Division I UTEP too much for Zias

EL PASO — Texas-El Paso used a balanced attack and an early 13-0 run to cruise to a 71-34 victory over Eastern New Mexico in women's basketball on Saturday.

The Miners (8-1), members of Conference USA, got 14 points from freshman guard/forward Irene Gari of Spain and 11 points from sophomore guard Chrshauna Parker, who went 5-for-5 from the field. All 10 players who saw action scored for UTEP, including four others with at least eight points.

El Paso native Alexa Candelaria came off the bench to lead the Zias (0-7) with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. But no one else scored more than six.

Senior guard Tara Johnson's 3-pointer pulled the Zias even 3-3, and two free throws by sophomore Lakeeyscia Griffin made it 5-5 with less than 90 seconds gone.

ENMU then went nearly 5 1/2 minutes without scoring. Gari scored seven points in the run, including a 3-pointers, before freshman Nelsha Peterson's basket brought the Zias to 18-7 at the 14:09 mark.

Two free throws by Taylor Collier with 5:24 to go made it 39-18 before both teams went into the deep freeze. Only two baskets were scored the rest of the half — both by UTEP, which went into halftimie with a 43-18 bulge.

The Miners went nearly five minutes without a field goal t o start th second half, but the Zias scored only three points in that stretch and still trailed by 23. The largest lead of the game was 39 points (71-32) in the final minute.

UTEP shot 48 percent from the floor, including 6-of-14 from 3-point range, while holding the Zias to 23 percent (11-of-48). The Miners also dominated the glass 49-24.

ENMU resumes its Lone Star Conference schedule on Wednesday with a 5 p.m. (MST) tipoff against Cameron at Lawton, Okla.