UTEP WBB Welcomes Sam Houston to Don Haskins Center Thursday

3/5/2025 4:30:00 PM

Game Notes (PDF)
Season Statistics (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas– The UTEP women's basketball team (10-17, 3-13 CUSA) hosts Sam Houston Thursday on "Heroes Night." Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MT.

GAME COVERAGE
Thursday vs. Sam Houston – Live Stats or Watch Here

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU MISSED…
UTEP fell to 10-17, 3-13 in league play following a 57-35 loss to Middle Tennessee on March 1. The Miners shot 25.9 percent (15-58) from the floor, 18.2 percent (2-11) from three, and 50.0 percent (3-6) from the foul line in the game. UTEP out earned the Lady Raiders in rebounds (42-33) and steals (7-6) but could not convert on the offensive end. The Miners also tallied six assists and two blocks in the game. Ndack Mbengue led the team in both points (13) and rebounds (10). Delma Zita finished second on the team in both categories, putting up a six-point, six-rebound effort. Dunja Zecevic paced the team in assists (two) and blocks (two) while Luisa Vydrova and Zita shared the team lead in steals with two apiece.

MINER NOTABLES
Ivane Tensaie leads the Miners with 13.2 points per game, while Portia Adams (9.8) and Luisa Vydrova are averaging just under 10 points apiece. Ndack Mbengue pulls down a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game, followed by Vydrova at 5.5. Delma Zita is handing out 3.6 assists per game with Adams sitting second at 2.4. Irene Asensio snags a team-leading 1.1 steals per game. Dunja Zecevic swats a team-best 0.7 blocks per game. Mbengue is shooting a team-best 55.3 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 82.1, respectively.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE QUEEN
Ndack Mbengue tallied her eighth double-double of the season at Middle Tennessee. She led UTEP with 13 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

GET THAT OUTTA HERE!
Dunja Zecevic swatted both of the Miners' blocks against the Lady Raiders, marking her fifth multi-block game of the campaign.

PULLING DOWN THE REBOUNDS
Ndack Mbengue grabbed 10 boards at Middle Tennessee, her 10th double-digit rebounding effort of 2024-25. Additionally, it was the 14th time Mbengue has paced the Miners on the glass.

FREE HANDOUTS
Dunja Zecevic handed out a team-best two assists against the Lady Raiders. It was the second time this year that she has tallied multiple assists in a game.

SETTING THE TONE
Ndack Mbengue dropped a team-high 13 points at MTSU. It marked her fifth time leading UTEP in scoring and 11th double-figure scoring performance of the year.

CRASH THE GLASS
Delma Zita (six) and Ivane Tensaie (four) both tied their career highs in rebounds against Middle Tennessee.

SWIPER KEEP SWIPING
Delma Zita and Luisa Vydrova shared the team high in steals against the Lady Raiders with two apiece. It was Zita's sixth multi-steal contest and Vydrova's fifth. Moreover, four of five for Vydrova have come against conference opponents, and three of six for Zita have been in league play.

GAINING MOMENTUM
Heaven Samayoa-Mathis has played at least 12 minutes in seven of the last eight games, and eight of the last 10.

TENSAIE FOR THREEEEE!
Ivane Tensaie is averaging 2.70 threes per game in 2024-25, placing her 15th in the nation in the category. Furthermore, she has drained three or more threes in 16 contests this year, including eight with four or more. She has made at least one three in 10 straight contests, and 24 total this season.

MAKE 'EM WORK FOR IT
UTEP held MTSU to eight points in the third quarter, tying for the Lady Raider's fewest points in a single quarter against conference opponents, and second lowest tally in a quarter all season.

ATTACKING THE BOARDS
UTEP pulled down 16 offensive rebounds against Middle Tennessee, the second highest tally on the year. Moreover, the team grabbed 42 total boards, the highest since a 48-rebound effort at Jax State (1/23/25). The +9 margin was also the largest since that game against the Gamecocks, when the Miners outrebounded them by 18.

BAND OF THIEVES
The Miners have snagged six or more steals in six straight games, averaging 7.8 takeaways per game in that span.

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 (82.1), 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 (55.3),Osadebamwen Igbinedion Omoruyi (53.8), Luisa Vydrova (50.9), and Mary Moses Amaniyo (50.0).

HOW MAY WE ASSIST YOU?
The Miners have recorded 341 assists in 612 made shot attempts this season (54.9 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: SAM HOUSTON
The Bearkats are 12-14 on the year, including 5-11 in league play. They are averaging 61.3 points, 35.8 rebounds, and 13.0 assists per game. Sam Houston is shooting 37.6 percent from the floor, 23.7 percent from three, and 63.8 percent from the foul line. Deborah Ogayemi paces the team in both scoring (12.1) and rebounding (7.4). Nyla Inmon sits second on the team in the same categories, putting up 10.1 popints and 5.7 rebounds per game. Fanta Kone dishes out a team-best 4.7 assists per game and also leads in steals (2.9) and blocks (0.4). Aysia Ward-Strong is second on the team in steals (2.4) while Inmon is second in assists (2.1) and shares the team-lead in blocks (0.4). Ogayemi is shooting a team-high 50.7 percent from the field while Kelis Grant leads beyond the arc (33.3) and Sydnee Kemp drains a team-best 87.5 percent from the charity stripe. Nationally, the Bearkats are ranked in multiple categories. They sit fifth in the country in free throw attempts per game (22.5), sixth in turnovers forced per game (24.08), 14th in steals per game (11.8), 16th in offensive rebounds per game (15.0), 35th in free throws made per game (14.35), 38th in turnover margin (4.5), and 68th in three-point percentage defense (28.8). Individually, Kone ranks 14th in steals per game (2.92), 18th in total steals (76), 65th in assists per game (4.7), and 90th in total assists (121).Ogayemi sits 26th in offensive rebounds per game (3.7), and 67th in steals per game (2.29). Finally, Ward-Strong is 43rd in the country in steals per game (2.42) and 80th in total steals (63.)

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE BEARKATS
UTEP is 6-0 all time against Sam Houston. Earlier this season, the Miners completed a 13-point comeback to defeat the Bearkats 64-62 in Huntsville (1/4/25).

FAST FORWARD
The Miners are back in the Don Haskins Center Saturday (3/8) when they welcome LA Tech on "Senior Day."

TICKETS
For tickets, fans can call 915-747-UTEP or visit UTEPMiners.com/Tickets for more information.

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