UTEP Miners

Game Notes In PDF Format
 

THE OPENING TIP

After a break for finals the UTEP women's basketball team (7-2) will return to action by playing at former WAC and Conference USA member SMU (4-4) at 4 p.m. MT/5 p.m. CT on Thursday. The Miners had a four-game winning streak snapped by No. 20/19 Arizona, 54-43, on Dec. 7. The Mustangs are coming off a 66-51 vanquishing of North Dakota on Dec. 9. It will mark the second and final nonconference road game for UTEP, which emerged victorious at I-10 rival NM State, 63-57, on Nov. 13. SMU is 3-3 at home, including a victory over defending C-USA Champion Rice. A win would afford UTEP its first 2-0 start on the road since 2011-12 and fourth overall in program history. Incredibly enough the 2011-12 team holds the school standard for best road start at 3-0; it went on to finish 11-1 on the road. UTEP was also 2-0 on the road in 1998-99 and 2006-07. Thursday's game will be streamed live online through PonyUpTV.

 

HE SAID IT (COACH BAKER ON SMU)

"SMU is a very dangerous team because they are so athletic. They do not always score on a first shot. They hit the offensive boards hard. They will also be a tough road test for our team. But we have been playing well , and I expect a great game!" 

 

TURN IT AROUND

UTEP is off to a 7-2 start on the year, which is a stark reversal from a year ago. The Miners were 2-7 at this juncture in 2018-19, and eventually finished the year at 9-22. UTEP could match its overall win total from a year ago before conference play begins if it is able to pick up a road win at SMU and then knock off Tulsa at home. 

 

BIG WINS

Five of UTEP's victories have been by double figures, including three of at least 20 points. The Miners had their largest differential (+45) under head coach Kevin Baker in a 92-47 drubbing of Alcorn State (11/16), in addition to toppling Western Michigan (11/29) by 30 (76-46) and a 20-point (65-45) dispatching of NM State (11/23). It marks the first time since 2013-14 that UTEP posted at least three nonconference wins against DI programs by 20+ points. That year the Miners had six such efforts prior to league action.

 

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 SMU (4-4 OVERALL; 3-3 HOME; 0-1 ROAD; 1-0 NEUTRAL)

SMU returned three starters and seven letter winners overall from last year's team (11-19, 5-11 American). Based on age average, the team was one of the two youngest in the country. The Mustangs are off to a 4-4 start this year, which includes a home win over defending C-USA Champion Rice. Johnasia Cash (12.1 ppg), Kayla White (11.4 ppg) and BriShonne Tollie (10.3 ppg) are all in double figures for scoring. Amber Bacon (9.8 ppg) and Reagan Bradley (7.1 ppg) have also been scoring threats. Cash gets after it hard on the glass (9.9 rpg-first American/41st NCAA), with Tollie (8.4 rpg-eighth American/108th NCAA) close behind her. Their efforts have helped the Mustangs sport a +5.3 rebounding margin (third American/82nd NCAA). SMU is also among the AAC leaders and top-100 in the NCAA for field-goal percentage defense (33.2-first/17th), offensive rebounds per game (16.6-third/18th), blocked shots per game (4.5-second/49th) and scoring defense (59.5-fourth/90th).The Mustangs don't shoot the ball well from distance, ranking last in the country in 3-point percentage (14.8) and 3-pointers per game (1.5). The school was founded in 1911, but the first class wasn't held until 1915. Notable alumni include Laura Bush (former first lady), Kathy Bates (academy-award winning actress), the late Lamar Hunt (founder of the American Football League) and Amy Acker (Actor, Person of Interest).

 

THE SERIES (OVERALL: SMU, 27-12; IN DALLAS: SMU, 14-3)

SMU leads the series with UTEP, 27-12, including 14-3 in Dallas. UTEP claimed the first meeting between the programs in 1974-75, its first season of competition. The series resumed in 1996-97 with the programs locking up multiple times per year as league foes (first as WAC, later in C-USA) through the 2012-13 season. Thursday's meeting is the first between the foes since the 2014-15 season. That year SMU bested UTEP in Dallas, 63-59, on Nov. 16, 2014. The Mustangs have won two straight and five of the past six match-ups with UTEP in Moody Coliseum. 

