Battle of I-10 Highlighted by Hughes Jersey Retirement Saturday
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The UTEP women’s basketball team (9-11, 2-7 CUSA) hosts rival NM State (11-11, 4-5 CUSA) in the second Battle of I-10 of the season Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. MT. Following the game, Miner legend and current UTEP assistant coach will be honored with her jersey being raised to the rafters of the Don Haskins Center.
GAME COVERAGE
Saturday vs NM State— Live Stats or Watch Here
AND THAT’S WHAT YOU MISSED…
UTEP fell to 9-11 on the season, and 2-7 in Conference USA play after being upended by Middle Tennessee 64-42 on Feb. 1. Scoring struggles in the second and third period along with turnovers cost the the Miners in the game. UTEP shot 30.4 percent (14-46) from the floor, 38.5 percent (5-13) from three, and 69.2 percent (9-13) from the foul line in the contest. Ivane Tensaie led all players with 23 points, with 15 of those coming from beyond the arc. Luisa Vydrova tied for the game-high with nine rebounds. Delma Zita, Irene Asensio, and Heaven Samayoa-Mathis each recorded two assists to lead the team. Tensaie also tied for the team lead in steals with two.
MINER NOTABLES
Three Miners are averaging double-figures in scoring, Ivane Tensaie (13.7), Portia Adams (10.4) and Luisa Vydrova (10.3). Ndack Mbengue pulls down a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game, followed by Vydrova at 5.9. Delma Zita is handing out 3.9 assists per game with Adams sitting second at 2.5. Adams and Irene Asensio share the team lead in steals at 1.0 apiece. Dunja Zecevic and Mbengue each swat 0.7 blocks per game. Mbengue is shooting a team-best 55.4 percent from the floor while Tensaie leads from beyond the arc (40.4). Zita, Adams, Tensaie and Vydrova are all hitting 80.0 or better from the foul line at 82.1, 80.7, 80.0, and 80.0, respectively.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Ivane Tensaie posted 23 points against Middle Tennessee, leading all players in the game. It was her ninth time leading the Miners in scoring this season. Moreover, it was Tensaie’s 15th game this season scoring 10 or more points, and fourth with 20 or more.
BOXING OUT
Luisa Vydrova pulled down nine rebounds against the Blue Raiders, her second straight game with nine rebounds and sixth with nine or more on the campaign. Four of those six occasions have come against CUSA opponents. It was her eighth time this season leading the Miners in rebounding.
WALKING BUCKET
Ivane Tensaie was responsible for all five of UTEP’s threes against Middle Tennessee, shooting 55.6 percent (5-9) from beyond the arc. It marked her fourth game this season with five or more threes made.
DELMA’S DISHES
Delma Zita shared the team lead with two assists against the Blue Raiders, her 13th time this season leading the Miners in assists.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
Luisa Vydrova pulled down seven defensive rebounds against Middle Tennessee, tying a career high.
TENSAIE FOR THREEEEE!
Ivane Tensaie is averaging 2.95 three pointers per game in 2024-25. She leads Conference USA and sits 10th in the country in the category.
GUARDING THE PERIMETER
The Miners held The Blue Raiders to 25.0 percent (8-32) from beyond the arc, marking the 13th game this season that an opponent has shot 30.0 percent or less from three.
SHARP SHOOTING
Three UTEP players are averaging over 50.0 percent from the floor this season. Ndack Mbengue leads the team at 55.4 percent, followed by Osadebamwen Igbinedion Omoruyi (52.4) and Luisa Vydrova (51.8).
HOW MAY WE ASSIST YOU?
The Miners have earned 258 assists on 467 made shot attempts in 2024-25 (55.2 percent). Delma Zita is responsible for 78 of those assists (30.2 percent of all assists).
STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE
UTEP committed just 11 fouls against Middle Tennessee, marking the third fewest fouls in a single game this season.
SHARING THE WEALTH
Of the 11 Miners who saw action against the Blue Raiders, 10 of them recorded at least one rebound, with seven tallying three or more.
INTERNATIONAL LOVE
UTEP has 10 international players on their 2024-25 roster. That is the second most in Division I, behind South Florida with 11.
SCOUTING REPORT: NM STATE
The Aggies are 11-11 on the season, including 4-5 in CUSA play. They are averaging 65.2 points 29.4 rebounds, and 11.8 assists per game. NM State is shooting 42.1 percent from the floor, 32.3 percent from three, and 73.1 percent from the charity stripe in 2024-25. Molly Kaiser paces the team with 21.5 points per game, followed by Fanta Gassama at 10.2. The pair also share the team lead in both assists (2.5 apiece) and steals (2.1 each). Gassama is nearly averaging a double-double, pulling down a team-high 9.7 rebounds. Madi Gewirtz and Imani Warren are both swatting 0.4 blocks per game. Diarrah Sissoko is shooting a team-high 50.0 percent from the floor, followed by Kaiser at 49.7. Emma Dasovich leads the team from beyond the arc (45.5 percent) and Jaila Harding tops the team from the foul line, shooting 85.0 percent. Nationally, the Aggies are ranked in the top 100 in three stats. They sit 33rd in turnovers forced per game (20.36), 49th in steals per game (10.3), and 55th in turnover margin (3.95). Individually, Kaiser and Gassama are both ranked in multiple categories. Kaiser ranks seventh in the nation in made free throws (129), ninth in points per game (21.5), 10th in total points (472), and 26th in field goals made (159). She also sits 48th in minutes per game (34.86), 56th in field goal attempts (320), 79th in field goal percentage (49.7), 96th in steals (46), and 99th in free throw percentage (82.2). Gassama is ranked eighth in defensive rebounds per game (7.9), 30th in rebounds per game (9.7), and 75th in total rebounds (185).
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE AGGIES
UTEP is 46-52 all time against NM State. The first matchup of the season between the two sides saw the Aggies win 65-49 in Las Cruces on 1/11/25.
FAST FORWARD
Following Saturday’s game, the Miners head back on the road for a two-game trip, taking on FIU (2/13) and Liberty (2/15)
TICKETS
For tickets, fans can call 915-747-UTEP or visit UTEPMiners.com/Tickets for more information.
Give a gift to UTEP Women's Basketball by donating to the Fast Break Club.
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For complete coverage of UTEP women's basketball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPWBB (Twitter), @utepwbb (Instagram) and on Facebook or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
