The UTEP men's basketball team is now one win away from their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2010 after their comeback win over Sam Houston State.
Thanks to a three-game win streak and a few things in the standings shaking out in the Miners’ favor, UTEP climbed up to the fifth seed and will face Liberty in the quarterfinal round of the CUSA Tournament on Thursday, March 14.
Conference USA released its preseason poll on Friday, which is voted by a panel of media members that cover schools in the league, and predicted UTEP as the sixth place team out of nine in the conference.
With Conference USA about to be down to three members, league commissioner Judy MacLeod will need to recruit winning FCS programs with strong attendance.
As the conference realignment fiasco continues, Conference USA is now in “negotiations” with New Mexico State, Liberty and UConn to join the league, according to Chris Vannini of The Athletic.