UTEP WBB Travels to Jax State Thursday

1/22/2025 2:30:00 PM

Game Notes (PDF)
Season Statistics (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas. – The UTEP women's basketball team (9-7, 2-3 CUSA) heads to Jacksonville, Ala. Thursday to take on Jax State (7-9, 1-4 CUSA). Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. MT/ 6 p.m. CT.

GAME COVERAGE
Thursday vs Jax State — Live Stats or Watch Here

AND THAT"S WHAT YOU MISSED…
UTEP came back from as many as 15 points down to defeat FIU 70-68 on Jan. 18. A 22-point fourth quarter from the Miners brought the game down to the wire. As the clock ran down, Ivane Tensaie drove into the paint and hit a floater over the FIU defense with 2.9 seconds left to put UTEP up two. The Panthers took their final timeout to advance the ball, but the final shot missed the target and UTEP completed the comeback. It was the second thrilling comeback of the season for the Miners, who came from 13 down to overcome Sam Houston in Huntsville. Tensaie hit the pivotal shot in that contest as well. UTEP shot 48.1 percent (25-52) from the field, including nearly 70 percent (16-23) in the final two periods. The Miners also hit 36.8 percent (7-19) from three and 81.3 percent (13-16) from the charity stripe. They pulled down 31 rebounds while tallying 16 assists, five steals, and two blocks. Tensaie led the team with 20 points, followed by Luisa Vydrova (13), Ndack Mbengue (12), and Delma Zita (10). Mbengue paced all players with 10 rebounds and Vydrova added nine. Zita and Portia Adams each handed out four assists to lead the Miners while five different players snagged one assist each. Vydrova swatted both of UTEP's blocks in the game.

MADE FOR THE MOMENT
Ivane Tensaie put the team on her back in the final moments against FIU, scoring the game-winning bucket with 2.9 seconds left. It was her second game-winner of the season, as she hit the deciding three in the Miners win at Sam Houston (1/4/25) as well.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE QUEEN
Ndack Mbengue posted her fourth double-double of the season, tallying 12 points to go with a game-high 10 rebounds against the Panthers

ACCESS DENIED
Luisa Vydrova swatted a career-high two blocks against FIU. It was her fifth game this year recording at least one block.

DELMA'S DISHES
Delma Zita shared the team-high with four assists against the Panthers, marking her 13th game this season with at least three assists. It also was the 10th game in 2024-25 that she has led or shared the team-lead in assists.

DROPPING DIMES
Portia Adams shared the team-lead with four assists against FIU, which marked the fifth time in the campaign that she has led or co-led the Miners in assists.

IMPACTFUL IVANE
Ivane Tensaie racked up 20 points against the Panthers, her third 20+ points game of the season (12th with at least 10 points). It was also the seventh time this season that she has led the Miners in scoring. Additionally, it was Tensaie's seventh game shooting 50.0 percent or better from the field.

SPLASH!
Irene Asensio drained a career-best three three-pointers against FIU, and as a result matched her career-best with nine points. She shot 75.0 percent (3-4) from beyond the arc in the game.

IT'S A TEN
Ndack Mbengue's 12-point, 10-rebound performance against the Panthers marked the sixth game she has scored 10+ points and her fifth with 10+ rebounds.

CLOUD NINE
Luisa Vydrova tallied nine rebounds for the second straight game against FIU. Her 13 points in the contest also marks the ninth game this year putting up 10 or more points.

TENSAIE FOR THREEEEE!
Ivane Tensaie is averaging 3.00 three pointers per game, ranking her 11th in the NCAA in the category. She has made at least three shots from distance in 11 of UTEP's 16 games thus far.

GUARDING THE PERIMETER
UTEP held FIU to just 16.7 percent (3-18) shooting from distance, marking the 10th game this season that an opponent has shot 30.0 percent or less from three.

FEELIN' FINE AT THE FOUL LINE
The Miners shot 81.3 percent (13-18) from the charity stripe against the Panthers, marking their second highest FT% of the season.

HOW MAY WE ASSIST YOU?
UTEP has earned 208 assists on 3473 made shot attempts in 2024-25 (55.8 percent). Delma Zita is responsible for 66 of those assists (31.7 percent of all assists).

INTERNATIONAL LOVE
UTEP has 10 international players on their 2024-25 roster. That is the second most in Division I, behind South Florida with 11.

SCOUTING REPORT: JAX STATE
The Gamecocks are 7-9 on the year and 1-4 in conference play. They are averaging 61.9 points, 37.6 rebounds, and 12.6 assists per game. Jax State is shooting 37.2 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from distance, and 64.7 percent from the charity stripe. Bre'Anna Rhodes leads the team in both scoring (9.4) and rebounding (5.2), followed by Mya Barnes at 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. Samiya Steele leads the Gamecocks in assists (2.4) with Elsie Harris close behind (2.3). Eden Sample is snagging a team-high 1.2 steals per game while Barnes swats 1.6 blocks per game. Asia Barclay is shooting a team-bet 52.6 percent from the floor while Clara Gonzalez Planella leads in both three-point percentage (36.2) and free throw percentage (93.3). Nationally, Jax State is ranked in the top 100 in several categories. The Gamecocks sit third in the nation in three-point percentage defense (23.5), 12th in both three-point attempts per game (27.4) and bench points per game (29.7), 44th in three pointers per game (8.0), 55th in field goal percentage defense (37.6), 66th in scoring defense (58.3), and 92nd in turnover margin (2.63). Individually, Barnes is ranked 66th in blocks per game (1.63).

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE GAMECOCKS
UTEP is 1-1 all-time against Jax State. In 2023-24 (the Gamecocks first season in CUSA), the two sides split the season, each winning their respective home contest.

FAST FORWARD
Following the contest at Jax State, UTEP wraps up its two-game away spell at new Conference USA foe Kennesaw State (1/25). Then, the Miners return home to host WKU (1/30), Middle Tennessee (2/1), and NM State (2/8).

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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