring total (14 points) vs. Southern Miss (3/7/18), aided by nailing a career-high four 3-pointers ... she has logged at least 35 minutes in six straight games, the longest such stretch of her career ... Cook has dished out at least four assists in a personal-best six consecutive games ...  Cook is 8-14 from distance the past three games; she was at 18.8 percent (6-32) the prior 11 tilts ... Najala Howell tallied 13 points vs. Southern Miss (3/7/18) to bounce back from a scoreless effort vs. WKU (3/3/18) ... Howell has played a combined 33 minutes the past two games ; she logged 37+ minutes in the previous four tilts ... Tamara Seda is 39-43 on free throws the past nine games; she went 4-10 at the charity stripe vs. UAB (2/2/18) ... Seda has reached double figures in scoring in 13 straight and 15 of the past 16 games, including three straight contests with 18+ points for the first time of her career ... she has shot at least 50 percent from the floor in five consecutive contests (29-48, 60.4 percent) after going 3-10 at ODU (2/17/18) ... Katarina Zec has 13 assists to four turnovers the past two games ... Zec was 2-2 at the charity stripe vs. Southern Miss (3/7/18); she has misfired just six times total (42-48) on the year at the free-throw line ... she has grabbed nine total offensive boards the past four tilts to match her total of such rebounds the previous 16 games.