If someone were to say that the UTEP men’s basketball team is on the verge of clinching a first-round bye in the Conference-USA tournament at the beginning of February, no one would have believed them. The Miners lost 12 straight games and dropped the first three games in league play.
However, just over a month later, UTEP is one of the hottest teams in the nation and not many teams want to get in their way. The Miners have won nine out of their last 11 contests. Now at 11-15 and 9-5 in C-USA, the orange and blue are in a two-way tie for third place in their league with Old Dominion.