UTEP WBB Falls at New Mexico 69-51

Despite a spirited effort where the Miners led 19-10 in the first quarter and a season-high 21 points by Zuzanna Puc, UTEP lost their sixth consecutive game at New Mexico on Wednesday evening 69-51.  After winning their first two contests of the season, the Miners dropped five of the last six games by a combined total of 13 points.  Following a stellar opening quarter by the Miners where at one point they led 15-2, UNM regrouped by outscoring UTEP in the final three-quarters of play to secure the victory.

Jordan Jenkins scored 8 points and had 5 assists, while Jordan Alexander recorded 7 points to go along with 9 boards, and the Miners recorded 15 assists on their 20 made field goals.  UTEP shot 36.4 percent from the field on 20-55 shooting, which included a red-hot first quarter where they shot 53.3 percent and made 8 of 15 shots.  For the Lobos, Aisia Robertson tallied 20 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 6 assists, while Jayla Everett added 14 points and Jaisa Nunn contributed with 12 points. The Lobos finished at 42.0 percent (29-69) from the field, including just 19.2 percent (5-26) from 3-point range.

Following the game Coach Baker noted, “We played at a very high level. There are not many teams that are going to hold them to 69 points,” UTEP head coach Kevin Baker said. “We played really, really well (in the first quarter). They’re a team of runs but even when they made them I still felt good with the way that we were playing.”  A few things need to change in order for this team to get back on track before conference play begins next month including being able to win close games, playing solid ball throughout the duration of an entire game, and the newcomers need to step it up in terms of scoring as Ariona Gill is averaging 11.9 ppg, which is as good as it gets from that perspective.

The Miners will face a tough test on Sunday as they host Portland State at 2 pm.  The Vikings are 5-0 this season, have won each game by 10 or more points thus far, and guard Ashley Bolston was voted as the Big Sky player of the week, as she is averaging 15.6 ppg.  This will mark only the second meeting ever between these two programs as they last faced each other in Portland, OR during the 1988-89 season where PSU won 75-71.  You can listen to the game with the Iceman and Traci Miller on 600 ESPN El Paso.