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  1. Home
  2. NCAAB Picks
  3. UTEP Miners vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Thu 7:00 PM ET
UTEP Miners logo
UTEP
Miners80
11-20
versus
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers logo
Western Kentucky
Hilltoppers90
18-14
Final
Team12T
UTEP Miners404080
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers395190
NCAAB · UTEP Miners at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

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UTEP Miners vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Betting Picks & Predictions

Game time: February 15, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET

Venue: E. A. Diddle Arena — Bowling Green, KY

Article updated Feb 14, 10:15 PM EST

Published by SportsJaw Editorial Team

In this upcoming Conference USA matchup, the UTEP Miners will face off against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Thursday night. The Miners currently hold a record of 11-20

Game outlook

In this upcoming Conference USA matchup, the UTEP Miners will face off against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Thursday night. The Miners currently hold a record of 11-20 overall, but have struggled in conference play with a 11-20 record. On the other hand, the Hilltoppers have found more success with a 17-7 overall record and a 6-4 conference record. The game is set to start at 7:00 PM EST. Interestingly, Western Kentucky is favored to win with an opening line of -5, and the betting line has remained unchanged.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Miners +194 | Hilltoppers -236

Spread: Miners +5 (-110) | Hilltoppers -5 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 150.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Western Kentucky will win straight-up is 70%.

UTEP Miners

The UTEP Miners recently concluded a successful series of home games with a decisive 74-49 victory over New Mexico State. This win marks their second victory in three games and brings their overall record to 13-11. The Miners achieved their highest margin of victory in 25 seasons with a commanding 25-point lead over New Mexico State. Tae Hardy played a significant role in their success, leading the team with 21 points, including six 3-point field goals. David Terrell Jr. also made a valuable contribution off the bench with 12 points and five rebounds in the second half. UTEP head coach Joe Golding expressed gratitude for the incredible support from the crowd and acknowledged the challenges of competing against NM State. Despite their recent triumphs, the Miners recognize the need to demonstrate their strength on the road as they prepare to face Western Kentucky. Currently, UTEP holds a 0-7 record in away games this season. The team's offensive statistics rank fifth in Conference-USA for scoring, field goal shooting, and 3-point shooting. Defensively, they are fifth in scoring defense, eighth in field goal defense, and second in 3-point defense. The Miners excel in areas such as turnover prevention and total rebounds, ranking first in the conference. Overall, UTEP holds a power ranking of 44 and is 199th in offense, 93rd in defense, and has a season record of 13-11 (8-12-1 ATS). Offensively, they shoot 44.79% from the field, 68.88% from free throws, and 31.16% from three-pointers. They also average 33.42 rebounds, 13.00 offensive assists, and 15.00 turnovers per game. Defensively, they allow 44.70% from the field, 70.56% from free throws, and 30.53% from three-pointers. They also average 34.58 defensive rebounds, 10.71 defensive assists, and 19.13 turnovers per game. Tonight's Orale Play of the game: Zid Powell with dunk❗ Presented by Charlie Clark Nissan. @CCNissanElpaso pic.twitter.com/ygcrSl9fBM

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Analysis

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers recently achieved their third consecutive victory, with the latest win coming against Jacksonville State on the road. Don McHenry was the standout performer in this game, scoring 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Additionally, Brandon Newman had a solid all-around performance with eight points, six rebounds, and five assists. The Hilltoppers showcased their defensive prowess, limiting Jacksonville State to a 37% shooting percentage for the game. At home, the Hilltoppers have displayed dominance with a record of 18-14. They rank first in Conference-USA in terms of points per game and second in overall field goal shooting. They are also ranked third in 3-point field goal shooting and fifth in three-point field goals made per game. Defensively, they hold the third spot in field goal defense and first in three-point defense. However, they currently rank eighth in Conference-USA for scoring defense and total rebounds per game, and sixth for fewest turnovers per game. In terms of power rankings, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers hold a rank of 80. Their offense is ranked #46, averaging 80.29 points per game. Conversely, their defense is ranked #246, allowing an average of 74.21 points per game. They have an overall record of 17-7 (13-8 ATS). When it comes to offense, the Hilltoppers have a shooting percentage of 46.64% for field goals, which ranks them at #76. They also have a free throw shooting percentage of 70.12%, ranking them at #246. In terms of three-point shooting, they have a shooting percentage of 34.02%, placing them at #178 in the NCAAB. They average 40.13 rebounds per game, ranking them at #21. Additionally, they average 13.46 offensive assists and 14.04 turnovers per game, ranking them at #156 and #330, respectively. On the defensive end, the Hilltoppers allow a field goal percentage of 41.00%, ranking them at #45. They also permit a free throw shooting percentage of 71.04%, ranking them at #170 in the NCAAB. Their three-point defense percentage is 29.80%, which ranks them at #19. Defensively, they average 37.04 defensive rebounds per game, ranking them at #37.04. Lastly, they average 12.88 𝙏𝙊𝙋 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 💯 ➾ @DonMcHenry4 #GoTops pic.twitter.com/ErPggnt7fS

