WKU Men’s Basketball will look to finish February play strong as they travel to El Paso, Texas to play the UTEP Miners Thursday night.
After a close finish against Louisiana Tech in Diddle Arena on Saturday, the Hilltoppers will start a two-game road trip in the southwest, hoping to start a winning streak.
WKU won a nailbiter versus the Bulldogs 64-63, with guard Braxton Bayless scoring a career-high 27 points on 11-19, with the game-winning layup with 0.4 seconds remaining. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Hilltoppers, moving them to 15-12 (6-8 Conference USA).
The Miners lost their last game to Jacksonville State 73-65 on Saturday. Sitting at 17-10 (7-7 CUSA), they rank sixth in the conference. They are led by senior forward Otis Frazier III, who scored 25 points and grabbed 10 boards for a double-double. The conference’s ninth-leading scorer averages 14.4 points per game and 5.3 rebounds. He also averages 2.4 steals per game, helping boost the Miners team steals average to 10.6, which is second in the nation.
UTEP also ranks fifth in the nation in turnovers forced per game with 16.67 and 10th in the nation in turnover margin with 4.6. These averages make them one of the conference’s top defenses, especially at limiting possessions and forcing mistakes.
This was on full display in these two teams’ matchup earlier in the season. WKU grabbed the 78-74 win on Jan. 30, but the Miners forced 18 turnovers and collected 14 steals, which led to 20 points off turnovers.
On top of toting a disruptive defense, UTEP has a fast-paced offense. The Miners rank 18th in the nation in fastbreak points with 14.67. This leads to a 36% shooting percentage from beyond the arc. The Miners average 72.6 points per game, which is eighth in the conference, but allow 69.2, which is good for fifth.
The Hilltoppers allow the most points per game in CUSA, giving up 75.3 points per game, but their 76.7 points per game offensively ranks second. WKU leads the all-time series versus UTEP 12-2, with the Hilltoppers winning three of their last four. They beat the Miners in the CUSA Championship Final, where WKU won 78-71 to clinch the CUSA Tournament Title.
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. The game can be watched on ESPN+.
Sports Reporter Michael Givner Jr. can be reached at Michael.givner586@topper.wku.edu.
