Miners bring the thunder, overpower Southern Utah 89-62
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- UTEP women’s basketball broke a five-game losing streak with a commanding 89-62 victory over Southern Utah Saturday afternoon. Three Miners scored in double digits in the win.
The Miners (5-8) held the advantage the Thunderbirds (3-8, 1-1 WAC) in every scoring category, including 52-22 in the paint and 25-5 of turnovers.
Jane Asinde keyed the offensive efforts for UTEP, posting a game-high 21 points. Erin Wilson scored 18 and Delma Zita put up a career-best 15 points. Eleven different players scored for the Miners in the game.
Wilson led the Miners with 16 rebounds and ripped down seven on the offensive side. Asinde (12) also set the tone on the boards and topped the team in assists with four. Zita dished out three assists and had zero turnovers in 30 minutes of play.
The Miners finished the night shooting 48.6 percent (34-70) from the field, 31.6 percent (6-19) from downtown, and 75.0 percent (15-20) from the line. The team pulled down 43 rebounds, had 18 assists, nine steals, and two blocks in the contest.
“We had three great days of practice and Delma set the tone for us. She had great practices and scored 15 points and had zero turnovers,” Head Coach Keitha Adams said. “I thought it was our best defensive effort and it’s all about how we prepare. We are just working on getting goals and figuring it out.”
Four different Miners scored in the first period, led by Wilson with eight. Asinde followed suit with six points and paced the team with five rebounds. UTEP held a seven-point advantage, 18-11 at the end of the quarter.
The Orange and Blue stretched their lead to 13 in the second quarter and took a 36-23 score into the locker room at the half. Wilson topped the Miners with 14 points in the half, with Asinde close behind at 11. The pair shared a team-high seven rebounds each. Dunja Zecevic also scored five points and grabbed four boards in the half.
At the half the Miners were shooting 34.3 percent (12-35) from the floor and 78.6 percent (11-14) from the charity stripe. UTEP pulled down 23 rebounds, dished out five assists, and had three steals and committed just two turnovers in the half.
Both teams came out firing after the break, and UTEP led 63-47 at the end of the third period. The Miners shot 63 percent (12-19) in the quarter, including 60 percent (3-5) from beyond the arc. Asinde led the team with 21 points, followed by Wilson with 16 and Zita with 10. Asinde and Wilson each had 11 rebounds to pace the team.
The Orange and Blue ran away with the game in the fourth, outscoring SUU 26-15 in the final period. The game finished 89-62 in favor of the Miners. Asinde (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Wilson (18 points, 16 rebounds) both put up double doubles, while Zita posted a career-high 15 points.
The Thunderbirds shot 39.3 percent (22-56) from the field and 33-3 percent (7-21) from three. They went 11-20 for 55.0 percent from the foul line. Southern Utah tallied 33 rebounds, 11 assists, and seven steals in the contest. Ava Uhrich led the way for SUU, posting 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Samantha Johnston (13) and Daylani Ballena (11) also scored in double-digits. Charli Kay led the team in assists with four, while Johnston had a game-high three steals.
