Amaniyo’s game-winner seals UTEP’s 50-48 win over Eastern New Mexico
EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP women’s basketball team (7-4) survived a late push from Eastern New Mexico to win its final game of 2024, 50-48, Monday evening.
Though an exhibition for the visitors, the 10-1 Greyhounds stepped up and went toe-to-toe with the Orange and Blue.
UTEP led by as many as 16 in the contest, but ENMU was able to claw their way back in the fourth quarter.
The Miners shot 35.0 percent (21-60) from the field, 27.3 percent (3-11) from three, and 62.5 percent (5-8) from the foul line in the contest.
UTEP registered 44 rebounds, eight assists, seven fouls, and four blocks in the contest. The Orange and Blue committed just seven fouls in the contest, marking the fewest in a single game this season.
Delma Zita put up a game-best 15 points, one shy of tying her career high. Portia Adams was also in double-figures, dropping 14 points including a few clutch buckets late in the game.
Mary Moses Amaniyo grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds to lead all players and capped a solid performance with eight points, one steal and one block.
Adams nearly had a double-double, grabbing eight rebounds while also leading the Miners in assists (four) and steals (three). Ndack Mbengue also put in a strong shift, tallying nine points, five rebounds, one steal, and a team-best two blocks.
“Rebounding makes a huge difference in the game. Mary’s (Amaniyo) last rebound was critical to finish it off for us,” Head Coach Keitha Adams said. “We had a rough offensive day today. Our offense has to be better. Eastern came in here 10-1, they’ve showed some good basketball. But I think our team can play a lot better than the way we are playing right now, and we are going to have to. We are going to have to pick it up and get after it.”
The Miners jumped out to an early seven-point lead in the opening period, but the Greyhounds managed to draw within four, 11-7, by the end of the first. Adams led the way with five points.
UTEP stretched its lead to 12 by the half time whistle, allowing ENMU just five second-quarter points. Adams continued to pace the team in scoring with eight points, while also sharing the team-high in rebounds (six) with Mary Moses Amaniyo.
The Miners shot 30.0 percent (9-30) from the floor, 28.6 percent (2-7) from three, and 66.7 percent (4-6) from the foul line in the first half. They pulled down 29 rebounds while tallying four assists, three steals, and two blocks.
The Greyhounds pulled within five in the third, but an 11-0 run down the stretch put the Miners back up 14, 42-28, at the end of the period. Zita led the team with 13 points, with seven of those coming in the third quarter.
A 20-point fourth quarter from the visitors tied the game at 48 with less than 10 seconds left in the game. Adams missed the first shot off the inbound, but Amaniyo was there with the putback to seal the game.
ENMU shot 30.5 percent (18-59) from the field, 25.0 percent (6-24) from deep, and 100 percent (6-6) from the foul line in the contest.
The Greyhounds grabbed 38 rebounds and had seven assists, seven steals, and four blocks.
Abbi Holder led the team with 11 points, including nine points from beyond the arc.
Julieta Ceja was also in double figures, posting 10 points to go with a team-high nine rebounds.
Holder also dished out a team best three assists while Kaitlyn Edmondson and Trinity Hudson each tallied two steals.
Hudson also recorded a team-best two blocks.
FAST FORWARD
The Miners open Conference USA play with three straight road games. Up first, UTEP heads to Ruston, La. to take on LA Tech (1/2) before facing off at Sam Houston (1/4).
Then, the Miners return to the Borderland for the first Battle of I-10 of the season at NM State (1/11).
The next chance to see UTEP in action at home is Jan. 16, when they welcome Liberty to the Don Haskins Center
TICKETS
For tickets, fans can call 915-74
