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Liberty Flames (13-9, 2-5 CUSA) at UTEP Miners (12-10, 3-4 CUSA)
El Paso, Texas; Saturday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Liberty plays the UTEP Miners after Zach Cleveland scored 23 points in Liberty’s 79-73 overtime loss to the New Mexico State Aggies.
The Miners are 11-2 on their home court. UTEP ranks eighth in the CUSA with 20.6 defensive rebounds per game led by Zid Powell averaging 3.6.
The Flames are 2-5 in CUSA play. Liberty ranks 78th in college basketball averaging 10.6 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.1% from deep. Kyle Rode leads the team averaging 3.0 makes while shooting 37.8% from 3-point range.
UTEP’s average of 5.4 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 5.5 per game Liberty allows. Liberty has shot at a 46.2% rate from the field this season, 1.2 percentage points greater than the 45.0% shooting opponents of UTEP have averaged.
The Miners and Flames match up Saturday for the first time in CUSA play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Powell is averaging 10.9 points and 1.7 steals for the Miners. Tae Hardy is averaging 14.8 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 39.8% over the last 10 games for UTEP.
Rode is averaging 13.6 points for the Flames. Cleveland is averaging 15.2 points over the last 10 games for Liberty.
LAST 10 GAMES: Miners: 5-5, averaging 68.9 points, 28.0 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 11.9 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.9 points per game.
Flames: 4-6, averaging 71.3 points, 31.5 rebounds, 16.5 assists, 5.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.