UTEP Game Notes

EL PASO, Texas – The Miners (13-9, 5-7 Conference USA) make the trek to Huntington, W. Va. to go head-to-head with Marshall (11-10, 6-6 Conference USA) on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT/1 p.m. ET.

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The game can be heard on the UTEP Miners app with Mando Medina calling the action. The contest will also be streamed on ESPN+. 
 
SERIES VS. MARSHALL
Both sides have won eight times in the overall series and have not played since Feb. 15, 2020 after a one-year hiatus last season. Marshall and UTEP played in a memorable double-overtime tilt in the Conference USA Championships in 2019, with the Miners coming out on top 64-58. In Huntington, the Thundering Herd holds a 6-2 edge all-time. The most recent UTEP win at Marshall was a 60-54 decision on Feb. 7, 2008.

SCOUTING MARSHALL
Since starting 6-1 in league play, the Thundering Herd have lost five straight games dating back to Jan. 27. Marshall has struggled offensively during that span, scoring below 50 points three times and being held to 37 in an overtime loss to Charlotte on Feb. 5. Conference USA leading scorer Savannah Wheeler was a second-team All-Conference selection last season and has been even more productive this time around, averaging 20.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while draining 45 3-pointers, which ranks third in the league. Marshall limits turnovers well, committing just 273 on the year which is 28th in the nation and first in the country. Kennedi Colclough averages 12.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game to serve as the main secondary option offensively to Wheeler for the Thundering Herd.
 
ONE POSSESSION FINISHES
UTEP has had three of the last five games decided by one possession. Four of the losses this season for the Miners have had have been by five points or less.
 
GALLEGOS GETS AGGRESSIVE
Katia Gallegos racked up five steals on Monday at Louisiana Tech, marking the first time that she has reached five in a game this season. For her career, Gallegos has now reached five or more steals in a game three times, led by a career-high seven steals against Southern Miss on Feb. 29, 2020. She had two of the four steals in the final minute for the Miners against the Lady Techsters earlier this week, helping to erase a 10-point lead with 63 seconds remaining in the 68-65 loss. 
 
STILL RIGHT IN THE MIX
In the West side of C-USA, UAB and Southern Miss are on top of the division. The Miners trail the Blazers and Golden Eagles by just two games for first in the standings with a rematch with Southern Miss slated for Feb. 19 in El Paso and one with the Blazers set for Feb. 26 in Birmingham.
 
MARSHALL GAME ON ESPN+
The game at Marshall will be covered live on ESPN+.
 
SUNDAY MATINEE
When the Miners and Thundering Herd take the floor on Sunday it will mark the third time this season that UTEP has played a Sunday afternoon contest. The Miners are 1-1 to this point on Sunday, falling 78-66 at New Mexico and handling UTSA 71-59 at home on Jan. 23. 
 
MARSHALL AT HOME
The Thundering Herd are 7-3 at home this season, including a 4-2 mark in conference games. 
 
BAKER NEARING 200 COLLEGIATE WINS
Kevin Baker has 194 wins between his time at UT Tyler, Angelo State and UTEP. 
 
CRAZY TRAVEL
A flight cancelation last Sunday forced the Miners into same-day travel for the game at Louisiana Tech that featured a 4:35 a.m. MT loading of the bus in El Paso and a 2 p.m. CT arrival in Ruston for the 6:30 p.m. CT start time.
 
WINNING BY 10 OR MORE
UTEP has eight wins this season by 10 or more points, including most recently in a 75-62 handling of North Texas.
 
CROUSE COMING ON
Avery Crouse has scored in double figures in two of the last three games and has posted a field goal percentage of 40 percent or higher in six of the last seven contests. Her 11 points, eight rebounds and two steals at Louisiana Tech on Monday kept the Miners in the game until the end. 
 
LIMITING OPPONENTS ON BOARDS
Opponents of UTEP are averaging just 32.5 rebounds per game, the lowest in C-USA by almost two full rebounds over UAB at 34.4. The +3.6 rebound margin ranks third in the conference.
 
FONTANA CRASHING THE GLASS
For the first time in her collegiate career, Brenda Fontana has posted five or more rebounds in three straight games, including seven boards to pair with 10 points against Rice last Saturday. 
 