 

LAST MEETING WITH SMU: AT SMU 63, UTEP 59, 11/16/14

Junior Cameasha Turner eclipsed 20 points for the second straight game but an off shooting night and a big discrepancy on the boards loomed large in a 63-59 setback at SMU on Nov. 16, 2014. UTEP made nine threes but they came on a school-record tying 32 attempts. The Miners, who shot 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the floor and were outrebounded 51-32, nearly compensated for that by forcing the Mustangs into 20 turnovers. The last of those giveaways came with 17 seconds to play to give UTEP the ball trailing by two (61-59). It was not to be, though, as freshman Lulu McKinney was trapped and ended up turning the ball over as time ticked down. The Miners fouled immediately but SMU's Kiara Perry sank both free throws to officially seal UTEP's fate. SMU finished the game 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) at the charity stripe while also enjoying an effort of 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from the floor. It was a back-and-forth contest featuring seven ties and 14 lead changes, and neither squad managed an advantage greater than seven points. SMU was up by six at the half, 39-33, before UTEP surged ahead thanks to a 14-2 run over the first seven minutes of the stanza. Turner was the catalyst by scoring 11 of the 14 points but the Miners couldn't sustain the momentum.

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GOING BACK IN TIME (#20/19 ARIZONA 54, AT UTEP 43, 12/7/19)

UTEP forced 23 turnovers and held No. 20 Arizona to its lowest scoring output in a nonconference game in three years but couldn't get enough shots to fall in a 54-43 setback at the Don Haskins Center on Dec. 7. The Miners limited the Wildcats to 38.0 percent shooting (19-50), including just 7.1 percent (1-14) from beyond-the-arc. Arizona entered the contest averaging 78 points and shooting 49 percent from the floor. UTEP also kept All-American Aari McDonald to 13 points on 4-14 shooting, eight below her scoring output. The defensive effort, particularly over the final three quarters, helped give Arizona its smallest margin of victory on the year. The Wildcats brought a +33 scoring margin into the game. Ariona Gill (11 points) and Katia Gallegos (10 points) paced UTEP on offense. The Miners shot 43 percent in the opening frame but couldn't sustain that on the way to finishing at 25.9 percent (15-58) for the day. But the defense, which kept Arizona to 1-9 in the final quarter, allowed the home side to be down by just nine with three minutes to play. UTEP could get no closer, with the Wildcats hitting enough free throws down stretch to hold on.

 

ZEC'S GAME GOING STRONG

Senior Katarina Zec has been a consistent performer across the board for the Miners in 2019-20. She leads the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and minutes played (30.2 mpg). Zec also paces the unit for 3-pointers made (17) and attempted (43). Dating back to the end of last season, she has hit double figures in scoring in 19 of the past 21 contests. 

 

BALANCED SCORING

Katarina Zec is the lone Miner in double figures for scoring (12.8 ppg), but she is not the only capable scorer on the roster. Five other players are pitching in at least 5.0 ppg. They are in the form of Katia Gallegos (9.4 ppg), Ariona Gill (8.4 ppg), Michelle Pruitt (7.1 ppg), Avery Crouse (6.7 ppg) and Arina Khlopkova (6.1). The balanced effort has played a big role in UTEP accounting for 69.0 points per game, good enough for fourth in C-USA.

 

SHARING THE ROCK

Freshman Katia Gallegos has settled into the role as starting point guard. She has dished out 36 assists while committing 20 turnovers in 27.1 minutes per game. The assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8) is second in C-USA and her 4.0 assists per game ranks fourth in the league. Overall, UTEP's 14.2 assists per game ranks third in the league.

 

GILL KEYING EFFORT ON THE BOARDS

UTEP has a +4.7 rebounding margin (third C-USA/94th NCAA), with Ariona Gill (8.9 rpg-fifth C-USA/79th NCAA). She has grabbed at least 10 boards in four games, including a career-high 14 in the win vs. Weber State (12/5). The top two scorers on the squad have also been helping out on the glass, in the form of Katarina Zec (5.6 rpg) and Katia Gallegos (4.7 rpg).

