UTEP WBB Hosts CUSA Leader Middle Tennessee Saturday

2/16/2024 8:28:00 PM

Game Notes (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP women's basketball (9-14, 4-6 CUSA) is set to face Conference USA powerhouse Middle Tennessee (20-4, 10-0 CUSA) Saturday afternoon in the Don Haskins Center. The Miners will look to capitalize off their thrilling come-from-behind victory against WKU Thursday night.

The Miners and the Lady Raiders are set for a 1:00 p.m. matinee tipoff.

GAME COVERAGE
Saturday vs Middle Tennessee - Live Stats or Watch Here

PREVIOUSLY ON...
The Miners improved to 9-14, 4-6 in CUSA after an exciting 73-68 victory over WKU Thursday evening. UTEP trailed by 16 at the half, but shot 53.6 percent (15-28) in the second half, including 45.5 percent (5-11) from downtown to complete the comeback. Erin Wilson posted a game-high 24 points to go with 10 rebounds, followed by Ivane Tensaie with a career-high 18 points on 5-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Jane Asinde also put up a double-double for the Orange and Blue, scoring 15 points and pulling down a game-best 14 rebounds.

KEEPIN' IT 500
Keitha Adams grabbed win no. 500 as a head coach but not without drama. The Miners had to rally from 16 points down to defeat WKU 73-68 on Feb. 15, 2024. A total of 292 of those wins have come at the helm of the UTEP women's basketball program.

A GRAND OL' TIME
Jane Asinde hit over 1,000 points in her D1 career after making a layup at the 7:01 mark of the second quarter. Asinde came into the contest needing only three points. After her 15-point effort, she currently has 1,012 career points. She compiled 657 points in her time with Wichita State to go along with 355 (and counting) while donning the Orange and Blue.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE QUEEN
Jane Asinde tallied her 10th double-double of the season after going for 15 points and a game-high 14 boards in limited action against WKU. She now has 51 career double-double, including 30 at the Division I level.

BEEN CAUGHT STEALING
Erin Wilson recorded a career-high six steals in UTEP's come-from-behind victory over WKU. Her previous best was five against Portland earlier in the season. Wilson ranks second on the team with 37 steals, while ranking ninth in CUSA at 1.61 steals per contest.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE
Erin Wilson also recorded a double-double against the Lady Toppers, scoring a game-high 24 points and tallying 10 rebounds. It was Wilson's eighth double-double effort this season. It was also the ninth of Wilson's UTEP career after posting one during the 2021-22 campaign.

DISHING DIMES
Delma Zita handed out a game-high seven helpers against WKU. Zita leads UTEP with 70 assists, while it's the fourth time she's tallied seven or more dimes. Zita ranks sixth in CUSA at 3.3 assists per game.

SPLASH!
Ivane Tensaie hit a career-high five 3-point field goals on a career-most 11 attempts, helping the Miners overcome a 16-point deficit to beat WKU. Tensaie's effort included a 4-of-8 effort during the second half. Tensaie's previous best was four made 3-pointers against NM State on Jan. 6. She ranks 13th in CUSA at 1.24 3-point FGM per game.

FEELIN'FINE AT THE FOUL LINE
UTEP hit 20 free throws against WKU, tying its most made this season. The Miners finished 20-for-28 from the charity stripe versus the Lady Toppers. UTEP previously went 20-of-30 against NM State on Jan. 6.

HITTING THE BOARDS
UTEP recorded 43 rebounds against WKU. It was the fourth time this season that the Miners tallied 43 boards. UTEP's season most was 44 against Kansas City.

HELPING HANDS
UTEP recorded 12 assists in its win over WKU. It was the fourth time the Miners hit double figures in that category, while it was the second time UTEP recorded 12 dimes (the first time was against FIU on Jan. 13). The most tallied this season was 13 assists against Portland on Dec. 9.

IN THE RANKS
Two Miners are posting stats that rank them inside the top 100 nationally. Jane Asinde leads CUSA in three categories, free throw attempts (155-14th), free throws (104-34th), and defensive rebounds per game (6.9-27th). She also sits second in the league in an additional three areas, double doubles (10-26th), rebounds per game (9.1-52nd), and rebounds (200-74th). Erin Wilson ranks fifth in CUSA in rebounds (192-94th) and fourth in conference (8.3-85th).

SCOUTING MIDDLE TENNESSEE
The Lady Raiders are 20-4 on the year and remain perfect (10-0) in conference play. They are averaging 72.7 points and 38.6 rebounds per game. The Lady Raiders pace CUSA and are among the top-100 nationally for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1-44th), blocks per game (5.2-15th), field-goal percentage (44.0-64th), field-goal percentage defense (35.2-12th), free-throw percentage (77.9-13th), scoring defense (55.8-23rd), scoring margin (16.8-21st), scoring offense (72.2-66th), 3-point percentage (35.3-43rd), 3-pointers made per game (8.5-24th) and fewest turnovers per game (12.3-13th).

Four Lady Raiders are averaging double digits in scoring, led by Savannah Wheeler with 17.5. The other three are Anastasiia Boldyreva (14.5), Jalynn Gregory (12.7), and Ta'Mia Scott (12.3), while Courtney Whitson (9.4) rounds out the top five scorers. Boldyreva paces the team in rebounds (8.2) and blocks (3.1) and Gregory snatches a team-high 1.8 steals per game. Wheeler also tops the team in assists with 5.0 per game. Boldyreva is shooting 59.2 percent from the floor with Scott leading from beyond the arc at 42.1 percent and Gregory hitting a team-best 90.2 percent from the foul line. Wheeler leads conference and is in the top 100 in seven categories, including assist/turnover ratio (2.16-46th), assists (119-45th) assists per game (5.0-44th), field goal attempts (329-88th), minutes per game (37.5-3rd), points (420-63rd), and points per game (17.5-76), as well as being ranked in multiple other areas. Boldyreva leads CUSA in four areas, including blocks (74-4th), blocks per game (3.08-5th), field goal percentage (59.2) and field goals (148-91st). Gregory also tops the league in four categories, free throw percentage (90.2-11th), three-point attempts (186-15th), three pointers (65-21st), and three pointers per game (2.71-20th). Gregory also ranks third in CUSA and 92nd in the country in assist/turnover ratio while Whitson ranks second in conference, eighth in NCAA in minutes per game (37.22) and 40th in the nation in three-point attempts (165). Wheeler sits second in the league and 33rd in the nation in free throw percentage (86.8). Finally, Gregory is third in conference and 15th in the country in minutes per game at 36.59.

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LADY RAIDERS
UTEP is 3-12 all-time against Middle Tennessee after falling in Murfreesboro 81-70 on Jan. 18. The Miners have lost the last three contests, including the 2023 CUSA Championships' meeting. However, UTEP is 2-0 versus MT in El Paso. The Miners beat the Blue Raiders 56-55 on New Year's Day 2022, and 65-62 on Feb. 2, 2023, thanks to a buzzer-beater three pointer from former Miner Jazion Jackson.

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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