LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Interstat) — The UTEP women’s basketball team used a dominant third quarter to secure a 69-58 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday at the Pan American Center. After trailing 28-29 at halftime, the Miners outscored the Aggies 26-14 in the third period to take control. Ndack Mbengue led UTEP with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Delma Zita and Portia Adams each added 14 points. Keira Hudson scored 15 points for New Mexico State. UTEP improved to 12-13 overall, while New Mexico State fell to 8-18. The Miners swept the regular-season series between the Conference USA rivals. Attendance was 712.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Interstat) — Ndack Mbengue recorded a double-double and UTEP used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from New Mexico State for a 69-58 victory in a Conference USA women’s basketball game Saturday at the Pan American Center. The Miners, who swept the season series from their rivals, improved to 12-13 overall. The Aggies fell to 8-18. The game’s decisive stretch came immediately after halftime. Leading by just five points, UTEP erupted for 26 points in the third quarter while holding New Mexico State to 14. The Miners opened the period on a 12-2 run, fueled by aggressive defense and efficient inside scoring. That burst stretched a 29-24 halftime lead to 41-26, and the Aggies never recovered, unable to trim the deficit to single digits in the final quarter. Mbengue, a 6-foot-3 junior from Bergamo, Italy, was the catalyst, controlling the paint on both ends. She finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds in 35 minutes, adding two assists, a steal and a block. Her presence anchored a UTEP defense that held New Mexico State to 33.3% shooting from the field and just 10 points in the paint, compared to 32 for the Miners. UTEP’s backcourt provided balanced scoring. Delma Zita of Maputo, Mozambique, scored 14 points and dished out a game-high six assists. Heaven Samayoa-Mathis of Sacramento, California, also scored 13 points, while Portia Adams of Cedar Hill, Texas, came off the bench to contribute 14 points, all in the first three quarters. New Mexico State was led by Keira Hudson, who scored a game-high 15 points in just 13 minutes off the bench, connecting on three 3-pointers. Loes Rozing added 10 points for the Aggies, who shot well from beyond the arc at 50% but were hampered by 10 turnovers and a lack of interior offense. The first half was a defensive struggle, with UTEP taking a 29-24 lead into the break. The Aggies stayed close early thanks to their perimeter shooting, but the Miners’ defensive pressure and superior efficiency inside began to tell as the game progressed. UTEP shot 46.3% from the field and converted 14 of 16 free throws, while New Mexico State managed only 20 field goals on 60 attempts. The win gives UTEP momentum heading into the final stretch of the conference schedule. The Miners will host Jacksonville State on Thursday. New Mexico State looks to regroup when it hosts Kennesaw State, also on Thursday. The game was played before an announced crowd of 712.

Preview: UTEP Miners at New Mexico State Aggies, Women’s Basketball LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Interstat) — The UTEP Miners visit the Pan American Center on Saturday for a Conference USA women’s basketball rematch against the New Mexico State Aggies. UTEP (11-13) won the first meeting this season, 79-69 in El Paso on Jan. 31. The Miners are looking to build momentum after a 79-72 road win at Delaware on Feb. 14, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Forward Ndack Mbengue, a key player for UTEP, posted 13 points and six rebounds in that victory. She also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the January win over New Mexico State. The Aggies (8-17) have lost three straight, most recently a 67-42 defeat at Liberty on Feb. 14. Guard DeAvion Wilson led New Mexico State in that contest with seven points, three rebounds and three assists. The Aggies’ last win was a 65-57 home victory over Sam Houston on Feb. 5. Both teams have struggled for consistency in conference play. UTEP’s recent results include a 48-58 loss at Liberty and a 48-87 home loss to Louisiana Tech earlier this month. New Mexico State has faced similar challenges, with its last five games all decided by double digits. The Miners will rely on Mbengue’s interior presence and scoring from Aolani Woldai, who had 17 points against Delaware. New Mexico State will need production from Wilson and Imani Warren, who scored 11 points in the loss to Liberty. Saturday’s contest is the second of two regular-season matchups between the rivals. Following this game, UTEP will host Jacksonville State on Feb. 26, while New Mexico State will host Kennesaw State the same day. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at the Pan American Center in University Park.