 

GIVE ME THAT BALL

UTEP's full-court pressure defense has given the opposition fits, with foes making 21.6 turnovers per contest (first C-USA/28th NCAA). Back-to-back opponents have made at least 23 turnovers for the first time since a three-game stretch in the 2015-16 season. Katia Gallegos (2.0 spg-eighth C-USA) is leading the charge for the unit. 

 

LOVE ME SOME FREE THROWS

UTEP has done plenty of work at the charity stripe. The Miners lead the league and are 22nd nationally for free throws attempted (198) while ranking second in the conference and 23rd in the NCAA for free throws made (135). UTEP set season highs for both by going 24-39 against Weber State (12/5).

 

SHUTTING DOWN THE 3-BALL 

UTEP has kept opponents to 19.8 percent (32-162) on 3-point attempts. That figure is second nationally, trailing only Idaho at 19.5 percent. Eight of nine foes have been held to less than 28 percent from distance, including four below 10 percent. 

 

GETTING TO KNOW THE 2019-20 MINERS

The Miners returned three starters and seven letter winners from a year ago, including senior guard/forward Katarina Zec (10.1 ppg/4.4 rpg/1.9 apg), senior guard/forward Ariona Gill (8.7 ppg/4.4 rpg), sophomore forward Ariana Taylor (5.9 ppg), senior guard/forward Jade Rochelle(4.0 ppg/4.7 rpg), senior guard Neidy Ocuane (4.0 ppg/1.8 apg) and sophomore guard Sabine Lipe (3.2 ppg and 2.3 rpg). UTEP brought in seven newcomers (junior college transfers Tia Bradshaw, Michelle Pruitt and DejaNae Roebuck, and freshmen Avery Crouse, Katia Gallegos, Arina Khlopkova and Tatyana Modawar) to bolster the unit. The group features three top-100 JUCO players, including two All-Americans, and four high school standouts that produced a combined record of 105-27 at their respective schools. The squad is under the direction of third-year head coach Kevin Baker, who is assisted by Todd Buchanan, Anthony Anderson and Heather Karner.  

 

THE BAKER FILE (OVERALL: 377-169, COLLEGE: 155-68, UTEP: 33-38)

Kevin Baker is 33-38 in his third year at the helm of the UTEP women's basketball team, including 7-2 this year. He registered the most wins (26) by any Miner coach through their first two years in program history, including setting the school standard for victories (17) in a debut season in 2017-18. The Miners have also won a game in back-to-back C-USA tournaments for the first time since a five-year stretch (2010-14). He is in his 18th year overall (377-169) as a head coach, including his eighth season (155-68) 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.

 

WINNING NUMBERS UNDER BAKER

The Miners are 17-2 (4-1 this year) when scoring 70+ points under Kevin Baker. Other notable records in the Baker era include being 19-7 (6-1 this season) when allowing less than 60 points, 13-5 (1-1 this season) when drilling better than 40 percent from 3-point range (min. four makes), 12-4 (1-0 this year) when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor, 24-9 (5-1 this year) when holding the opponent to below 40.0 percent from the floor, 25-8 (7-0 this year) when leading after three quarters and 25-10 (7-0 this season) when up at the half.

 

BASIC FACTS ON UTEP

UTEP is 580-686 in its 46th season as a women's basketball program, including standing 7-2 this year. 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 Olivasengineer & Dennis Poon, who designed Taipei 101 & some of the tallest buildings in the world.

 

SPECIAL RUN

The Miners are 162-104 since the start of the 2011-12 season, including 7-2 this year. 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 19 separate winning streaks of at least three games (nine such skids), and posted 93 double-digit victories (54 such losses) during that time frame.

 

HOME GAMES A PLENTY

UTEP will play a total of 18 home games in 2019-20 (6-2 thus far), which will be the most in the regular season for the Miners since also doing so in 2006-07. Nine of the 11 nonconference contests are slated for home. There will then be nine C-USA contests at the Don Haskins Center.

