GAME BOOK (PDF)
EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP women's basketball team improved to 3-1 on the season with a 64-56 victory over Alabama State Saturday afternoon at GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center.
Two Miners scored in double figures, led by
Aolani Woldai, who recorded career highs of 20 points and seven rebounds while connecting on 5-of-7 attempts from 3-point range.
Mary Moses Amaniyo added 17 points and six rebounds, while
Imani Warren contributed eight points and a career-high seven steals.
The Orange and Blue shot 40.0 percent (24-of-60) from the field and 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from 3-point range, while recording 31 rebounds, 13 assists and 19 steals. UTEP forced 31 turnovers, converting them into 37 points, while adding 30 points in the paint and 31 bench points.
"It was a hard-fought game, and I'm proud of our team for bouncing back and responding after our previous game," head coach
Keitha Adams said. "We competed, played hard down the stretch and did what we needed to do to get the win today."
UTEP opened with a 7-2 lead behind baskets from
Armanda Sindalawa, Warren and
Krista Lukasevica. Alabama State answered with consecutive 3-pointers to take an 8-7 advantage before a layup from Amaniyo and back-to-back triples from Woldai and Amaniyo put the Miners ahead 15-10. The Lady Hornets trimmed the deficit to one before freshman
Kobe Johnson answered with a jumper. Alabama State knocked down a 3-pointer in the closing seconds as UTEP held an 18-17 advantage heading into the second quarter.
UTEP opened the second quarter with an 11-0 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from
Tatiana Collazo, four points from Amaniyo and a fast-break layup from Johnson to extend its lead to 29-17. Alabama State answered with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to four before Warren ended the drought with a fast-break layup. Woldai added her second triple of the afternoon, but the Lady Hornets responded with a late 3-pointer as UTEP carried a 34-30 lead into halftime.
Alabama State opened the second half with six unanswered points to take a 36-34 lead before Woldai answered with her third triple to put UTEP back in front. The teams traded baskets as Amaniyo and Warren helped the Miners regain the lead, 41-40. The Lady Hornets responded with four free throws to take a 44-42 advantage before Amaniyo converted a fast-break jumper with 11 seconds left to tie the game at 44 entering the fourth quarter.
UTEP opened the fourth quarter with four unanswered points to take a 48-44 lead before Woldai added a jumper and Amaniyo scored consecutive layups to extend the advantage to eight. Woldai followed with a triple, while Lukasevica added a jumper to put the Miners ahead 59-49 with 2:52 remaining. Alabama State cut the deficit to seven before Woldai knocked down her fifth 3-pointer to restore a double-digit lead. The Lady Hornets pulled within six late, but the Miners converted two free throws to seal the 64-56 victory.
Alabama State was led by Londyn Walker with a game-high 23 points, followed by Caylee Simpson with 17.
UP NEXT
The Miners conclude their season-opening homestand next week with back-to-back home games against Kansas City on Wednesday (Nov. 18) and Texas Southern (Nov. 21) at GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center.
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