Wednesday, March 12th, 3:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: FedExForum (18,400) -- Memphis, Tennessee. Television: Local. Home Record: SMU 8-10, UTEP 13-2. Away Record: SMU 2-9, UTEP 3-10. Neutral Record: SMU 0-0, UTEP 1-0. Conference Record: SMU 4-12, UTEP 8-8. Series Record: Texas-El Paso leads, 17-14.

GAME NOTES: The sixth-seeded Texas-El Paso Miners are set to collide with the 11th-seeded SMU Mustangs in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament. Awaiting the winner of this contest is a quarterfinal clash with third-seeded Houston tomorrow. SMU is just 10-19 overall, and it managed only four wins in 16 games against C-USA opposition during the regular season. The Mustangs have won only two games away from home, and today they will be playing on a neutral court. As for UTEP, it has split its 16 league games and is 17-12 overall. The Miners halted a three-game skid with an 87-81 decision over Houston in the regular season finale. SMU and UTEP split a pair of bouts this year, and the Miners own a 17-14 lead in the all-time series between the two teams.

SMU is a balanced offensive team with four double-digit scorers in the lineup. Jon Killen leads the squad with 13.0 ppg on the strength of his 40.3 percent shooting from three-point range. Bamba Fall, a 56.3 percent shooter from the floor, is netting 11.7 ppg. Derrick Roberts checks in with 10.2 ppg, and Papa Dia is posting 10.0 ppg. Despite the efforts of those four players, SMU ranks 11th of 12 Conference USA teams in scoring with 64.4 ppg. The Mustangs are also 10th in scoring defense and 11th in scoring margin, so the team is not expected to make much noise in this tournament. The Mustangs rank in the middle of the pack or bottom half in many key statistical categories, as they don't seem to do anything particularly well. A glaring lack of depth has been problematic.

UTEP is led by Conference USA's top scorer, Stefhon Jackson, who is netting 24.4 ppg. A First Team All-league performer, Jackson has the ability to take over a game at the offensive end regardless of the competition. He gets some help from Marvin Kilgore and Randy Culpepper, who are 14th and 15th, respectively, among C-USA scorers. Kilgore, a senior, is netting 12.8 ppg to go along with 5.0 apg. As for Culpepper, just a freshman, he is generating 12.4 ppg. The Miners are third in the league in scoring with 77.4 ppg, but they are in last place in scoring defense (73.9 ppg). They are last in blocked shots as well.

Expect Jackson to take this game over, as he is one of the nation's most explosive scorers. The Miners will likely lead this one from start to finish.

Predicted Outcome

Texas El-Paso 81, SMU 68