UTEP Women’s Basketball Competes at WKU Thursday

2/26/2025 1:15:00 PM

Game Notes (PDF)
Season Statistics (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.– The UTEP women's basketball team (10-15, 3-11 CUSA) heads to Bowling Green, Ky., Thursday to face off against WKU (19-7, 10-4 CUSA). Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MT/ 6:30 p.m. CT.

GAME COVERAGE
Thursday vs WKU— Live Stats or Watch Here

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU MISSED…
UTEP got back in the win column on Feb. 22 with a 52-44 victory over Jax State, snapping an eight-game losing streak in the process. The Miners shot 44.0 percent (22-50) from the floor, 50.0 percent (6-12) from three, and 100.0 percent (2-2) from the foul line in the contest. They recorded 31 rebounds, 13 assists, and seven steals. Ivane Tensaie led all players with 13 points, followed by Portia Adams with 10. Luisa Vydrova and Heaven Samayoa-Mathis each posted eight points. Vydrova pulled down a team-best eight rebounds and Ndack Mbengue added five. Adams dished out a game-high four assists while Irene Asensio and Delma Zita tallied three apiece. Samayoa-Mathis and Tensaie shared the game-lead in steaks with two each.

MINER NOTABLES
Two Miners are averaging double-figures in scoring, Ivane Tensaie (13.1) and Portia Adams (10.3). Ndack Mbengue pulls down a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game, followed by Luisa Vydrova at 5.8. Delma Zita is handing out 3.7 assists per game with Adams sitting second at 2.4. Irene Asensio snags a team-leading 1.0 steals per game. Dunja Zecevic and Mbengue both a team-best 0.6 blocks per game. Mbengue is shooting a team-best 55.1 percent from the floor while Tensaie leads from three (38.2). Tensaie, Zita, and Adams are all hitting 80.0 or better from the foul line at 83.3, 82.9, and 81.5, respectively.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Ivane Tensaie paced UTEP in scoring against Jax State with 13 points. It was her 11th time leading the team in scoring this season.

DELMA'S DISHES
Delma Zita dished out three assists against Jax State, her 18th game this campaign recording at least three assists.

BOUNCING BACK
Since going scoreless at Jax State on 1/23/25, Ivane Tensaie has scored at least eight points in every contest. She has averaged 13.9 points per game in that span. Additionally, her 13-point effort at home against the Gamecocks was her first double-digit performance in four contests.

UP AND UP
Ndack Mbengue is averaging 9.6 points and 8.3 rebounds in league play, up from 6.9 points and 6.0 boards in non-conference action.

CONSISTENCY
Heaven Samayoa-Mathis recorded her third straight eight-point performance against the Gamecocks. She has shot 56.3 percent (9-16) from the floor and 55.6 percent (5-9) from distance over those contests.

CRASH THE GLASS
Luisa Vydrova registered a team-high eight rebounds against Jax State, marking her 10th time this season leading the Miners on the glass.

FREE HANDOUTS
Portia Adams paced the team with four assists against the Gamecocks, her sixth time topping the team in assists in 2024-25. It was also the seventh occasion in which she has registered four or more assists.

TENSAIE FOR THREEEEE!
Ivane Tensaie is averaging 2.72 threes per game in 2024-25, placing her 19th in the nation in the category. Furthermore, she has drained three or more threes in 15 contests this year.

CHANGING IT UP
The starting lineup against Jax State was the ninth different lineup the Miners have used in 2024-25.

SPLASH!
UTEP shot 50.0 percent (6-12) from beyond the arc against Jax State, tying for the second highest 3FG% this season.

FEELIN' FINE AT THE FOUL LINE
Five Miners are shooting 75.0 percent or above from the charity stripe, including three hitting 80.0 or higher. Ivane Tensaie paces the team at 83.3 percent, followed by Delma Zita (82.9), Portia Adams (81.5), Luisa Vydrova (78.1), and Irene Asensio (77.8).

ON TARGET
Four UTEP players are shooting over 50.0 percent from the field on the year: Ndack Mbengue (55.1), Osadebamwen Igbinedion Omoruyi (54.5), Luisa Vydrova (50.5), and Mary Moses Amaniyo (50.0).

GUARDING THE PERIMETER
The Miners held the Gamecocks to just to just 24.1 percent (7-29) from beyond the arc. It marks the 9th time this season that an opponent has shot under 25.0 percent from distance, and 16th time an opponent has shot 30.0 percent or under.

MAKE 'EM WORK FOR IT
UTEP allowed Jax State just 44 points, the second fewest point allowed this season (Morehead State had 41 on Nov. 10). The Gamecocks also registered only seven assists, also tied for second fewest by an opponent this year.

HOW MAY WE ASSIST YOU?
The Miners have recorded 322 assists in 574 made shot attempts this season (56.1 percent).

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: WKU
The Lady Toppers are 19-7 in 2024-25, including 10-4 in CUSA play. They are putting up 72.0 points, 32.6 rebounds, and 15.7 assists per game. WKU is shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from distance, and 73.4 percent from the charity stripe. Alexis Mead leads the team in both points (13.4) and assists (3.9) per game while ranking second in steals (2.3) and third in rebounds (4.2). Destiny Salary (12.0), Acacia Hayes (11.9), and Josie Gilvin (11.8), are also scoring in double figures for the Lady Toppers. Gilvin paces the team in rebounds (5.7), steals (2.4), and blocks (0.8). WKU ranks inside the top 100 nationally in multiple categories. The Lady Toppers sit 19th in turnover margin (6.54), 22nd in steals per game (11.3), 25th in turnovers forced per game (20.62), 53rd in assist/turnover ratio (1.11), and 56th in assists per game (15.7). They also rank 60th in fewest turnovers per game (14.1), 73rd in three-point percentage defense (28.9), 74th in three pointers per game(7.4), and 85th in field goal percentage (43.7), among others. Individually, Mead sits 36th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (86.9) and 65th in steals per game (2.35). Gilvin ranks 49th in steals per game (2.42).

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LADY TOPPERS
UTEP is 4-8 all-time against WKU. Earlier this season, the Miners lost 65-59 in the Don Haskins Center (1/30/25).

FAST FORWARD
The Miners are back on the court Saturday (3/1) when they face Middle Tennessee. Tipoff is set for 12:00 MT/ 1:00 p.m. CT

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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