Liberty Flames vs UTEP Miners Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our UTEP vs Liberty NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Lynchburg.

UTEP vs Liberty Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Miners versus the Flames? Tip off is at at 9:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on CBSS. The game will be played at Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, VA. The over/under for this Conference USA conference contest is set at 134.5 points, with Liberty being favored by -9.5 at home against UTEP.

UTEP vs. Liberty Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UTEP Miners at Liberty Flames
Where: Lynchburg at Liberty Arena
Date: Thursday, January 16th
Betting Odds LIBRTY -9.5, UTEP +340 | LIBRTY -450 O/U 134.5

Miners Preview: Will UTEP Be The Talk of Liberty Arena?

UTEP Miners Recent Game/Games

UTEP’s season record fell to 9-4 after a tough 85-57 home loss to New Mexico State on Saturday. The Miners were -7.5 favorites going into the game but not only lost straight up, they also failed to cover the spread.

UTEP trailed 38-25 at halftime and couldn’t turn things around in the second half, allowing 47 points while scoring just 32. The total points for the game ended up at 142, going over the pre-game line of 138.5.

Miners Offense Breakdown

UTEP's offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a 36% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 44%, and they hit 33.3% from beyond the arc, connecting on 7 of 21 attempts. The Miners also managed 8 offensive rebounds and dished out 11 assists.

Individually, Zawdie Jackson stood out, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and adding 5 assists. David Terrell Jr. also contributed 5 assists, shooting 7-for-11, while Robert Carpenter led the team with 8 made field goals, shooting 66.7% overall.

Miners Team Defense

Despite giving up 85 points, UTEP's defense held their opponent to 36% shooting from the field, with 18 made baskets on 50 attempts. Inside the arc, the Miners limited their opponent to 37% shooting, allowing 11 two-point field goals on 29 attempts.

From three-point range, UTEP's opponent shot 33%, hitting 7 of their 21 attempts. The Miners also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 14 free throws for a 73% success rate. UTEP allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Flames Preview: Will the Flames Make it Happen at Home?

Liberty Flames Recent Game/Games

Liberty's season record dropped to 11-3 after a 79-74 road loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday. The Flames, who were -1.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 153, surpassing the O/U line of 133.5.

Liberty led 34-27 at halftime but allowed 52 points in the second half while scoring 40. Defensive lapses in the second half were a key factor in the loss.

Flames Offense Breakdown

Liberty's offense put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 43.3% from the field and 28% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they hit 71.4% from the free-throw line, going 15-for-21.

Taelon Peter led the way with 33 points, shooting 69.2% overall and 55.6% from deep. Sean Newman Jr. added 27 points and 8 assists, hitting 68.8% of his shots. Liberty managed just 3 offensive rebounds and finished with 10 assists as a team.

Flames Team Defense

Liberty's defense gave up 79 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 45% from the field, including 52% on two-point attempts (18/34). From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 7 of 21 threes, shooting 33%.

At the free-throw line, Liberty's opponents were efficient, making 22 of 25 attempts for 88%. The Flames also allowed 10 offensive rebounds.

Miners vs Flames Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, UTEP has an ATS mark of 7-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 6-4 while averaging 68 points per game.
The Flames are 4-1 ATS in their last home games and 4-1 straight-up.
Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Miners have a strong record vs the spread going 3-2. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Flames have a straight up record of 7-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 6-4.