GAME NOTES (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP women's basketball team (2-1) continues its season-opening homestand Saturday, welcoming Alabama State to GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. MT. The Miners will also celebrate former UTEP standout and two-time WNBA champion Kayla Thornton as the City of El Paso officially proclaims Nov. 14 as Kayla Thornton Day.
 
WHERE TO WATCH: MW+  or Live Stats
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE
Alabama State (1-2) enters Saturday's matchup coming off a 69-63 home victory over Talladega (NAIA). The Lady Hornets are led by second-year head coach Johnetta Hayes.
 
On the season, Alabama State is averaging 60.7 points, 44.7 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 9.3 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 34.4 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from 3-point range and 60.7 percent from the free throw line. Defensively, the Lady Hornets are allowing opponents to shoot 39.5 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc. Alabama State is forcing 19.0 turnovers per game while committing 24.0 per contest.
 
Londyn Walker leads Alabama State in scoring with 13.3 points per game while shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc and averaging a team-high 2.0 steals per game. Alanah Pooler follows with 11.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Charlese McClendon leads the Lady Hornets with 12.7 rebounds per game while adding 7.7 points per outing. Nykeria Flowers leads the team with 3.7 assists per game.
 
MINER NOTABLES
Two Miners are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Mary Moses Amaniyo and Zainab Olalekan, who share the team lead with 10.3 points per game. Isabel João leads UTEP with 9.0 rebounds per game, ranking among the top 75 nationally, while Olalekan follows with 6.7 per contest. Armanda Sindalawa leads the team in assists, averaging 3.0 per game, followed by Imani Warren with 2.7. Three Miners are averaging at least 2.0 steals per game, led by João.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup marks the second all-time meeting between UTEP and Alabama State, with the Miners holding a 1-0 advantage. UTEP claimed a 62-49 victory in the lone previous meeting on Dec. 6, 2003, at the Jayhawk Classic.
 
MINER NOTABLES
Two Miners are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Mary Moses Amaniyo and Zainab Olalekan, who share the team lead with 10.3 points per game. Isabel João leads UTEP with 9.0 rebounds per game, ranking among the top 75 nationally, while Olalekan follows with 6.7 per contest. Armanda Sindalawa leads the team in assists, averaging 3.0 per game, followed by Imani Warren with 2.7. Three Miners are averaging at least 2.0 steals per game, led by João.
 
MINERS SUFFER FIRST LOSS
The UTEP women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, falling 69-50 to NM State in the 102nd Battle of I-10 (Nov. 10) at the GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center. The Miners moved to 2-1 on the season, shooting 34.5 percent from the field while recording 36 points in the paint, 20 points off turnovers, and 15 second-chance points.
 
UTEP held a 13-12 lead after the opening quarter before NM State closed the first half on a 7-0 run to take a 28-21 advantage into the break. The visitors opened the second half with six unanswered points to extend their lead to 13. The Miners responded with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 12 before entering the fourth quarter trailing 50-37. NM State extended it advantage to 21 midway through the final period before holding off UTEP down the stretch to secure the 69-50.
 
KAYLA THORNTON DAY
UTEP and the City of El Paso will honor former Miner standout and two-time WNBA champion Kayla Thornton on Saturday (Nov. 14), officially proclaiming the day as Kayla Thornton Day. Thornton will receive a city proclamation between the first and second quarters, followed by a postgame recognition and autograph signing. The El Paso Star will also be lit purple in her honor
 
SINDALAWA STEPS UP
Junior guard Armanda Sindalawa led UTEP with 17 points against NM State (Nov. 10), marking her highest scoring performance as a Miner in just her third game with the program. Sindalawa also leads the team with 3.0 assists per game and ranks among the 100 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0)
 
JOÃO DOMINATES THE GLASS
Junior forward Isabel João continues to make an impact for UTEP, nearly averaging a double-double with 9.7 points and a team-high 9.0 rebounds per game. João ranks among the top 65 nationally in rebounds per game.
 
João led all players with 10 rebounds against NM State, marking her second consecutive game with double-digit rebounds. She previously recorded her first double-double as a Miner with 13 points and 11 rebounds against UIW (Nov. 7)
 
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
UTEP ranks among the top 50 nationally in four statistical categories, including field goal percentage (47.5), free throw attempts per game (24.3), turnovers forced per game (23.0) and turnover margin (+9.67).
 
MINERS ENTER NEW ERA
UTEP enters the 2026-27 season with a new-look roster as head coach Keitha Adams begins her 20th season at the helm and the Miners prepare for their first season in the Mountain West. UTEP welcomes 10 newcomers, including six college transfers and four freshmen, alongside three returners from last season.
 
Reigning CUSA Sixth Player of the Year Mary Moses Amaniyo headlines the returning group after averaging 8.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field last season. Imani Warren, a 2026 All-CUSA Honorable Mention selection at NM State, brings additional Division I experience after  averaging 12.1 points per game in 2025-26.

MINER MENTOR
The winningest coach in UTEP women's basketball history, Keitha Adams, enters her fourth season back leading the Miners and her 20th overall at the helm of the program. Adams previously guided UTEP from 2001–17, steering the team to four postseason appearances (two NCAA, two WNIT) and four Conference USA championships (three regular season, one tournament).
 
She has collected 322 victories with the Miners and more than 500 wins overall in her career, including 402 at the Division I level.
 
WHO'S BACK
The Miners return 3 letterwinners from last year's roster, including, reigning Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year Mary Moses Amaniyo, Tatiana Collazo, and Aolani Woldai. The trio brings a strong mix of experience and leadership to lead a new-look squad.
 
FRESH FACES
Head Coach Keitha Adams and her staff brought in 10 newcomers for the 2026-27 season, a group that features four freshmen and six transfers. The transfer class includes 2026 All-CUSA Honorable Mention honoree Imani Warren (NM State), 2026 NJCAA All-Americans Isabel João (South Plains College), Armanda Sindalawa  and junior college standouts, Wandi Sanches (Odessa College), Zainab Olalekan (Clarendon College) and Dilangue Cruz (South Plains College), who are all expected to provide an immediate boost with their collegiate experience.
 
The freshman class consists of Charlotte Aldridge (Downingtown, Pa. /Downingtown East HS), Kobe Johnson (Houston, TX /North Shore Senior HS), Krista Lukasevica (Riga, Latvia), and Apostolia Zormpala (Kavala, Greece).
 
This blend of experience and youth gives the Miners added depth and versatility heading into the new campaign.
 
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
UTEP features a strong international presence in 2026-27, with eight international players on the roster. The Miners represent five countries outside the United States, including Angola, Greece, Latvia, Nigeria, and Uganda. The Miners also bring extensive international experience, with a majority of those players having represented countries in national-team competition.
 
THE COACHING STAFF
Adams is once again joined by Associate Head Coach Ewa Laskowska, who has been on Adams' staff for 26 years. Rounding out the staff are assistant coaches Jareica Hughes, a UTEP alumna who starred under Adams, and Denise Rosario, who joined the Miners in June 2026 after spending the 2024-25 season at Idaho.
 
THE BEAR'S DEN
The Orange and Blue went 10-7 inside GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center in 2025-26, continuing to show the impact of home-court advantage.
   
SUPPORT THE MINER ATHLETIC CLUB
Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club. Visit https://am.ticketmaster.com/utep/donor-level/MTY%3D today!
 
For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Basketball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPWBB (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.