 

HOME SWEET HOME

UTEP has an all-time home record of 370-232, including standing 6-2 in the Don Haskins Center this year. The Miners have amassed a record of 172-58 at home since 2006-07, including 103-41 since 2011-12. UTEP has been particularly strong in nonconference play, standing 88-19 in the Sun City in such contests since 2006-07. 

 

TRAVEL TIME

UTEP is 149-372 all time on the road, including standing 1-0 in this year. When playing at a neutral site the Miners stand 62-82, including going 2-2 last season. Since the start of the 2006-07 season UTEP is 66-79 on the road, including 42-48 since 2011-12. 

 

ZEC IN THE CAREER RANKINGS

UTEP senior Katarina Zec has sprinkled her name throughout the UTEP career records. Zec is seventh in games started (89) and 3-pointers attempted (314), tied for seventh for 3-pointers made (109), 13th in minutes played (2,690), tied 19th for assists (177), 23rd in points (856), tied 25th for field goals made (306) and tied 26th in games played (89).

 

QUICK REVIEW OF LAST YEAR

There were some ups and downs in 2018-19, but UTEP played its best basketball late in the season to punch a ticket to the C-USA Championships for the second straight year. Once there 11th-seed UTEP made some noise by rallying from a 10-point deficit late in the third quarter to upset sixth-seed Marshall, 64-56, in double overtime (3/13/19). UTEP delivered its first road sweep in league play in three years with two wins in three days (at FAU, 70-44, 2/7/19 and at FIU, 60-55, 2/9/19). The 26-point differential at FAU was the second-biggest margin of victory in a conference road game in program history. UTEP also dispatched North Texas (59-51, 3/7/19) to improve to 2-0 on "Senior Day" under Baker. 

 

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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

 

UP NEXT

The Miners will be break for the holidays before wrapping up nonconference play at home against Tulsa at 1 p.m. MT on Dec. 29. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids and may be purchased by calling (915) 747-5234.

 

CLIFF NOTES ON THE '19-20 SEASON

GOING BACK IN TIME (AT UTEP 70, WEBER STATE 51, 12/5/19)

Senior Jade Rochelle provided a huge spark off the bench by setting career highs in points (15) and steals (six) to help the UTEP women's basketball team topple Weber State, 70-51, at the Don Haskins Center on Dec. 5. Katarina Zec (15 points) and Katia Gallegos (12 points) also reached double figures in the Miners' (7-1) fourth consecutive win. The Wildcats (1-5) put up quite a fight, but UTEP had enough in the tank to continue its best start to a year during the Kevin Baker era. UTEP won the boards (42-35), thanks primarily to Ariona Gill's career-high 14 rebounds. Gill added seven points to flirt with the double-double. But the night was stolen by Rochelle, who was electric in her 21 minutes off the pine. She connected on 6-10 from the floor, in addition to going 3-3 at the free throw line. Her presence was equally felt on the defensive end where she came up one steal shy of cracking UTEP's top-10 single-game list. Another factor was the Miners' defense forcing 31 turnovers, the most by a UTEP opponent in four years. WSU was held to 35.6 percent (16-45) from the floor, including 23.1 percent (3-13) from 3-point range. UTEP connected on 34.4 percent from the floor but made up for it by getting to the free throw line 39 times (24 makes). The Miners had 12 assists on their 21 field goals made, with freshman Katia Gallegos tallying a game-high five.

 

AT UTEP 71, GEORGIA STATE 68, 11/30/19)

Freshmen Arina Khlopkova (career-best 20 points) Avery Crouse (career-best 13 points) and Katia Gallegos (11 points, career-high eight rebounds) all had big nights to help lead the UTEP women's basketball team to a 71-68 victory against Georgia State in its final game of the Eighth-Annual UTEP Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 30, 2019. The Miners (6-1) forced 20 turnovers, including Khlopkova drawing a charge late in the game, to help topple the upset-minded Panthers. There were eight ties and nine lead changes in a back-and-forth battle. It was tied at 68 with 1:42 to play when Gallegos split through traffic for the go-ahead lay-up. Georgia State missed a pair of shots to either tie or retake the lead late, and Khlopkova put the finishing touches on the win with a free throw with seven seconds left. UTEP overcame an off shooting night (37.1 percent) by taking care of business at the charity stripe (19-24, 79.2 percent) and turning up the pressure to force the aforementioned 20 turnovers. Sabine Lipe came off the bench to chip in four points, four rebounds and four assists while Ariana Taylor netted six points to go along with two boards. UTEP took good care of the ball, committing only 11 turnovers.

