Coach Baker Announces 2018-19 UTEP Women’s Basketball Schedule
Match-ups with NM State, New Mexico and Arizona, in addition to the always challenging Conference USA slate highlight the 2018-19 UTEP Women’s Basketball schedule, as revealed by head coach Kevin Baker Thursday.
The Miners will have a pair of exhibition games (WNMU-Oct. 27 and St. Mary’s (TX)-Nov. 3) to prep for the campaign before tipping it off in earnest by playing host to Alcorn State (Nov. 10). Other home non-conference match-ups include Cal State Bakersfield (Nov. 14), NM State (Nov. 17), Nicholls State (Nov. 23), Abilene Christian (Nov. 24), Arkansas State (Dec. 1) and Portland State (Dec. 9).
After playing five straight contests at the Don Haskins Center, including a pair of tilts as part of the Seventh-Annual UTEP Thanksgiving Classic, the Orange and Blue will hit the road for a match-up at Weber State (Nov. 28). Other road non-league games include at New Mexico (Dec. 5), at Arizona (Dec. 17) and at former C-USA foe Tulsa (Dec. 29). Additionally the Orange and Blue will take part in the Las Vegas Shootout (Dec.20-21), with match-ups still to be announced.
“We are really excited about our upcoming season’s schedule,” Baker said. “Our non-conference schedule includes seven home games and six road games. This schedule will help us get prepared for a very demanding Conference USA format.”
C-USA action starts with three straight road contests in the form of playing at UTSA (Jan. 5), at North Texas (Jan. 10) and at Rice (Jan. 12). The other games away from home will be at Old Dominion (Jan. 24), at Charlotte (Jan. 26), at Florida Atlantic (Feb. 7), at FIU (Feb. 9) and at UAB (March 2).
The tilt at UAB was predetermined by the league office to result in the most competitive match-ups coupled with geographical constraints. The other contest of that nature is UTEP’s “Senior Day” game vs. North Texas (March 7).
The Miners’ home C-USA opener pits them against UAB (Jan. 17). Also venturing to El Paso will be Middle Tennessee (Jan. 19), Marshall (Jan. 31), WKU (Feb. 2), LA Tech (Feb. 14), Southern Miss (Feb. 16), UTSA (Feb. 23) and the aforementioned contest vs. North Texas (March 7).
“We will play 14 games in a mirrored format opposite of the men’s Thursday/Saturday scheduling,” Baker said. “The final two contests are set in advance and are based on creating competitive match-ups with geographical constraints. The fans will love this idea as there will almost always be a home game going on in the Haskins Center every Thursday and Saturday.”
UTEP will return four letter winners (Jordan Alexander-8.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, Jordan Jenkins-2.0 ppg, 1.4 apg, Zuzanna Puc-9.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg and Katarina Zec-9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg) from last year’s squad, in addition to a pair (Ariona Gill and Neidy Ocuane) who sat out last year as redshirts.
The Miners compiled an overall record of 17-14 (7-9 in C-USA play, 9-4 in non-conference action) to surge past the 2016-17 team’s overall victory total (8-23) by nine wins while also exceeding the number of league victories (5-13 C-USA). The effort allowed Baker to become the most successful first-year head coach at the school in program history.
2018-19 UTEP Women’s Basketball Schedule
Date Day Opponent Location Time
Oct. 27 Saturday Western New Mexico& Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Nov. 3 Saturday St. Mary’s University& Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Nov. 10 Saturday Alcorn State Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Nov. 14 Wednesday Cal State Bakersfield Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Nov. 17 Saturday NM State Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
UTEP Thanksgiving Classic
Nov. 23 Friday Texas Southern vs. Abilene Christian Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Nicholls State at UTEP Don Haskins Center 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 24 Saturday Texas Southern vs. Nicholls State Don Haskins Center 5 p.m.
Abilene Christian at UTEP Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Nov. 28 Wednesday at Weber State Ogden, Utah TBA
Dec. 1 Saturday Arkansas State Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Dec. 5 Wednesday at New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. TBA
Dec. 9 Sunday Portland State Don Haskins Center 2 p.m.
Dec. 17 Monday at Arizona Tucson, Ariz. TBA
Las Vegas Christmas Shootout
Dec. 20 Thursday TBA Las Vegas, Nev. TBA
Dec. 21 Friday TBA Las Vegas, Nev. TBA
Dec. 29 Saturday at Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. 1 p.m.
Jan. 5 Saturday at UTSA* San Antonio, Texas TBA
Jan. 10 Thursday at North Texas* Denton, Texas TBA
Jan. 12 Saturday at Rice* Houston, Texas TBA
Jan. 17 Thursday UAB* Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 Saturday Middle Tennessee* Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Jan. 24 Thursday at Old Dominion* Norfolk, Va. TBA
Jan. 26 Saturday at Charlotte* Charlotte, N.C. TBA
Jan. 31 Thursday Marshall* Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Feb. 2 Saturday WKU* Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Feb. 7 Thursday at Florida Atlantic* Boca Raton, Fla. TBA
Feb. 9 Saturday at FIU* Miami, Fla. TBA
Feb. 14 Thursday LA Tech* Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Feb. 16 Saturday Southern Miss* Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
Feb. 23 Saturday UTSA* Don Haskins Center 1 p.m.
March 2 Saturday at UAB* Birmingham, Ala. TBA
March 7 Thursday North Texas* Don Haskins Center 7 p.m.
Bold denotes home game & Exhibition Game
* Conference USA Game
All Times Mountain
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