UTEP Women’s Basketball Competes at Portland Sunday

12/7/2024 10:53:00 PM

EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP women's basketball team (4-2) travels to Portland, Ore. Sunday to face off against Portland (9-0) in the first of three straight road games. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. MT.

GAME COVERAGE
Thursday vs BYU — Live Stats or Watch Here

LAST WEEK ON...
UTEP slipped to 4-2 following an 81-68 loss to BYU on Dec. 5. The Miners shot 36.8 percent (21-57) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-18) from three, and 76.0 percent (19-25) from the charity stripe. They pulled down 32 rebounds, dished out 14 assists, tallied four steals and three blocks in the contest. Ivane Tensaie paced the Miners with 21 points, including five made threes. Luisa Vydrova added 14 points. Ndack Mbengue recorded a career high in both points (14) and rebounds (11) while also leading the team in blocks (two). Delma Zita registered team-highs in assists (six) and steals (two).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE THE FUN
Ndack Mbengue earned her first Division I double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) against BYU. She led the field on the glass and drained six free throws in the process.

*FINGER WAG* NO NO NO!
Ndack Mbengue swatted a career-high two blocks against the Cougars.

SPLASH!
Ivane Tensaie drained five first-half threes on her way to a team-high 21 points against BYU. She has made at least three shots from downtown in every contest this season. Additionally, she has scored in double-figures in all six games, including two with 20 points or more.

TENSAIE FOR THREEEEE!
Ivane Tensaie leads Conference USA and sits second in the nation in three-pointers per game (4.33).

DISHING IT OUT
Delma Zita tallied six assists against the Cougars. She has earned at least five assists in two straight games, and three of the last four.

NOT THAT EASY
UTEP allowed just two free throw attempts against BYU, the second fewest allowed this season after holding New Mexico Highlands to just one attempt on Nov. 23.

ON TARGET
Three Miners are shooting 50.0 percent or better from the floor in 2024 (minimum 10 shots attempted). Luisa Vydrova paces the team with 53.3, followed by Ndack Mbengue and Osadebamwen Igbinedion Omoruyi at 50.0 apiece

HOW MAY WE ASSIST YOU?
UTEP has earned 82 assists on 144 made shot attempts in 2024-25 (56.9 percent).

KEEPIN' OUR HANDS TO OURSELVES
The Miners committed just eight fouls against the Cougars, the fewest committed in a single game since the 2018-19 season when they tallied just six at Charlotte on 1/26/19.

SHARP SHOOTING
UTEP drained seven threes against BYU, marking the fourth straight game with five or more made threes.

SCOUTING REPORT: PORTLAND
The Pilots are 9-0 on the season, averaging 80.9 points, 34.2 rebounds, and 16.1 assists per game. Portland is shooting 47.9 percent from the floor, 32.9 from three, and 76.6 percent from the foul line. Emme Shearer paces the team with 17.2 points per game, followed by Maisie Burnham (16.6), and Alexis Mark (10.7). Mark pulls down a team-high 6.7 boards per game while Burnham and Dyani Ananiev register 5.3 rebounds apiece. Ananiev snags a team-leading 2.7 steals per game ,McKelle Meek leads the team in assists at 4.1, and Trista Hull swats 2.0 blocks per game. Nationally, the Pilots are ranked in numerous categories, including assist/turnover ratio (1.03-74th), assists per game (16.1-64th), blocks per game (4.6-43rd), field goal percentage (47.9-26th), free throw percentage (76.6-31st), steals per game (12.9-21st), and turnovers forced per game (23.22-24th), among others. Individually, multiple players are ranked in the top 100. Meek sits 20th in assist/turnover ratio (3.08), and 89th in assists (37). Hull ranks 40th in blocks per game (2.0), Emme Shearer is 63rd in field goal percentage (54.0), 25th in free throw percentage (90.2), 89th in points per game (17.2), and 70th in steals per game (2.56). Finally, Burnham sits 77th in field goal percentage (52.8), and 64th in free throw percentage (86.8),

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE PILOTS
The Miners are 0-2 against the Pilots all-time. The last matchup came in the 2023-24 season and saw Portland win 68-63 in overtime on 12/9/23.

FAST FORWARD
The Miners continue their three-game away spell next Saturday (12/14) at Utah Tech. Tipoff is slated for 1 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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