 

FRESHMEN POWER 

Freshmen Arina Khlopkova (career-best 20 points) Avery Crouse (career-best 13 points) and Katia Gallegos (11 points) all hit double digits in scoring in UTEP's win against Georgia State on Nov. 30. It marked the first time that three Miner freshmen scored at least 10 points in the same game against a Division I opponent since 2004-05 at Boise State (3/3/05).  In that game the effort was courtesy of 

Dana Penno (14 points), Izabela Piekarska (14 points), and Kasia Krezel (10 points). 

 

AT UTEP 76, WESTERN MICHIGAN 46, 11/29/19

The UTEP women's basketball team surged out to a 23-point lead at the half (38-15) en route to knocking off Western Michigan, 76-46, at the Eighth-Annual UTEP Thanksgiving Classic Friday afternoon.  The Miners (5-1) shot 49.2 percent (30-61) from the floor and won the boards (47-32) to handle the Broncos (2-3). UTEP also got after it on defense by holding WMU to 28.1 percent (16-64) and forcing 18 turnovers to keep them 28 points below their scoring average (74.0) entering the game.  Arina Khlopkova (career-high 14 points), Katarina Zec (12 points) and Michelle Pruitt (10 points) all hit double figures in scoring to pace UTEP. Tia Bradshaw (career-best eight points) also had a career scoring day. Ariona Gill (10 rebounds) led the charge on the glass while Zec secured a season-high eight boards. UTEP shared the ball well, with 20 assists on 30 field goals, with Katia Gallegos (five) and Avery Crouse (career-best four) leading the way in the department.

 

AT UTEP 65, NM STATE 45, 11/23/19

Senior Ariona Gill posted a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds), and UTEP defended with furor in a 65-45 vanquishing of I-10 rival NM State to complete the season sweep of the Aggies at the Don Haskins Center on Nov. 23. The Miners led wire-to-wire in the 20-point victory against the Aggies. UTEP held NM State to 33.9 percent (21-62) from the floor, including a paltry 6.7 percent (1-15) from 3-point range. The Miners also forced 19 turnovers, which led to 19 points, and crushed the Aggies on the boards, 51-30. Freshman Katia Gallegos turned in an outstanding all-around effort. She scored 10 points while setting career highs in rebounds (seven), assists (six) and steals (four) in 29 minutes of action. Senior Katarina Zec also hit double digits (11 points) in scoring for the fifth time in as many games on the year while freshman Avery Crouse netted eight points. UTEP shot 41.5 percent (27-65) from the floor, including 52.9 percent (9-17) during a second quarter where it outscored the visitors, 20-10. But the Miners' defense stole the show. UTEP set season bests for fewest points allowed (45) and 3-point percentage defense (6.7 percent). The Aggies had 25 points through three quarters before putting up 20 points in the final frame, when the outcome was already decided. 

 

NEW MEXICO 93, AT UTEP 78, 11/19/19)

UTEP put up 78 points while shooting 49 percent from the floor, but it wasn't enough to keep up with high-octane New Mexico in a 93-78 setback at the Don Haskins Center on Nov. 19. Nearly 1,500 fans, most of them young students, made for an entertaining atmosphere on the Miners' "Education Day" game, but the Lobos emerged victorious in a battle of unbeatens. Katarina Zec (16 points), Tatyana Modawar (career-high 12 points) and Katia Gallegos (10 points) all hit double figures in scoring for UTEP. Ariona Gill flirted with a double-double (eight points, 10 rebounds) while Avery Crouse netted nine and Ariana Taylor chipped in seven points. UNM relied on a barrage of 3-pointers (12-29), an extremely good day at the line (17-19) and winning the boards (41-30) to outlast the Miners. The Lobos had a 24-14 margin on second-chance points while also holding advantages for points in the paint (38-28) and fastbreak points (34-12). UTEP lost for just the second time (14-2) of the Kevin Baker era when scoring at least 70 points.

