GAME NOTES (PDF)
EL PASO, Texas — The UTEP women's basketball team (7–1) looks to rebound from its first loss of the season as the Miners travel to face BYU (10–1) on Saturday, Dec. 13, in another challenging road test. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. MT. UTEP enters the matchup aiming to regain momentum following its Dec. 6 setback at No. 8 TCU, a game that marked its first defeat after opening the season 7–0 for the first time in a decade.
GAME COVERAGE
Saturday at BYU-
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SCOUTING BYU
BYU enters Saturday's matchup at 10–1 overall and a perfect 6–0 at home, riding a three-game winning streak following a 68-59 win over Idaho State on Dec. 11. The Cougars are led by head coach Lee Cummard, who is in his first season guiding the program.
The Cougars are averaging 74.8 points (74th nationally), 42.9 rebounds (33rd nationally), and 15.9 assists per game (68th nationally), while shooting 41.9 percent from the field, 30.0 percent from three, and 68.6 percent at the free-throw line. Defensively, BYU is holding opponents to just 34.0 percent shooting (20th nationally) and 24.4 percent from beyond the arc (20th nationally), while outscoring teams by 16.7 points per game (56th nationally). The Cougars also rank among the nation's top 50 in blocks per game (4.7) but commit 16.7 turnovers per contest.
BYU is led by Olivia Hamlin, who averages 13.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Marya Hudgins adds 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, giving the Cougars a balanced scoring duo. Lara Rohkohl contributes 9.2 points, a team-leading 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game to anchor the interior. Sydney Benally rounds out the core group with 8.5 points per game and a team-best 5.5 assists.
MINER NOTABLES
Two Miners scored in double figures as UTEP faced its toughest test of the season in a 90–45 road loss at No. 8 TCU on Dec. 6.
Ndack Mbengue recorded her third double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds, continuing her strong interior play against elite competition.
Sirviva Legions added 10 points and six rebounds, marking her sixth game this season with 10 or more points.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup marks the 35th all-time meeting between UTEP and BYU, with the Cougars leading the series 25–9. The teams last met on Dec. 5, 2024, at the Don Haskins Center, where BYU earned an 81–68 victory.
MINERS STUMBLE AT NO. 8 TCU, MOVE TO 7-1
UTEP fell to 7–1 on the season with a 95–40 loss at No. 8 TCU on Dec. 6, dropping its first game of the year against one of the nation's top teams. The Miners battled throughout the afternoon but struggled to find rhythm offensively, facing a top-10 Horned Frogs defense that forced 22 turnovers.
UTEP hung tough early, trailing 21–11 after the first quarter, but an 11–0 TCU run to close the half created a 43–18 deficit at the break. The Miners opened the third quarter with active possessions, yet the Horned Frogs continued to pull away behind perimeter shooting and transition play. Despite competing on the glass and forcing 15 turnovers, UTEP was unable to generate consistent offense as TCU sealed the result in the fourth.
BACK-TO-BACK POWER 4 TESTS
Saturday's matchup at BYU marks UTEP's second straight game against a Power 4 opponent, following its Dec. 6 road contest at No. 8 TCU. This is UTEP's first stretch of consecutive Power 4 opponents in eight seasons.
The last occurrence came during the 2016–17 campaign, when the Miners faced LSU (Nov. 24, 2016) and NC State (Nov. 25, 2016) on back-to-back days at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
MBENGUE'S CONSISTENCY IN THE PAINT
Ndack Mbengue continued her strong interior presence with 10 points and 10 rebounds at No. 8 TCU, securing her third double-double of the season. Each has come in the last four games. The senior forward has recorded 10 or more rebounds in five of the past six contests.
Her recent stretch features a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds at Kansas City (Nov. 25), part of back-to-back double-doubles against the Roos and Denver in which she totaled 30 points and 20 boards. Mbengue enters the week ranked among the top 75 nationally in rebounds per game, and her consistency around the rim continues to solidify her role as one of UTEP's most impactful interior contributors.
LEGIONS LOCKED IN
Sirviva Legions continued her steady early-season production with 10 points and six rebounds against No. 8 TCU. The senior guard has scored in double figures while adding 5+ rebounds in six of UTEP's first eight games, showcasing her reliability on both ends of the floor as one of the Miners' most dependable two-way performers.
Legions previously tallied 14 points and eight rebounds in the win over TAMU-CC and posted a season-best 17 points and seven boards against Denver. Through eight games, she is averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from the field.
AMANIYO'S BOARD WORK REMAINS ELITE
Mary Moses Amaniyo continued her strong rebounding presence with nine boards at No. 8 TCU, extending her stretch of consistency on the interior. The sophomore forward has now recorded eight or more rebounds in six of UTEP's eight games and enters the week averaging a double-double with 11.8 rebounds and 10.9 points per contest.
Amaniyo ranks sixth nationally and first in Conference USA in rebounds per game, while leading the entire nation in offensive rebounds per game (5.4). She also sits 20th nationally and first in Conference USA with four double-doubles, reinforcing her status as one of the country's most productive rebounders and a key anchor in UTEP's frontcourt.