FINAL HOME GAMES UPCOMING
UTEP will host Louisiana Tech on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. MT and Southern Miss on Feb. 19 at 12 p.m. MT to round out the home slate for the regular season. Against the Lady Techsters, the Miners will host a Pink Out, with the Saturday contest against the Golden Eagles serving as Senior Day. 
 
BATTLE BACK
After missing the North Texas and Rice games, Teal Battle returned to action on Monday at Louisiana Tech, playing 19 minutes and grabbing four rebounds. 
 
LOTS OF FREE THROWS LEADS TO WINS
The Miners are 10-3 this season when making more free throws than the opponent. 
 
WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
The Miners are 10-1 this season when leading at the half. 
 
POSITIVES COME FROM DISTRIBUTION
UTEP is 8-0 when posting more assists than the opposition this season. 
 
FROM THE FIELD
On the season, the Miners are 10-1 when posting a higher field goal percentage than their opponent. 
 
C-USA CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION
The 2022 Heritage Landscape Supply Group C-USA Basketball Championships are set for March 8-12 in Frisco, Texas at the Ford Center at The Star. All-session passes are available on UTEPMiners.com under the tickets tab.  
 
ERASING A LARGE DEFICIT
UTEP stormed back from down 19 in the third quarter to make a late push in a 68-65 loss at Louisiana Tech on Monday night in the Thomas Assembly Center. In total, the Miners forced the Lady Techsters into four turnovers in the final 63 seconds to slice a 10-point lead down to the final margin of three points after Erin Wilson hit a layup at the horn following a Katia Gallegos steal.
 
DOUBLE FIGURE COMBO
Destiny Thurman and Katia Gallegos are tied for the UTEP team lead with 14 games in which they have contributed a double figure scoring output. Thurman has hit double-digits six times in the last seven games and has led the Miners in scoring for three in a row as part of the stretch. 
 
DURABLE DUO
Katia Gallegos is the only UTEP player to start all 22 games this season, with her and Erin Wilson the only two players to see action in each game. Gallegos has played 30 or more minutes in 16 games on the year. 
 
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
The Miners have played in 11 contests decided by 10 points or less this season. UTEP is 6-5 for the campaign in such games. The Miners went 10-6 a year ago in games within the same margin. In games decided by five or less, the Miners are 4-4.
 
GALLEGOS THIRD ON ASSISTS LIST
Katia Gallegos has dished out 79 assists this season (3.6 apg). The El Paso product sits in third on the school's all-time list with 358 assists. Kellie Willingham (2010-14) ranks second with 373, and Jareica Hughes (2006-10) leads the list with 599.   
 
ARIKE CONSISTENT ON THE BOARDS
Elina Arike has been active on the boards this season, leading the team with 7.7 per game. The native of Helsinki, Finland has posted five or more rebounds in 12 of her last 13 games played, including 14 in a double-overtime win over Air Force on Dec. 21. After grabbing 10 rebounds at FIU, Arike has now posted four double figure rebounding totals this season.
 
KATIA MOVES TO 11TH FOR TRIPLES
Katia Gallegos has hit 92 3-pointers in 75 career games. Gallegos ranks 11th on the school's all-time list, and needs five to crack the program's top-10 list. 
 
40 PERCENT EQUALS WINS
UTEP is 10-0 this season when hitting at a greater than 40 percent clip from the field. The 40 percent rule has applied to the 3-point field goal percentage as well, with the Miners 5-0 when shooting 40 percent or better from outside. 
 
BEST IN C-USA AT GETTING TO THE LINE
With 469 free throws attempted this season, UTEP ranks first in C-USA and eighth in Division I. The Miners have made 72.9 percent of their attempts at the line, knocking down 342 at the stripe to rank sixth in that category. 
 
SUCCESS OVER 70
The Miners are 8-1 this season when scoring 70 or more points in a game. 
 
14 STRAIGHT WITH A STEAL FOR KATIA
Katia Gallegos has had at least one steal in 14 straight games, including two or more eight times during that stretch. Her 43 steals for the season leads the Miners and is ninth in the conference.