UTEP WBB Falls at MTSU 76-60

The UTEP Women's basketball team fell to Middle Tennessee State University on Thursday evening 76-60, and are now 0-4 all-time in Murfreesboro.  The Miners, who are now 12-7, 5-3 in C-USA, struggled to start the game as they trailed by four at 14-10 late in the opening frame before the Lady Raiders unleashed a fierce 17-0 run that carried into the second quarter to put UTEP down by 21 at 31-10.

The Miners battled back to get within 14 at the half 41-27 and then within seven, 65-58 in the fourth quarter, but MT was able to hold off the rally.  UTEP finished at 37.1 percent from the floor, including 21.1 percent on 4-19 shooting on 3-point tosses.  UTEP struggled from the charity strip again as they made 10 of 20 free throws, (50 percent) and committed 24 turnovers.

Ariona Gill posted a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Avery Crouse added 9 points and a career-best 9 boards.  Katarina Zec pitched in 8 points and 9 rebounds.  Tia Bradshaw led the effort from the reserves with a career-high tying 8 points to go along with a personal-best 5 boards.

Following the game Coach Baker noted, “We weren’t playing well at all and couldn’t get anything going in the first half.  We just kept hanging in there and you look up at one point it’s a seven-point game.  We were playing our ‘b-level game’ instead of an ‘a-level game. There’s a lot of reasons for me to be frustrated right now because we didn’t play well, but more reasons for us to be excited about who we have and the kind of character we have.”

The Miners will conclude their road swing as they play at UAB, who have won five straight on Saturday at 1 p.m. MST.  You can listen to the game on 600 ESPN El Paso with the Iceman.