Hilltoppers Look to Continue Dominance at Home Against Miners

The Hilltoppers have demonstrated great success this season, especially at their home court where they hold an impressive 18-14 record. On the other hand, the Miners have shown improvement with two victories in their last three games. However, it is worth noting that the Miners have yet to secure a win on the road throughout the entire season, posting an unfortunate 0-7 record in away games. With a focus on offensive tempo, the Hilltoppers bring the highest-scoring offense in the conference into this matchup. Additionally, they rank second in field goal percentage and third in 3-point shooting, demonstrating their prowess in these areas. Conversely, the UTEP team is currently ranked eighth in the conference in terms of field goal defense, giving rise to potential challenges when facing the Hilltoppers' highly-ranked offense. Anticipating a high-speed and dynamic contest, I favor the Hilltoppers to emerge victorious over the Miners. Therefore, I predict a successful outcome for WKU.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Unavailable for this preview

Projected winnerUnavailableConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Unavailable

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Unavailable

#UTEPMiners#WesternKentuckyHilltoppers

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Written by

SportsJaw Editorial Team

SportsJaw published this archived preview from its original game-day article. Its prediction and quoted lines are preserved as written.

About our editorial process

SportsJaw Miners vs Hilltoppers archived game preview contains historical odds and availability that may no longer be current. View history of past Miners vs Hilltoppers matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · UTEP Miners+194 → +248Moved
  • Moneyline · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers-236 → -305Moved
  • Spread · UTEP Miners+5 (-110) → +7 (-110)Moved
  • Spread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers-5 (-110) → -7 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Over150.5 (-110) → 153.25 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Under150.5 (-110) → 153.25 (-110)Moved

ATS and O/U trends

UTEP Miners
11-20 matchup record · 6-4-0 ATS · 3-7-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
18-14 matchup record · 7-3-0 ATS · 5-5-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2024-02-15T03:15:32.146Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

No verified injury or availability note was included in the published matchup research.

Recent head-to-head

  • 2024-01-20Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 87 · UTEP Miners 93
  • 2023-03-08UTEP Miners 67 · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 73
  • 2023-03-02Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 73 · UTEP Miners 68
  • 2023-02-04UTEP Miners 69 · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 74
Final result

Matchup pick recap

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defeated UTEP Miners 90-80

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defeated UTEP Miners 90-80 on February 15, 2024, a 10-point decision in the series. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers' strongest period was the 2nd half, when it outscored its opponent 51-40. Against SportsJaw's recorded UTEP Miners +7 (-110) spread, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers covered, while the 170 combined points finished over the recorded total of 153.25.

SportsJaw editorial picks

  • Projected winnerNo published selectionUnavailable

Tipster picks

  • MaddogTotal · Over 150.5 (-110)Win
  • MaddogSpread · UTEP Miners +5 (-110)Loss
  • MrpinkSpread · UTEP Miners +5 (-110)Loss
  • Tbone91Total · Under 150.5 (-110)Loss
  • HopkinspicksSpread · UTEP Miners +5 (-110)Loss
  • DengWinsTotal · Under 150.5 (-110)Loss
  • Fisher49Total · Over 150.5 (-110)Win
  • RcollinsTotal · Under 150.5 (-110)Loss
  • JamescashiolaSpread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -5 (-110)Win
  • Randy54Total · Over 150.5 (-110)Win
  • MoneymouthSpread · UTEP Miners +5 (-110)Loss
  • 1118240754Total · Under 150.5 (-110)Loss
  • JtphamSpread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -5 (-110)Win
  • MrmisterTotal · Under 150.5 (-110)Loss
  • MrmisterSpread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -5 (-110)Win
  • MbcSpread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -5 (-110)
Win
  • AdrianMariucciSpread · UTEP Miners +5 (-110)Loss
  • MauriceJonesSpread · UTEP Miners +5 (-110)Loss
  • SwamipicksTotal · Over 150.5 (-110)Win
  • Novacek84Spread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -6.5 (-110)Win
  • DrfeelgoodSpread · UTEP Miners +6.5 (-110)Loss
  • DawhizSpread · Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -6.5 (-110)Win