UTEP Women’s Basketball Opens 2024-25 Season Against Tarleton State
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The UTEP women’s basketball program begins its 2024-25 campaign against Tarleton State Monday (11/4). Tipoff is set for 11:00 am. To celebrate the early tip, it will be “Kids Day” inside the Don Haskins Center
2023-24 SEASON IN REVIEW
The Miners went 12-19 in Head Coach Keitha Adams first year back with UTEP, including 6-10 in CUSA play. The team averaged 67.0 points and 35.8 rebounds per game. The Orange and Blue also registered 11.5 assists, 7.0 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. UTEP shot 43.1 percent from the field, 31.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 67.7 percent from the foul line in the campaign. The Miners turned the ball over an average of 16.3 times per game. In the conference tournament, UTEP defeated Sam Houston 78-64 in the first round before falling 78-50 to eventual CUSA Champs and NCAA tournament Second-Rounder Middle Tennessee. Former Miners Jane Asinde and Erin Wilson were one and two on the team, respectively, in both points (16.5, 12.0) and rebounds (9.0, 8.1). Now-sophomore forward Luisa Vydrova led the Miners from beyond the arc (.417) while now-senior Ivane Tensaie finished third from three (.369). Tensaie topped the team in FT%, shooting 88.2 percent from the line. Delma Zita dished out a team-high 3.2 assists per game and Dunja Zecevic was tied for the team lead in blocks (0.6).
MINERS PICKED TO FINISH 7TH IN CUSA
UTEP was picked seventh in the CUSA Women’s Basketball preseason poll. Reigning champ Middle Tennessee was tabbed to repeat as CUSA regular season champions, followed by Liberty and FIU in second and third respectively. WKU, LA Tech, and NM State were also chosen ahead of the Miners at fourth, fifth, and sixth. Followiing UTEP, Jax State was picked eighth, new CUSA member Kennesaw State ninth, and Sam Houston 10th.
COMING OUT HOT
The Miners are 30-20 all-time in season openers, including an impressive stretch of 9-1 over the last 10 seasons.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
UTEP is 36-14 all-time in home-openers. The Miners have won nine of the last 10 contests. Moreover, UTEP will have began the season at home for 14 straight seasons when it faces Tarleton State on Nov. 4th.
BACK FOR MORE
The Miners are bringing back four letter winners from the 2023-24 season. Senior guards Ivane Tensaie and Delma Zita and sophomore forwards Luisa Vydrova and Dunja Zecevic will look to push the team forward with energy and experience.
REDSHIRT RETURNERS
Redshirt freshman Thelma Barbitch is back with UTEP, looking to aid the Miners from beyond the arc in 2024-25.
FRESH FACES
The Miners added eight to their 2024-25 class, with four freshman and four transfers. Yagmur Canguven, Irene Asensio, Mary Moses Amaniyo, and Osadebamwen Igbinedion Omoruyi are fresh faces in the college game. Heaven Samayoa-Mathis (Salt Lake CC), Portia Adams (Lamar), Ndack Mbengue (Cowley College), and Abby Priscilla (Grayson CC) bring valuable collegiate experience to the squad.
THE BEAR’S DEN
The Orange and Blue went 10-5 at home in 2023-24, once again proving the home-court advantage that the Don Haskins Center holds for UTEP teams.
MINER FANS ARE THE BEST FANS
UTEP was third in CUSA in total attendance during the 2023-24 season. More than 18,000 fans showed their support for the Miners during the campaign, who averaged 1,219 fans per game.
INTERNATIONAL LOVE
The Miners have 10 international players on their 2024-25 roster. That is the second most in Division I, behind South Florida with 11.
FEARLESS LEADER
The winningest coach in UTEP women’s basketball history returned to the Borderland ahead of the 2023-24 season. Keitha Adams was the head coach of the Miners the first time around from 2001-2017, leading the Miners to four post season appearances ( two NCAA, two WNIT) and four CUSA championships (three regular season, one tournament). She has amassed 296 victories at the helm of the UTEP program. Additionally, Adams has tallied over 500 career victories, including 376 at the DI level.
AIN’T NOBODY MESSING WITH OUR CLIQUE
Along with Adams, three other Miner legends have returned to coach alongside her in round two. First, Ewa Laskowska, who has served on Adams’s staff for 25 years, has returned as Associate Head Coach. Additionally, two former Miner players under Adams, Jareica Hughes and Lulu McKinney, return for year two as assistant coaches.
SCOUTING REPORT: TARLETON STATE
The Texans finished the 2023-24 season 11-20 overall and 7-13 in WAC play. They finished 7th in the WAC regular season, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, where they fell to UT Arlington. Tarleton State averaged 61.4 points and 36.9 rebounds per game, while also tallying 13.2 assists, 6.0 steals, and 3.9 blocks. TSU turned the ball over an average of 15.3 times per game. TSU shot 38.4 percent from the floor and 30.6 percent from three. They also hit 73.7 percent from the line.
The Texans return seven from the 2023-224 squad, including four starters. Jakoriah Long led the team in scoring (11.2) and assists (2.5) while ranking second in steals (0.8) and sixth in blocks (0.4). Faith Acker finished second in points (9.0) while leading in both rebounds (5.8) and blocks (1.1). Elise Turrubiates was third in scoring (8.6), second in reboounding (5.6) and paced the team in steals (0.9). Miannah Little ranked fourth on the team in points (7.3) and second in assists (1.9). Long also topped the team in FG% (.477) while Tyler Jackson led from beyond the arc (.370).
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE TEXANS
This will be the first ever meeting between UTEP and Tarleton State.
SEE THE FUTURE
Following the opener against Tarleton State, UTEP is home for an additional three games. The Miners host Morehead State (11/10), UTSA (11/16), and NM Highlands (11/23) before heading out on their first road trip of the season against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (11/26).
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.
Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club.
Visit givingto.utep.edu/mac today!
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.
