UTEP fall in road matchup to Portland 67-83.
PORTLAND, OREGON (KVIA) -- Ndack Mbengue posted her second straight double-double (career-high matching 14 points, career-best tying 11 rebounds) while three other Miners joined her in double figures for scoring, but the UTEP women’s basketball team was upended at unbeaten Portland, 83-67, Sunday afternoon.
The Miners (4-3) got out quickly with an 8-4 lead less than three minutes into the contest and were down by only two at the end of the first quarter against the Pilots (10-0). Portland, however, tallied the first eight points of the second frame to vault out by 10.
UTEP continued to fight, eventually whittling the deficit down to four early in the second half. Portland managed to reinstate a double-digit advantage heading to the fourth quarter. The Miners clawed back within six only to have the Pilots close out the contest on a 17-8 push to snuff out the rally.
Ivane Tensaie (14 points), Dunja Zecevic (10 points) and Luisa Vydrova (10) all turned in double-digit scoring efforts to support Mbengue. Delma Zita contributed across the board with five points, a career-best equaling six rebounds and seven assists. It marks her third straight contest with at least six helpers.
The Orange and Blue shot it well, knocking down 44.6 percent from the floor, including 38.5 percent on 3-pointers. UTEP was stellar at the charity stripe, filling up 80 percent of its tosses. Mbengue keyed the charge by making a career-high tying eight tries on nine attempts.
Portland was even better, however, drilling 50.0 percent from the floor. It connected on 10 triples and finished a perfect 13-13 on free throws. The Pilots also took advantage of 21 UTEP turnovers that they converted into 18 points.
Maisie Burnham poured in 25 points to pace a quartet of players in double figures for Portland.
The Miners continue their three-game away spell Saturday (12/14) at Utah Tech. Tipoff is slatÂed for 1 p.m. MT.
