Free Pick | Saturday | NCAA | Feb. 3

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#806 UTEP +4 over Liberty 8:00 PM CT

UTEP has won all three of its conference home games in a 3-4 start in Conference USA and two of those wins were decent quality results vs. Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State. The Miners have wins over California and Wyoming from the non-conference season as well and Joe Golding’s team could be an upset threat hosting Liberty Saturday. UTEP has struggled on offense, but the Miners play tenacious defense and own the #1 turnover rate in the entire nation. UTEP also holds foes to just 31 percent from 3-point range and overall, this has been the #2 defense in Conference USA. Liberty posted a solid 11-4 record in non-conference play, but three wins came outside of Division I while they also beat two of the worst rated Division I teams as much of the numbers are meaningless. Liberty had a nice preseason tournament run in Conway but that was way back in November and the results for the Flames have been marginal since. Liberty does have two overtime losses in Conference USA play but the Flames are 0-4 S/U on the road in league games and now face a third straight road game on a quick turnaround following Thursday’s overtime loss at New Mexico State. Liberty’s slow pace makes them a risky favorite and the defense has been dramatically worse than UTEP’s defense nearly across the board. Conference USA so far has featured the toughest home court advantages in the nation with 25 of 31 hosts winning S/U. Ritchie McKay owns a strong career record and has posted many great seasons at Liberty but the Flames are facing another unfamiliar road venue as the move to Conference USA is proving difficult for a team that went 15-3 in the Atlantic Sun last season.