Miners Come Up Short in 68–59 Loss at WKU

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky – The UTEP women’s basketball team fell 68–59 at Western Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at E. A. Diddle Arena. The Miners move to 9–6 overall and 1–3 in Conference USA play.

UTEP battled throughout the night, showing resilience and keeping the game close at times, but Western Kentucky’s scoring runs proved decisive. Ivane Tensaie led the Miners with 16 points, while Ndack Mbengue added 9 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. Portia Adams contributed 7 points and 3 assists, and Delma Zita added 7 points and 2 steals.

“I thought we played harder in today’s game,” head coach Keitha Adams said. “Lack of scoring in the first quarter is hurting us. We played them tougher in the second, third, and fourth quarters, but we have to find 40 minutes and get off to better starts.”

Western Kentucky set the tone early with a 13–1 run in the first six minutes, though UTEP responded late in the quarter. Tensaie and Tatiana Collazo each hit a 3-pointer, and Zita added a tip-in to narrow the gap. The Miners trailed 19–12 heading into the second quarter.

UTEP came out aggressive in the second, forcing turnovers and generating transition opportunities. Brooklyn Terry and Adams fueled the offense, keeping the Miners within striking distance. Western Kentucky countered with timely 3-pointers and strong finishes inside, taking a 32–24 lead into halftime.

The Miners opened the third quarter with energy, as Samayoa-Mathis and Tensaie scored consecutive baskets to pull within one. Tensaie’s 3-pointer tied the game at 41 midway through the period. Despite the Miners’ push, Western Kentucky closed the quarter on a 9–0 run to take a 50–41 advantage into the fourth.

UTEP fought to cut into the lead in the final quarter, with Tensaie and Adams hitting key buckets and Zita adding a layup to pull within single digits at 62–53. Western Kentucky maintained control, using fast-break points and timely 3-pointers to secure the 68–59 victory.

The Orange and Blue finished the game shooting 34.5 percent from the field, 32.0 percent from three, and 73.3 percent at the line, while adding 39 rebounds and forcing 12 turnovers.

WKU was led by Salma Khedr with 18 points, while Trinity Rowe added 13 points. Caleigh-Rose West finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

UP NEXT

UTEP returns home for a two-game Conference USA homestand against Missouri State (Jan. 15) and FIU (Jan. 17).

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