EL PASO, Texas – HBU women's basketball could not overcome a 21-point first quarter deficit as the Huskies lost at UTEP, 98-63, Sunday afternoon from the Don Haskins Center.

Rachel Arthur paced the HBU (0-2) offense with 16 points, a season high for her. Anna Strickland posted the first double-double of the season for the senior, as she had 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Her three blocks also led all players. Charlotte Hodges scored a career-high six points. HBU as a team shot 33 percent from the floor.

UTEP's (1-0) leading scorer from a season ago, Cameasha Turner, scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. She also led all players with six steals. Sparkle Taylor came off the bench to score 15 points, while Jenzel Nash added 11. The Miners as a team shot 55 percent from the floor.

UTEP used a strong first quarter to take a 36-15 lead after the first 10 minutes. The Miners shot 81 percent from the floor (13-for-16) and forced 12 Husky turnovers. HBU shot 33 percent (5-for-15) in the first segment.

HBU opened the first three-and-a-half minutes of the second quarter outscoring UTEP, 5-2, to trail the Miners 38-20. Heidi Sihvola's first three-pointer of the game cut the deficit to 17, 47-30, with 1:19 remaining in the first half.

Strickland led HBU in the first half with nine points and six rebounds.  Arthur followed in points with eight. The Huskies as a team shot 39 percent (9-for-23) from the floor. Turner paced the Miners with 15 points and four steals. She joined three other Miners with a team-best two rebounds. UTEP as a team shot 60 percent (18-for-30) from the floor.

The Miners opened the second half on a 9-1 run to increase their lead to 58-33 three minutes into the quarter. Following a Huskies' turnover, Lulu McKinney swished a three-pointer to push the Miner lead to 31. UTEP outscored HBU, 31-14, in the third quarter.

A Lisa Zderadicka three-pointer was part of an 8-2 HBU run, culminated by a trey by Arthur at the 5:52-mark of the fourth quarter. With 36 seconds left in the game, Arthur forced a steal and was fouled, resulting in two free throws.

HBU plays in its home opener Friday, Nov. 20 against Paul Quinn at 7 p.m. from Sharp Gym.