Miners Fall to Middle Tennessee, 81-70
MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (KVIA) -- UTEP women’s basketball (6-10, 1-2 CUSA) fell 81-70 to Middle Tennessee (13-5, 3-0 CUSA) Thursday evening. Three Miners scored in double digits in the contest.
Three-point shooting from the Lady Raiders proved the difference maker in the game, as the home side drained 12 from beyond the arc, including six in the third quarter.
Jane Asinde led all players with a career-high 28 points. Ivane Tensaie had a career-best 15 points, and Erin Wilson put up 13.
Wilson was once again stout on the glass, tallying 15 rebounds to pace the team. Asinde recorded four boards and Mariama Sow had three.
UTEP shot 43.6 percent (24-55) from the floor and 69.2 percent (18-26) from the line. The team posted 38 rebounds, eight assists, and six steals in the contest.
The teams traded baskets in the first quarter, and the Miners led 16-14 after the first period. Jane Asinde led all players with eight points, followed by Dunja Zecevic and Ivane Tensaie with four apiece. Erin Wilson paced the team on the boards with three,
The Lady Raiders opened a nine-point gap in the second quarter, but UTEP managed to get back within five, down 35-30 at the half. Asinde topped the Miners with 12 points. Wilson contributed six points and led the team with eight rebounds.
At the break, the Miners were shooting 42.4 percent (14-33) from the field and 50.0 percent (2-4) from the foul line. They grabbed 22 rebounds, had five assists, and two steals.
Hot shooting from Middle Tennessee in the third allowed it to stretch it’s lead to 21 at the end of the third, 64-43. Asinde led the Miners with 21 points, followed by Wilson with nine. Wilson also topped the team with 11 boards.
UTEP pulled back within seven points down the stretch of the fourth, but the strong third quarter from the Lady Raiders was too much to overcome, and the game ended 81-70. Asinde finished with 28 points, followed by Ivane Tensaie with 15 and Wilson with 13. Wilson finished with 15 rebounds.
MTSU shot 37.1 percent (26-70) from the floor, 29.3 percent (12-41) from three, and 73.9 percent (17-23) from the free throw line. The team pulled down 41 rebounds, had 16 assists, and seven steals. Five Lady Raiders scored in double figures, led by Savannah Wheeler with 18. Ta’Mia Scott (16), Courtney Whitson (14), Jalynn Gregory (13), and Iullia Grabovskaia (11) round out the top five scorers. Both Scott and Whitson hit four threes. Grabovskaia paced the team in rebounds with 16, followed by Wheeler and Scott with seven each.
UP NEXT
The Miners head to Bowling Green, Ky. Saturday (1/20) for the second game of the road trip against WKU. Tipoff is slated for 11:00 am MT/ 12:00 pm CT.
