UTEP WBB Upended by Liberty, 80-63
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- UTEP women’s basketball (11-17, 6-9 CUSA) fell to Liberty (15-14, 10-4 CUSA) 80-63 on Saturday afternoon. Three Miners scored in double figures in the loss.
Rebounding and second-chance points proved the difference maker in the contest. The Lady Flames pulled down 52 rebounds to the Miners 23, including 19 on the offensive glass. The offensive boards allowed Liberty to put up 20 second-chance points to UTEP’s five.
Jane Asinde led the Miners in both points (18) and rebounds (9), followed by Luisa Vydrova with a career-best 15 points and Erin Wilson with 12.
Wilson also tallied five rebounds, while Asinde posted a team-high three assists.
The Miners finished the game shooting 39.7 percent (23-58) from the field, 27.8 percent (5-18) from beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent (12-16) from the charity stripe. They pulled down 23 rebounds, had eight assists, three steals, and two blocks.
“Liberty is a very good team. They have some really good shooters, and their post is very skilled,” Head Coach Keitha Adams said. “We got beat on the boards; we gave up 19 offensive rebounds. We also struggled to score, and that’s a tough combination.”
UTEP jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first, up 21-9 at the end of the period. Vydrova poured in nine points to lead UTEP.
The Lady Flames came out firing in the second, pulling ahead of the Miners by the end of the quarter 29-26.
At the half, the Orange and Blue were shooting 40.7 percent (11-27) from the floor, 33.3 percent (2-6) from three, and 66.7 percent (2-30 from the foul line. The Miners posted 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block.
Liberty stretched its lead 12 at the end of the third quarter (56-44). Asinde paced the team on the glass with seven rebounds.
Sharp shooting from the visitors allowed them to keep their lead, and the game ended 80-63 in favor of the Lady Flames.
Liberty shot 44.6 percent (19-65) from the field, 37.9 percent (11-29) from long distance, and 91.7 percent (11-12) from the foul line. The Lady Flames tallied 52 rebounds, 19 assists, one steal, and three blocks. Asia Boone paced the team with a game-high 25 points, followed by Bella Smuda with 18 and Emma Hess with 15. Smuda led the team on the glass with 10 boards while Hess pulled down eight. Jordan Hodges dished out a game-best eight assists and Jordan Bailey grabbed the lone steal of the game for Liberty. Smuda, Emily Howard, and Elisabeth Aegisdottir each recorded one block.
UP NEXT
UTEP will head to Miami, Fla. to take on FIU for the final matchup of the 2023-24 regular season.
TICKETS
Single-game tickets remain on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets, or in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP Campus), Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