HEAVEN ON THE HEIST
Heaven Samayoa-Mathis turned in a standout defensive performance against TAMU-CC (Dec. 3), recording a career-high six steals to help fuel UTEP's dominant effort on that end of the floor.
Samayoa-Mathis has continued to impact games with her defensive instincts and energy, helping the Miners hold their first seven opponents to fewer than 65 points before conceding 90 at No. 8 TCU.
BACK TO THE WAC: LAST WIN VS BYU
UTEP's most recent victory over BYU came on Feb. 27, 1999, when the Miners were members of the Western Athletic Conference. The matchup also marked the final meeting between the programs before the series resumed last season, when BYU earned an 81–68 win on Dec. 5, 2024, at the Don Haskins Center.
TENSAIE SCORING SURGE CONTINUES
Ivane Tensaie continued her strong offensive rhythm with 15 points and four rebounds in the win over TAMU-CC (Nov. 29), building on the momentum that earned her Conference USA Player of the Week honors on Dec. 2.
Tensaie delivered one of the best weeks of her UTEP career to claim the award, highlighted by a season-high 26 points on 8 for 12 shooting from three against Denver on Nov. 29. Her eight made three-pointers set a UTEP single-game record, surpassing her previous mark of seven. Earlier in the week, she added 19 points on 5 for 8 from beyond the arc in the road win at Kansas City (Nov. 25).
The graduate guard's efficient perimeter scoring continues to provide a major spark for UTEP's offense as the Miners remain unbeaten.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK
UTEP recently secured Conference USA Player of the Week recognition in consecutive weeks, marking the program's first back-to-back honors since the 2013–14 season.
Mary Moses Amaniyo earned the award first, followed the next week by
Ivane Tensaie after her record-setting performance from beyond the arc. The Miners' last pair of consecutive honorees prior to this season came in 2014, when Kayla Thornton earned the award on Jan. 27 and Feb. 3.
DEFENSE DEFINES THE MINERS
UTEP opened the year with an impressive defensive run, holding its first seven opponents under 65 points. The streak marked the longest by any Conference USA program to begin a season since Southern Miss accomplished the feat in 2003–04, holding its first 10 opponents below the threshold.
It was also the first time in 29 years that UTEP started a season with seven straight opponents under 65 points. The last occurrence came during the 1996–97 campaign, when the Miners limited 11 consecutive opponents below the mark to open the year.
EXTRA EFFORT, EXTRA POINTS
UTEP converted its rebounding strength into reliable scoring, dominating opponents 135–57 in second-chance points through eight games. The Miners recorded double-digit second-chance production in each of their first seven outings, highlighted by a 17–0 margin in the overtime win over UT Martin and a season-best 26 against WNMU. They had nine such points at No. 8 TCU.
So far this season, UTEP is averaging 16.8 second-chance points per contest while limiting opponents to just 7.1, turning effort and offensive rebounding into a consistent scoring advantage.
NATIONALLY ELITE ON THE GLASS
UTEP has established itself as one of the top rebounding teams in the country, entering Saturday's game averaging 46.8 rebounds per game (8th nationally) and owning a +9.6-rebounding margin (31st nationally). The Miners also rank sixth in the nation in offensive rebounds per game at 17.6, consistently generating extra possessions that fuel their scoring.
UTEP's rebounding prowess was on full display against Western New Mexico, where the Miners grabbed a program-record 33 offensive rebounds and finished with 64 total boards, their highest single-game total since collecting 66 against the Mustangs in 2016. The sustained dominance on the glass continues to be a defining strength of UTEP's early-season success.
QUARTER FRENZY
Ivane Tensaie has joined one of the rarest scoring lists in program history. With her previous 14-point third quarter at Kansas City (Nov. 25) and 13-point fourth quarter vs. FIU last season (Jan. 18, 2025), she is now one of only four players in UTEP history to record multiple quarters with 13+ points.
The exclusive list includes:
Sparkle Taylor - Four times ('16-17)
Najala Howell - Three times ('17-18)
Katarina Zec - Two times ('17-18) ('19-20)
AMANIYO JOINS ELITE COMPANY
Mary Moses Amanyo continued to establish herself as one of the nation's elite rebounders, posting two of the top performances in program history within the first month of the season. She opened the year with a UTEP-record 22 rebounds against PVAMU (Nov. 3) and later grabbed 18 boards in the win over UT Martin (Nov.22).
Amaniyo is the first Miner since Kayla Thornton in 2013-14 to record multiple games with 18 or more rebounds in the same season. Her presence on the glass continues to anchor UTEP's interior play and generate critical extra-possession opportunities.
SENIOR 5
For the first time since UTEP began tracking lineup records in 1983, the Miners are starting an all-senior lineup. The veteran group provides experience, leadership, and stability, anchoring UTEP's strong start to the season.
UP NEXT
UTEP returns home to the Don Haskins Center for two matchups to close out its nonconference schedule, hosting UC Irvine (Dec. 18) before welcoming NAIA opponent University of the Southwest on (Dec. 29).
TICKETS
For tickets, fans can call 915-747-UTEP or visit
https://am.ticketmaster.com/utep/buy?filterType=97 for more information.
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