UTEP hosts UAB with 5-Game Winning Streak on the line

UTEP (10-5, 7-3 C-USA) will put its five-game winning streak on the line this weekend as the Miners host UAB (7-7, 2-6 C-USA) in C-USA play February 5 and 6 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso.

Tipoff set for 7 p.m. MT on Friday, while the series finale is set for 4 p.m. MT on Saturday in El Paso. Friday’s game can be seen on ESPN+ for subscribers, while Saturday’s game will be on CUSA.TV.

Fans can also tune in to the radio broadcast with Tim Hagerty calling all the action on the UTEP Miners app.

“I don’t know if you can hold too much stock in [UAB’s] record. When I watch them on film, they look like a very talented, well-coached basketball team. That’s the kind of team that Randy Norton normally has – a well-coached basketball team that runs a great offensive system. They are going to be really hard to guard,” Coach Baker shared.

“They have one of the best scorers in the country in Margaret Whitley and then Zakyia Weathersby isn’t bad down low. It’s going to be a great game. It is sort of a contrast in styles a little bit. We like to play a little bit faster than they do. They like to run a lot of half-court stuff and we like to run, so it will be a little bit of contrast in style, but at the same time, I think it is going to be a really competitive two games.”

UAB enters this weekend’s series looking to snap a 4-game losing streak, but the Blazers have played their best on the road this season with a 4-1 record away from home.

Margaret Whitley is UAB’s leading scorer with an average of 22.1 ppg (37.2 FG%) to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 38 assists. Zakyia Weathersby leads the team with 12.6 rebounds and is averaging 14.5 points per game. As a team, the Blazers are shooting 39.7 pct. from the field and 32.3 from behind the arc.

UTEP extended its winning streak to five games with its second straight series sweep last weekend over UTSA. In the opener, the Miners came away with an 82-56 win at home before topping UTSA, 67-51, on the road two days later.

MINER NOTABLES

• UTEP enters the weekend looking to build on a five-game winning streak and its third straight series sweep.
• Katia Gallegos leads the Miners offensively with a team-best 14.9 points per game and 4.8 assists per game (ranks third in C-USA) on the season.
• Avery Crouse and Destiny Thurman are scoring 9.0 and 8.7 points per game, respectively.
• UTEP ranks third in C-USA in field goal percentage (43.5), while the Miners also rank third in the league in steals (116) and fifth in turnovers forced (17.2) entering the weekend series.
• UAB leads the all-time series, 12-9, in a series that started in 1990-91. The Blazers have won six straight dating back to the 2016-17 season, including a 63-51 win over the Miners last year in Birmingham.

A limited number of fans will be permitted in the Don Haskins Center for UTEP basketball games until further notice.

Tickets are still available for women’s basketball and this includes both five-game flex plans and single-game options. For ticket information and sales, fans can call (915) 747-UTEP, email [email protected] or visit the UTEP website.

 Fans are reminded that masks/face coverings are required while in the Haskins Center and on the UTEP campus. Additional COVID-19 protocols for basketball can be found online.

All fans are highly encouraged to read and be aware of these policies to ensure a safe and enjoyable game day experience.