UTEP gets past @TSUWomensHoops 65-55

EL PASO, Texas – The Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University left the West Texas mountains Saturday with a split of two games at the UTEP Thanksgiving Classic.
 
TSU (1-4) dropped their Saturday contest by a score of 65-55 to host UTEP. The Lady Tigers had opened the weekend with a 66-50 win over nearby New Mexico State.
 
Kaitlyn Palmer poured in a game-high 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting for Texas Southern, which included a 5-of-13 showing from the 3-point arc. Junior guard Joyce Kennerson chipped in 16 points for the Lady Tigers.
 
Najala Howell led UTEP (4-0) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Tamara Seda also recorded double-double for the Miners, scoring 13 points and pulling in 13 rebounds.
 
UTEP never trailed in the contest but would not enjoy a comfortable lead until late in the game. The Miners' would not reach their largest lead – 10 points – until the 2:21 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
The Lady Tigers erased a 48-41 UTEP lead in the fourth quarter with seven consecutive points between the 7:10 and 5:20 marks of the period. Palmer scored five points during the run, converting two layups and a free throw attempt.
 
But just as soon as the Lady Tigers tied the score, the Miners responded with a 10-0 run of their own to put the game just out of reach of their visitors.
 
Texas Southern outshot UTEP from the field and the 3-point circle, but the Miners held a 46-25 advantage in rebounds; UTEP's advantage on the boards on both ends of the court produced 21 second-chance points for the Miners, compared to only seven for the Lady Tigers.
 
UTEP players also shot 33 free throws, making 26 of them for a 79-percent showing from the line. In contrast, the Lady Tigers only shot 13 free throws, making 10.
 
Palmer averaged 24.5 points per game during the UTEP classic, while Kennerson averaged 22.0 points per contest. Palmer also scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting at UTEP last season; in three games at UTEP's Don Haskins Center, Palmer has averaged 24.3 points per game and shot 53 percent (18 of 34) from 3-point range.
 
Meanwhile, Kennerson continued to climb TSU's all-time women's basketball scoring list Saturday, moving up three places to No. 9. She has scored 981 points during her career.
 
The Lady Tigers return to action Wednesday when they make the short trip up IH-45 for a contest at Sam Houston State. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start, and will be shown on ESPN3.