 

AT UTEP 92, ALCORN STATE 47, 11/16/19)

UTEP raced out to an 18-point lead (28-10) after the first quarter and never looked back in a 92-47 win against Alcorn State at the Don Haskins Center on Nov. 16. Katarina Zec (17 points) led a quartet of Miners (3-0) in double figures for scoring in the wire-to-wire victory against the Lady Braves (0-4). Ariona Gill (14 points, game-high seven rebounds), Michelle Pruitt (13 points) and freshman Avery Crouse (career-high 10 points) buoyed fellow starter Zec. The bench did its part too by piling up 34 points, with Ariana Taylor (nine points) setting the tone for the reserves. DejaNae Roebuck (career-high tying seven points) nearly matched Taylor. UTEP registered 23 assists on 34 field goals, won the boards (44-26) and forced 28 turnovers that were converted into 27 points. The Miners shot 54.8 percent (34-62) from the floor, including 39.1 percent (9-23) from distance. Alcorn State was held to 32.0 percent (16-50) shooting. It marked the third 90+ point scoring contest under head coach Kevin Baker, who has his squad off to a 3-0 start for the second time in three seasons.  

 

UTEP 63, AT NM STATE 57, 11/13/19)

Senior Katarina Zec scored 17 points, including a go-ahead three pointer with two minutes to play in the game, to help lift UTEP to a 63-57 win at I-10 rival NM State on Nov. 9. The effort secured the Miners' third straight 2-0 start under head coach Kevin Baker. Furthermore, they picked up their first road win against the Aggies since 2015-16. Junior transfer Michelle Pruitt (14 points) and freshman Katia Gallegos (13 points) joined Zec in double figures for scoring, while senior Ariona Gill pitched in seven points to go along with a team-best eight rebounds. Ariana Taylor came off the bench to score nine points, in addition to setting up Zec's clutch trey. It was a back-and-forth game with 12 ties and 19 lead changes, with the final change coming down the stretch. NM State led by two (57-55) with 3:24 to play, but UTEP closed the game on a 6-0 push to stay perfect on the young season. Zec provided the go-ahead score with a knockdown triple off a cross-court pass by Taylor. 

 

AT UTEP 63, UC RIVERSIDE 60, 11/9/19)

UTEP bolted out to a 19-point lead (33-14) at the half on the way to defeating UC Riverside, 63-50, at the Don Haskins Center on Nov. 9. The Miners led wire-to-wire against the Highlanders, who were playing for the third time in five days to start the season. UTEP took advantage of that fact, turning up the heat defensively with a pressing defense that forced 28 turnovers. Those giveaways led to 25 points. Katarina Zec tallied 18 points to lead a balanced offensive attack that featured six different players with at least six points. Freshman Katia Gallegos debuted with nine points, five assists, two steals and no turnovers in a squad-high 34 minutes of playing time. Junior transfer Michelle Pruitt (eight points, 10 rebounds) flirted with a double-double while fellow classmate and transfer DejaNae Roebuck came off the bench to score seven points. UTEP got to the free throw line 30 times and took 60 shots to the Highlanders' 41 attempts. The discrepancy came from UCR's 28 turnovers compared to only 15 by the Orange and Blue. 

 

STIFLING DEFENSE

UTEP locked down on UCR (11/9) from the onset, limiting the Highlanders to four points in the first quarter. It tied as the third-lowest points allowed in a frame by the Miners. Additionally, the 50 points allowed were the fewest in a season opener since 2006-07.

 

EXHIBITION REWIND

UTEP prepped for the 2019-20 season by posting a pair of victories against Division II opponents in exhibition contests. The Miners downed Eastern New Mexico, 84-64, (Oct. 26), while also besting St. Mary's (TX) (Nov. 2), 59-47. Katarina Zec averaged 20.5 points per game to lead the unit, with transfer Michelle Pruitt (10.5 ppg) also checking in for double figures. UTEP had a +9.0 rebounding margin (41.5-32.5) during the contests. The Miners also forced 24.0 turnovers per game, which made up for the opposition hitting 41.2 percent (42-102) from the floor in the two contests.