On the two dimensions of paper and a roster, the squad the UTEP women's basketball team will roll out Monday to open its 2025-26 season against Prairie View A&M looks similar to the one that went 11-19 last year in coach Keitha Adams' return first season .

Nine of their 15 players are back and half the six newcomers are freshmen so a second-year jump for the program is largely going to have to come from changes within, and Adams knows exactly where that's going to come.

"We're going to start with our defense," Adams said. "We're going to really play up-tempo, an aggressive style. Playing defense is so important, it sets your tone. That's where it all starts for us."

So what will the identity of this team be?

"Defense," she said. "It's going to be our defense. Our defense will set th

See Full Page