UTEP women’s basketball team ends season with tourney loss to ODU

The UTEP women’s basketball team played its final game of the season Wednesday night in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament, falling to Old Dominion by a final of 80-70.

Sparkle Taylor scored 32 points in the game including 22 in the first half, but it wasn’t enough for the Miners, who end the season with a record of 8-23.

The 23 losses are 18 more than the team had the previous season.

Despite falling to ODU by 19 points just last week, the Miners put themselves in a position to win on Wednesday.

UTEP held a five-point lead at the half, which they then extended to nine early in the second half.

But the Lady Monarchs rallied behind the conference’s play of the year, Jennie Simms, who tallied 29 points to lead ODU to the C-USA quarterfinals.

UTEP still led by six points entering the fourth, but was outscored 25 to 9 in the final quarter of the game.

Old Dominion advances to play Southern Miss Thursday night in the C-USA quarterfinals.