The UTEP women’s basketball team defeated the St. Mary’s Rattlers 81-51 in their exhibition game before the season opener against Texas-Permian Basin.
Four Miners scored in double digits including senior guard Kayla Thornton who led the team with 22 points. Sophomre guard Cameasha Turner scored 11 points, while Kelli Willingham and Jenzel Nash scored 10 points each.
“I felt good tonight,” Thornton said. “I am glad with the plays I was able to make and what I contributed to the team.”
Head coach Keitha Adams said that the team had good possessions and found the extra passes that led to better looking shots. She said that the team will have to work on cutting their turnovers in half.
The Miners had 25 turnovers throughout the game, but made up for the deficit in steals and second chance points. Adams said she was pleased with the team’s overall effort and wants to learn more of her new players.
“What we are trying to do is to learn more about our newcomers,” she said. “We need to figure out what are our best combinations.”
Among the new players, El Paso native, junior guard Stacie Telles had a good showing in her debut performance as a Miner before fouling out. Telles who was a standout player for Burges High School and New Mexico Junior College, scored five points, had a steal and hit both of her two shots at the charity line.
In the first half the Miners dominated the court with a forty-three percent field goal average compared to the Rattler’s twenty-six percentage. UTEP also led in rebounds, assists and steals that gave them a 23-point lead going into the half.
During the second half, the Miners scored at will in the paint and held a 30-point lead for most of the half. With a comfortable lead, each player was given playing time. The Miners finished shooting forty-four percent from the flour and seventy percent from the free-throw line.
“We want a double-double from Kayla every night, but we also want to make sure we have balance in our offense,” Adams said. “If not, you are making the other team’s job a lot easier.”
Aaron Montes may be reached at [email protected]
