UTEP WBB Opens CUSA Championships Against Sam Houston

3/11/2024 8:42:00 PM

Game Notes (PDF)

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Eight-seed UTEP women's basketball will take on nine-seed Sam Houston (7-21, 2-14 CUSA) in the opening matchup of the 2024 Conference USA Basketball Championships. The winner moves on to face regular-season champ Middle Tennessee.

The Miners and Bearkats are slated for a 4:30 p.m. MT/ 5:30 p.m. CT tipoff.

GAME COVERAGE
Tuesday vs Sam Houston- Live Stats or Watch Here

PREVIOUSLY ON
UTEP dropped to 11-18, 6-10 in CUSA after an 88-62 defeat at FIU. The Miners shot 40.6 percent (26-64) from the floor, 26.7 percent (4-15) from beyond the arc, and 54.5 percent (6-11) from the line. The team grabbed 34 rebounds, had 15 assists, one block, and eight steals in the contest. Jane Asinde paced the Miners with 28 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Luisa Vydrova with 11 points and eight rebounds. Asinde also topped the team with three steals and swatted UTEP's lone block of the contest while Delma Zita dished out a team-high five assists.

ASINDE EARNS THREE ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Jane Asinde was named CUSA Newcomer of the Year while also being tabbed to the CUSA All-Conference First Team and CUSA All-Defensive Team. She is the first Miner to win Newcomer of the since Jareica Hughes (now an assistant coach under head coach Keitha Adams) in 2007, and her three accolades match the tally that former Miner Elina Arike garnered in the 2022-23 season.

WILSON NAMED TO ALL-CUSA SECOND TEAM
Erin Wilson was picked for the CUSA All-Conference Second Team after a standout year for the Miners. It is the first all-conference honor of her UTEP career.

STANTON PLACED ON CUSA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Aaliyah Stanton earned a spot on the CUSA All-Freshman Team, becoming the first UTEP women's basketball freshman to receive the honor since Katia Gallegos in 2020.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Jane Asinde led the game in both points (28) and rebounds (10) at FIU. It was the 16th time this season that she has topped the team in scoring and the 17th that she has led off the glass.

HITTING HER STRIDE
Luisa Vydrova posted 11 points on 50.0 percent (5-10) shooting at FIU. It marked her fourth straight game with 10+ points and sixth of the season.

IRON WOMEN
Mahri Petree, Aaliyah Stanton, and Luisa Vydrova are the only Miners to appear in all 29 games this season.

DEFENSIVE HUSTLE
Jane Asinde leads CUSA and ranks 29th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (6.9).

FEELIN' FINE AT THE FOUL LINE
UTEP is averaging 19.4 free throw attempts per game this season. That is good enough for third in conference and 47th in the nation.

IN THE RANKS
Two Miners are putting up numbers that place them in the top 100 nationally. Jane Asinde leads CUSA in three categories, free throw attempts (195-12th), free throws (135-28th), and defensive rebounds per game (6.9-29th). She also sits second in double-doubles (12-39th), points per game (16.5-98th), rebounds (258-67th) and rebounds per game (9.2-49th). Erin Wilson sits fifth in CUSA in rebounds per game (8.1-99th).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE QUEEN
Jane Asinde tallied her 12th double-double of the season at FIU leading all players with 28 points and 10 rebounds. She now has 53 career double-doubles, including 32 at the Division I level.

SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON
Sam Houston is 7-21 on the year, including 2-14 in CUSA play. The Bearkats are averaging 66.3 points and 38.2 rebounds per game. As a team, they lead CUSA in multiple categories, free throw attempts per game (24.3- 2nd NCAA), free throws made per game (16.9-4th), offensive rebounds per game (15.4-12th), and turnovers forced per game (19.9-27th). They also rank third in conference in bench points per game (21.2-80th). Among active players, Sydnee Kemp paces the team with 11.3 points per game, followed by Kaylee Jefferson at 11.2. Raanee Smith (9.5), Kassidy Dixon (7.4) and Shanti Henry (7.4) round out the top five scorers. Smith tops the Bearkats on the boards (9.1) and blocks (1.5), Kemp leads the team in assists (1.9), and Dixon owns the tops spot in steals (1.5). Smith leads Conference USA in offensive rebounds per game (4.5-8th NCAA). She also sits third in four other categories, rebounds per game (9.1-52nd NCAA), rebounds (255-71st), blocks per game (1.5-78th), and blocks (41-85th).

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE BEARKATS
UTEP is 4-0 all-time against Sam Houston. The Miners defeated the Bearkats twice in the 2023-24 regular season, 66-61 at home on 1/27/24 and 82-66 at Sam Houston on 2/24/24.

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