A Road Win That Meant More
Sometimes a February win feels bigger than the box score.
On Feb. 14, UTEP Miners women’s basketball went across the country and walked out of Newark with a 79–72 win over Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens women’s basketball — and it felt like more than just number 11 in the win column.
The Miners shot 52.3 percent from the field (34-of-65) and a strong 38.5 percent from three (5-of-13). They owned the paint with 54 points inside and turned 19 Delaware turnovers into 24 points. In a game that featured 12 ties and 17 lead changes, UTEP didn’t flinch.
That matters.
Aolani Woldai led with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, efficient and fearless. Delma Zita added 13 points with three assists and two steals. Ndack Mbengue was a presence around the rim, finishing with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, two steals, and a block. Ivane Tensaie chipped in 12 points and three steals, knocking down two threes and going 4-for-4 at the line when the pressure rose.
The bench brought 32 points. Heaven Samayoa-Mathis controlled stretches with four assists. Portia Adams added 11 points. Mary Moses Amaniyo battled for six rebounds. This wasn’t one player carrying the load — it was a team leaning on each other.
Delaware shot it well — 46.9 percent overall and 47.6 percent from deep. Ande’a Cherisier had 17. Kailah Correa hit four threes. Lay Fantroy battled inside. UTEP’s toughness won out.
And that’s the takeaway.
This team, now 11–13 overall and 3–10 in Conference USA play, has taken some punches this season. Close losses. Defensive lapses. Offensive droughts. But in Newark, they didn’t fold. They responded. They closed.
That’s growth.
Now It’s Personal
Now the focus shifts to NM State up I-10.
Saturday at 2 p.m. MT, UTEP heads to Las Cruces to face the New Mexico State Aggies women’s basketball at the Pan American Center. And if you’ve been around this rivalry, you already know — records don’t matter. Stats don’t matter. It’s about pride.
It’s about representing El Paso.
Rivalry games expose who you are. They test your composure, especially on the road. The crowd will be loud. Every possession will feel heavier.
If UTEP wants to carry the momentum from Delaware forward, it starts in the paint again. Mbengue and Amaniyo have to control the glass. The Miners grabbed 30 rebounds against Delaware — that physicality has to travel.
Perimeter defense will be just as critical. Delaware hit 10 threes and nearly stole momentum. Closeouts must be sharper. Communication tighter. Tensaie, Zita, and Woldai will need to defend without fouling and stay locked in.
And then there’s the free-throw line. Six attempts won’t cut it in Las Cruces. You win rivalry games by attacking, by earning trips to the stripe, by making the small moments count.
But more than schemes and numbers, this one is about heart.
The Delaware win showed a team that refused to crack in a back-and-forth battle. It showed balance. It showed belief. Now the question is whether that belief travels.
Because if the Miners bring that same edge, that same togetherness, that same refusal to blink — Saturday afternoon could be more than just another game.
It could be a huge momentum builder against a huge UTEP rival.
February basketball is about finding out who you are before March arrives. Delaware was proof that this team is still fighting. Las Cruces will tell us how far that fight can carry them.
