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UTEP Women's Basketball: Miners overcome slow start, move past FAU 78-66

Keitha Adams has her current squad off to a program best 15-1 start with an impressive 78-66 road win at FAU.

By Alex Nicolas

Things looked grim in the opening minutes of Thursday's C-USA tilt with FAU.

But as its been all year, the UTEP women's basketball team defends like a championship team, and continues to find ways to win.

UTEP weathered an early double digit deficit, forced 21 FAU turnovers, and shot 50 percent from the field for their seventh straight win.

Four Miners reached double figures led by Jenzel Nash who scored 18 points, and added eight rebounds, three assists and four steals.  Cameasha Turner was 7-of-10 from the field adding 17 points, and five rebounds.

Starr Breedlove poured in 15 points, adding five assists and five steals, while Sparkle Taylor scored 14 points.

UTEP started shaky with a few turnovers in their opening possessions, while FAU started 3-for-3 from the field to open up an early 7-0 lead just a few minutes after the tip.

The early offensive woes would continue in the next stretch as UTEP started an ice cold 2-for-10 from the field, and trailed 13-4 with 3:56 left during the first quarter media timeout.

FAU would stretch their first half lead to 30-20 with 6:34 left until halftime and led by as much as 12 in the first half, then the tide turned, and UTEP was able to take control.

Nash would drain a three pointer to start a 9-0 run, capped off by a steal and assist from Starr Breedlove who found Cameasha Turner on a fast break for a layup bringing UTEP within one trailing 30-29 with 4:35 left until halftime.

After trailing 30-20, UTEP out scored FAU 19-9 in the final 6:34 of the half to tie things at 39 at halftime.

Things would would go back-and-forth to open the second half until a UTEP run put the Miners in full control.

Starr Breedlove capped off a 10-0 spurt with a three pointer as UTEP took a commanding 57-43 lead with 3:53 left in the third quarter.

FAU was able to close the gap to 67-60 with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter, but the Owls shot just 39.3 percent from the field, as UTEP continued to frustrate the Owls into turnovers down the stretch.

Coming into the game, the big concern was FAU's three point shooting which was kept in the check as the Owls were 6-of-20 on the evening.

Another key was owning the boards if FAU wasn't as proficient as usual, the Miners out-rebounded FAU 41-34 adding 14 offensive rebounds to their rebounding total.

14 of UTEP's rebounds came off the bench as Tamara Seda and Chrishauna Parker each hauled in seven boards off the bench.

The Miners move to 15-1 overall, and 6-0 in C-USA play and will face FIU on Saturday afternoon.

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