UTEP WBB Hosts Former WAC Foe BYU Thursday

12/3/2024 6:57:00 PM

Game Notes (PDF)
Season Statistics (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP women's basketball team (4-1) welcomes former WAC opponent and current Big 12 member BYU to the Don Haskins Center Thursday evening at 7 p.m. MT. To welcome the historical rival back to the Don, fans are encouraged to arrive early, wear orange, and be loud.

GAME COVERAGE
Thursday vs BYU — Live Stats or Watch Here

LAST WEEK ON...
UTEP improved to 4-1 following a 64-53 triumph at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Nov. 26. The Orange and Blue shot 38.7 percent (24-62) from the floor, 34.8 percent (8-23) from three, and 66.7 percent (8-12) from the foul line in the contest. Four Miners scored in double figures, led by Luisa Vydrova with a game-high 18 points. Ivane Tensaie (13), Portia Adams (12), and Delma Zita (10) round out the top scorers for UTEP. Vydrova also led the field in rebounds with 12, including five off the offensive glass and tacked on a team-best three steals. Delma Zita dished out nine assists, followed by Adams with four.

WIN NO. 300 IN ORANGE AND BLUE
Head Coach Keitha Adams earned her 300th win in charge of the UTEP women's basketball program against the Islanders, adding to her record as the winningest coach in UTEP WBB history.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE THE FUN
Luisa Vydrova recorded the first double-double of her career against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, putting up game highs in both points (18) and rebounds (12). The 18 points are one shy of tying Vydrova's career best, while the 12 boards mark a career high. She shot 56.3 percent (9-16) from the field in the contest while playing the entire 40 minutes. She also snagged a career-best three steals to add to an impressive showing on the road.

SPLASH!
Ivane Tensaie drained four threes for the second straight game against the Islanders. She has made three or more shots from downtown in every contest so far this season. Additionally, Tensaie has scored in double figures in all five of UTEP's games so far.

TENSAIE FOR THREEEEE!
Ivane Tensaie leads Conference USA and sits second in the nation in three-pointers per game (4.22).

PUTTING ON A SHOW
Portia Adams posted a complete game against the Islanders. She dropped double digits in points (12) for the third time this campaign while also adding a season-best seven rebounds and four assists. She also recorded just one turnover in the contest.

DISHING IT OUT
Delma Zita matched her career-high with nine assists against A&M-CC, nearly earning a 10-10 double-double for her efforts. She is averaging 5.0 assists per game, which leads all Conference USA players and ranks 50th in the nation.

CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Miners pulled down 11 more rebounds than the Islanders (48-37). It marks the second most rebounds by UTEP this season (53 against Morehead State) . Multiple players got in on the action, led by Luisa Vydrova with 12. Ndack Mbengue tied her career-best with eight while Mary Moses Amaniyo and Portia Adams added seven apiece.

ROAD WORK AHEAD? I SURE HOPE IT DOES
UTEP won its first road game of the season against the Islanders, taking a weight off the Miners shoulders after the team went 1-9 on the road in the 2023-24 season.

ON TARGET
Four Miners are shooting 50.0 percent or better from the floor in 2024 (minimum 10 shots attempted). Ndack Mbengue leads the team at 58.3 percent (7-12), followed by Luisa Vydrova (55.3, 26-47), Dunja Zecevic (50.0, 12-24), and Osadebamwen Igbinedion Omoruyi (50.0, 5-10).

HOW MAY WE ASSIST YOU?
The Miners set a season high with 17 assists against A&M-CC. They have earned 68 assists on 123 made shot attempts in 2024-25 (55.3 percent).

AT A PREMIUM
UTEP held the Islanders to 11.1 percent (2-18) from beyond the arc, marking the worst effort from distance by a Miner opponent since FAU shot just 8.3 percent (1-12) from three on 2/25/23. It is the second time this year that an opponent was held below 20.0 percent on three-pointers, after Morehead State shot 17.6 percent (3-17).

SMOTHERING THE OPPOSITION
The Miners have won by double digits in two straight games, and in three of four wins on the year.

SHARP SHOOTING
UTEP drained eight threes against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, marking the second most made in the campaign (nine against UTSA on 11/16/23).

40-BELOW
The Miners have held back-to-back opponents and four of five total this season to less than 40.0 percent shooting.

POWER FOUR TEST
The upcoming contest against BYU is UTEP's first regular-season home game against a power-conference opponent since the 2019-20 season, when the Miners fell 54-43 to Arizona on 12/7/19.

SCOUTING REPORT: BYU
The Cougars are 6-2 on the year, averaging 68.1 points, 38.1 rebounds, and 15.5 assists per game. BYU is also tallying 8.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per contest. Delaney Gibb leads the team with 16.3 points per game, followed by Emma Calvert (13.1) and Amari Whiting (10.6). Whiting tops the Cougars in rebounding (6.4), while Marya Hudgins (6.0) and Gibb (5.0) sit second and third, respectively. Gibb also dishes out a team-high 4.4 assists per game and Whiting snags a team-best 2.0 steals. Hudgins leads the team with 0.9 blocks per game. Nationally, BYU is ranked in various categories, including assist/turnover ratio (1.06,63rd), assists per game (15.5, 83rd), defensive rebounds per game (27.8, 75th), three-point attempts per game (24.3, 61st), three pointers per game (7.9, 55th), fewest turnovers per game (14.6, 67th), and winning percentage (75.0, 66th). Individually, Gibb is ranked 75th in assists (35), 98th in points (130), 32nd in three-point attempts (57), and 63rd in three pointers per game (2.5).

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE COUGARS
The Miners are 9--24 against the Cougars all-time. The last matchup between the two sides came in the 1998-99 season, BYU's last in the WAC, and saw UTEP win 50-47 on 2/27/99.

FAST FORWARD
Following the game against the Cougars, UTEP will head out on the road for three straight games. Up first, the Miners travel to Portland Sunday (12/8). Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. MT.

TICKETS
For tickets, fans can call 915-747-UTEP or visit UTEPMiners.com/Tickets for more information.

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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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