UTEP Welcomes Southern Utah for Final Non-conference Contest

12/29/2023 3:36:00 PM

By: Claire Gay

Game Notes (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas. – UTEP women's basketball (4-8) will face off against Southern Utah (3-7, 1-1 WAC) Saturday in the last non-conference game of the 2023-34 regular season. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in the Don Haskins Center. The Miners are looking to break a five-game skid.

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday vs Southern Utah- Live Stats or Watch Here

PREVIOUSLY ON...
The Miners fell to 4-8 after a pair of losses to UIC and Illinois at the West Palm Beach Classic Dec 20-21. Against UIC, Mahri Petree led UTEP with 13 points, followed by Jane Asinde, Erin Wilson, and Ivane Tensaie with nine each. Wilson paced the team with nine rebounds, and Adhel Tac had seven. The next day against Illinois, three Miners scored in double figures, led by Asinde with 20. Wilson posted 16 and Tac tacked on 15.

Tensaie for three!
Ivane Tensaie scored a career-high nine points against UIC. All nine points came from beyond the arc.

Sticky fingers
Erin Wilson and Jane Asinde are tied for the team lead in steals, each racking up 21 on the season.

WHERE THERE'S A WIL(SON), THERE'S A WAY
Erin Wilson sits second in CUSA and 13th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game (3.9).

stout Stanton
Aaliyah Stanton leads all players in three -point field goal perentage, shooting 56.3 percent (9-16) from downtown.

IN THE RANKS
Two Miners are putting up stats that place them in the top 100 in the national rankings. Jane Asinde sits second in CUSA and 37th in the country in free throw attempts (68) and ranks second in the league and 42nd in the NCAA in free throws (50). Asinde also places third in conference and 81st in the nation in rebounds per game (8.4). Erin Wilson is ranked second in the league, 13th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (3.9). She also sits 5th in CUSA, 89th in the country in free throw attempts (57) and seventh in conference, 96th in NCAA in free throws (42).

Welcome to the block party
Eight differerent Miners have recorded at least one block this season, led by Dunja Zecevic with eight. Mahri Petree and Jane Asinde follow closely behind with five apiece.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH
The Thunderbirds (3-7) are coming off a historic 2022-23 season that included a 23-10 overall record (16-2 WAC), a regular season and WAC tournament title, and the first NCAA tournament appearance in program history. Head Coach Tracy Mason was named WAC Coach of the Year, and three players earned all-conference honors. The only all-conference returner is Tomekia Whitman, who racked up WAC Newcomer of the Year, Sixth Woman of the Year, and earned a spot on the All-WAC Second Team and All-Newcomer Team for her efforts in the 2022-23 season. She has not made an appearance in the 2023-24 season. Leading the charge for SUU is Megan Smith with 17.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Following closely behind are Daylani Ballena (14.8 points) and Ava Uhrich (12.0 points). Smith also leads the team in blocks (18), while Ballena and Samantha Johnston share the team lead in assists with 34 each. Smith is ranked in the top 100 nationally in multiple categories. She tops the WAC and sits 50th in the country in blocks per game (1.8), ranks first in the league and 45th nationally in field goal percentage (55.4 percent), as well as second in conference and 72nd in the NCAA in points per game (17.2)

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE THUNDERBIRDS
The Miners are 6-2 all-time against the Thunderbirds. The last matchup came during the 1992-93 season and saw the Miners win 67-63 on 12/19/92.

TICKETS
Single-game tickets remain on sale now, and can be purchased through the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets, or in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP Campus), Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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For complete coverage of UTEP women's basketball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPWBB (Twitter), @utepwbb (Instagram) and on Facebook or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

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