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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, February 20, 2005

UTEP routs Rainbow Wahine, 71-50

 •  Predatory Panthers steal win from Hawai'i
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 •  Game statistics

Advertiser Staff

Marta Dydek scored a game-high 22 points and Shalana Taylor recorded a statistical triple double with 12 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds as Texas-El Paso celebrated its Senior Night by smashing visiting Hawai'i, 71-50, yesterday.

AMY SANDERS

It was the worst road loss of the season for seventh-place Hawai'i (10-11 overall, 6-8 Western Athletic Conference).

In front of 1,950 at the Don Haskins Center, the eighth-place Miners (11-14, 6-9) cruised behind Taylor, who earned the first triple double in school history for either men or women.

Hawai'i's Amy Sanders, the reigning WAC Player of the Week, scored 13 points. She was the only UH player to score in double figures. Charnette Phelps scored 13 and Angie McGee 11 for UTEP.

"They were physically just manhandling us," first-year Hawai'i coach Jim Bolla said. "Amy was one of the only ones going to the hoop. Everybody else was shooting jumpers."

UTEP seniors McGee and Dydek combined for 33 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. Dydek scored the first 11 points for her team.

The Miners outrebounded Hawai'i, 54-36, and outscored its opponent, 14-7, on second-chance points. Hawai'i shot a season-low 25 percent (15 of 59) for the game.

Dydek scored 18 points to lead the Miners to a 31-25 halftime lead. Hawai'i missed 22 of 29 shots in the first half and was outrebounded, 12-5, on the offensive glass.

Janevia Taylor a hit a 3-pointer to open the second half and Brittany Grice followed with a layup as Hawai'i closed to 31-30, but the Miners responded with a 15-5 run for a 46-35 lead.

"As bad as we played in first half, we were only down six, which is no big deal to us," Bolla said. "We hit a 3 right off bat, but we could never get a lead and build on it."

Hawai'i cut the deficit to 46-37 on Milia Macfarlane's basket, but that's as close as the Rainbow Wahine would get.

The Miners increased their lead to 59-41 with 6:22 remaining and pushed the lead to 21 points twice, including the final margin.

The Miners shot 54 percent (13 of 24) in the second half, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range.

"We just have to do a better job of playing defense," Bolla said. "We couldn't shut them down at all. They really scored when they needed to."

The Rainbow Wahine defeated host Boise State, 51-41, on Thursday, but failed to capitalize on any momentum against UTEP.

"We played a real good game the first night," Bolla said. "Somehow we need to figure out how to play a good second game."

In the first meeting, Hawai'i defeated visiting UTEP, 74-63, on Jan. 20 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Rainbow Wahine are scheduled to return today. Prior to last night, UH's worst road loss this season was a 83-64 defeat in Tulsa on Jan. 29.

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