GAME NOTES (PDF)

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP women's basketball team continues its season-opening homestand by welcoming UIW to GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center Saturday. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. MT. Fans attending Saturday's matchup can redeem their basketball ticket for a free ticket to the UTEP-Hawai'i football game at the Sun Bowl later that day.
 
WHERE TO WATCH:  MW+  or Live Stats
 
SCOUTING UIW
UIW (1-0) enters Saturday's matchup coming off a 63-57 win over Tulsa. The Cardinals are led by second-year head coach Jhasmin Player, who guided the program to a 13-17 mark last season and an 11-11 record in Southland Conference play.
 
Through one game this season, UIW is averaging 63.0 points, 33.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 5.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 14.3 percent from 3-point range and 55.9 percent from the free-throw line. The Cardinals rank 12th nationally with 34.0 free-throw attempts per game. Defensively, UIW has held opponents to 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 15.0 percent from beyond the arc, ranking among the top 50 nationally in 3-point percentage defense. The Cardinals forced 17 turnovers while committing 16 in their season opener.
 
Kayanna Cox leads UIW in scoring with 23.0 points per game, along with 4.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per contest. Cox ranks 10th nationally in blocks per game. Amaya Hoften follows with 11.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while N'Kiyah Burge leads the Cardinals with 8.0 rebounds per contest to go along with 9.0 points per game.
 
MINER NOTABLES
Seven players scored in double figures in UTEP's 100-64 season-opening win over WNMU Monday night. Zainab Olalekan led the way in her UTEP debut with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Freshman Krista Lukasevica added 14 points and 5 rebounds in her collegiate debut, while Tatiana Collazo contributed 13 points. All Miners who saw action scored in the season-opening victory.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup marks the third all-time meeting between UTEP and UIW, with the Miners holding a 2-0 advantage. UTEP claimed an 81-47 victory in the most recent meeting on Nov. 11, 2021, in the Sun City.
 
UTEP STARTS THE NEW ERA 1-0
The UTEP women's basketball team opened the 26-27 season with a dominant win over WNMU on Monday night at GECU Arena at the Don Haskins Center. Seven Miners scored in double figures, while UTEP shot 60.0 percent from the field while recording 43 rebounds, 19 assists, and 19 steals.
 
UTEP established control early with a 14-0 first-quarter run before WNMU rallied to tie the game at 21 early in the second. The Miners responded with a 12-0 run, sparked by seven consecutive points from Warren, to regain the lead and enter halftime ahead 45-34. UTEP pulled away in the second half, outscoring the visitors 55-30 over the final two quarters. A second-chance basket from freshman Apostolia Zormpala in the closing minute pushed the Miners to the century mark, securing their first victory of the season. 
 
KEYS STATS FROM OPENER

• UTEP held WNMU to just 35.3% percent shooting from the field.
• The Miners forced 27 turnovers in a season opener for the second consecutive year.
• The Orange and Blue reached the 100-point mark for the second consecutive season.

DEFENSE SETS THE TONE
The Miners showcased their defensive identity in the season opener, applying pressure and that generated consistent disruption. Their 27 forced turnovers were the most in a game in a matchup last year against Prairie View A&M (27, 11/3/25) and were converted into 41 points on the other end.
 
ORANGE AND BLUE DEBUT
Eight newcomers made their Miner or collegiate debuts in the season-opening victory, with all eight finding the scoring column. Zainab Olalekan led the transfer class with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Krista Lukasevica paced the freshman class with 14 points and five rebounds in her collegiate debut.
 
BENCH PRODUCTION
UTEP received a strong contribution from its bench in the season-opening victory, with reserves accounting for 49 of the Miners' 100 points. Krista Lukasevica led the bench with 14 points in her collegiate debut, followed by Tatiana Collazo with 13 and Aolani Woldai with 10. The trio combined for 37 points, while the remaining reserves added 12 as all Miners who saw action contributed to the scoring effort.
 
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 320 victories with the Miners and more than 500 wins overall in her career, including 400 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 Joao (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.
 
UP NEXT
The Miners continue their season-opening homestand against UIW (Nov. 7) before hosting NM State (Nov. 10) in the 102nd meeting of the Battle of I-10 rivalry. The contest will be streamed on MW+ (subscription required).

TICKETS
For tickets, fans can call 915-747-UTEP or visit https://am.ticketmaster.com/utep/buy?filterType=97 for more information.  
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.