Halftime Report

A win for UTEP would push their record over .500, and after one quarter of play they've put themselves in a good position to make it happen. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead FIU 40-26.

UTEP came into the game with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.

Who's Playing

FIU Panthers @ UTEP Miners

Current Records: FIU 10-19, UTEP 15-15

How To Watch

What to Know

FIU has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They and the UTEP Miners will face off in a Conference USA battle at 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday at Don Haskins Center. We saw both of these teams recently pull out wins they weren't expected to get, so we'll see who gives it right back.

The oddsmakers set the bar high, but FIU and Western Kentucky didn't disappoint and broke past the 162 point over/under on Saturday. The Panthers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 85-83 win over the Hilltoppers. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.

Liberty typically has all the answers at home, but on Saturday UTEP proved too difficult a challenge. They strolled past the Flames with points to spare, taking the game 67-51. The win made it back-to-back wins for UTEP.

The Panthers' victory bumped their record up to 10-19. As for the Miners, the win got them back to even at 15-15.

Keep an eye on the arc in Thursday's game: FIU have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having averaged 8.7 threes per game. It's a different story for UTEP, though, as they've been averaging only 5.7 threes per game. Given FIU's sizable advantage in that area, UTEP will need to find a way to close that gap.

FIU is hoping to beat the odds on Thursday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. This contest will be their sixth straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 3-2 against the spread).

Odds

UTEP is a big 8.5-point favorite against FIU, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 8.5-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is 142.5 points.

See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

UTEP has won 8 out of their last 10 games against FIU.

  • Jan 13, 2024 - FIU 72 vs. UTEP 68
  • Feb 23, 2023 - UTEP 87 vs. FIU 82
  • Jan 19, 2023 - UTEP 81 vs. FIU 61
  • Jan 29, 2022 - UTEP 79 vs. FIU 68
  • Feb 13, 2021 - UTEP 77 vs. FIU 68
  • Feb 12, 2021 - UTEP 75 vs. FIU 59
  • Jan 02, 2020 - FIU 69 vs. UTEP 67
  • Feb 09, 2019 - UTEP 85 vs. FIU 75
  • Jan 13, 2018 - UTEP 72 vs. FIU 68
  • Feb 25, 2017 - UTEP 90 vs. FIU 76