EL PASO, Texas (Interstat) — Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 21 points to guide Missouri State to a 71-64 victory over UTEP in a women’s basketball game Thursday night at Don Haskins Center. The Lady Bears led wire-to-wire in the Conference USA contest. Missouri State established an early lead with a 19-point first quarter and maintained a 31-23 advantage at halftime. The Miners outscored the Lady Bears 22-21 in the third quarter but could not overcome the deficit. UTEP’s Heaven Samayoa-Mathis scored 17 points and Ndack Mbengue added 15. Missouri State improved to 12-5 overall. UTEP fell to 9-7. An announced crowd of 821 attended the game.

EL PASO, Texas (Interstat) — Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 21 points and Missouri State withstood a determined second-half rally from UTEP to secure a 71-64 victory in a Conference USA women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Don Haskins Center. The Lady Bears, who led wire-to-wire, improved to 12-5 overall. The Miners fell to 9-7. Missouri State established control early with a dominant first quarter, outscoring UTEP 19-11. The Lady Bears’ defense set the tone, forcing six Miner turnovers in the opening period and converting them into easy scoring opportunities. Bekemeier, a 5-foot-9 guard from Republic, Missouri, was instrumental from the start, scoring seven points in the first quarter as Missouri State built a lead it would never relinquish. The Lady Bears extended their advantage to 31-23 by halftime, but UTEP emerged from the break with renewed energy. Led by the interior presence of Ndack Mbengue and the perimeter shooting of Heaven Samayoa-Mathis, the Miners mounted a significant challenge in the third quarter. UTEP outscored Missouri State 22-21 in the period, trimming the deficit to as few as five points. Samayoa-Mathis, a 5-7 guard from Sacramento, California, heated up with a pair of three-pointers, while Mbengue, a 6-3 forward from Bergamo, Italy, provided a consistent scoring threat in the paint. The most critical sequence of the game came late in the fourth quarter with Missouri State’s lead precariously slim. After UTEP’s Portia Adams hit a jumper to cut the Lady Bears’ lead to 58-56 with just over four minutes remaining, Missouri State responded with a decisive 7-0 run. Lainie Douglas connected on a mid-range shot, Cady Pauley converted a driving layup, and Bekemeier added a layup of her own, pushing the lead back to nine points and effectively sealing the outcome. UTEP would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way. Bekemeier’s game-high 21 points came on 8-of-15 shooting, including a three-pointer, and she added three assists in 35 minutes. Douglas, a 6-3 forward from Overland Park, Kansas, provided crucial support with 13 points, while Maiesha Washington, a 6-0 forward from Fayetteville, Arkansas, added 12 points. For UTEP, Samayoa-Mathis led the way with 17 points, including three three-pointers. Mbengue finished with 15 points, two blocks, and three steals. Adams, a 5-6 guard from Cedar Hill, Texas, contributed 13 points. Statistically, Missouri State’s efficiency proved decisive. The Lady Bears shot 50% from the field (28 of 56) compared to UTEP’s 43.1% (25 of 58). Missouri State also dominated inside, outscoring the Miners 42-28 in the paint, and capitalized more effectively on mistakes, scoring 23 points off 18 UTEP turnovers. The Miners managed only 11 points off 17 Lady Bear turnovers. Both teams struggled at the free-throw line, with Missouri State making 11 of 16 and UTEP converting 8 of 12. The Miners held a slight edge in assists (12-10) and steals (12-10), but it was not enough to overcome the Lady Bears’ early cushion and timely response to the late rally. The game was played before an announced crowd of 821. Missouri State will travel to face New Mexico State on Saturday. UTEP will host Florida International on Saturday.

Preview: Missouri State Lady Bears at UTEP Miners EL PASO, Texas (Interstat) — A surging Missouri State team looks to extend its winning streak against a UTEP squad seeking to halt a skid when the Lady Bears visit the Miners in a Conference USA women’s basketball matchup Thursday night. The game at the Don Haskins Center pits teams on contrasting trajectories. Missouri State (11-5 overall) has won four straight, including a 63-47 victory over Jacksonville State last Saturday. UTEP (9-6) has dropped three consecutive conference games, most recently a 59-68 loss at Western Kentucky. The Lady Bears are powered by guard Kaemyn Bekemeier, who is in the midst of a dominant stretch. She averaged 24.2 points over her last five games, including a 31-point performance against Jacksonville State. Her versatility was on full display in a Dec. 22 win over Central Arkansas, where she posted 24 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. UTEP will counter with forward Ndack Mbengue, a consistent interior force. She has recorded double-digit rebounds in three of her last five outings, including an 11-rebound, 26-point effort in a win over Delaware on Jan. 2. Her presence on the boards will be critical against a Missouri State team that has found its rhythm. The Miners have struggled defensively during their losing streak, allowing an average of 80 points per game. Slowing Bekemeier will be a primary focus. Meanwhile, Missouri State’s defense, which held its last two opponents under 62 points, will aim to disrupt a UTEP offense that has been inconsistent in conference play. This contest opens a key two-game Texas road swing for the Lady Bears, who play at New Mexico State on Saturday. UTEP remains home to host Florida International that same day. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. MST Thursday at the Don Haskins Center.