UTEP's eggs haven't hatched yet

UTEP basketball is on a roll and is ranked in the coaches poll. But not everyone agrees that they are a lock for the big dance.

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports sent out these two tweets today:

Honestly, UTEP isn't as safe it probably thinks. Miners would be wise not to chance it. But they at least have a win at Memphis.

and

League title and league tournament title game would probably do it for UTEP in terms of an at-large. But they're nowhere close to safe.

Nowhere close to safe? UTEP fans probably don't want to hear it, but he's probably right.

UTEP is the clear favorite now for the league title, but Gary thinks if they then lost in the early rounds of the conference tournament they could still be on the outside looking in.

That's a scary thought.

Comments

[CLEOFITZWITZ]

The NCAA selection committee is infamous for finding reasons to let the major conference schools in and the smaller conference schools out.

[Prospero]

First things first. Lets take care of the next 4 games.

[Mike A.]

Let us pray UTEP against season consistentcy..that is playing consistenly well all season(be it football or basketball) only to consistenly choke on the last 3 or 4 games of the season.

[Lorenzo]

CLEO, I think it just seems that way. The committee generally does a good job of ignoring the reputation of the school and going with the best profile. I think UTEP is in as long as they can finish atop C-USA. Most important game left on the schedule is UAB. Why? Because if some other team wins the conference tourney besides UTEP or UAB (very possible), the Miners and Blazers might not both get in. If the Miners finish in first with a season sweep of the Blazers, it's not contest. If the Miners and Blazers split the season series, UAB may get the nod over UTEP due to their better RPI and more quality wins. A third but probably less likely possibility is that both UTEP and UAB get in along with the C-USA tourney winner, giving our conference three teams.

Don't interpret my post as me saying the other games aren't important. They all are. But, UAB vs UTEP is going to be huge.

[Lowercase Ray]

What Parrish is saying, have the league title and be in the league tournament title game, as being the only sure way to get an at-large bid sounds about right. Winning the regular season title of a conference, one that has a tournament, only guarantees you a spot in the NIT. Winning the conference tourney is the only auto bid into the dance.

In the CUSA Tourney, the first round will consist of teams seeded #5 to #12. For CUSA, this will probably consist of teams with RPIs worse than 100. So the second round will consist of the winner from these matchup going against the #1 thru #4 seeded teams (they have a bye in the first round). If you have any aspirations of making it in as an at-large team, you better not lose here.

Being that the only out of conference win that UTEP has left over an RPI 100 team is NMSU (68), this is not going to impress the selection committee. So you better win in the next round as well. That would put UTEP into the Final game.

At that point UTEP should be no worse than 25-6, on a 16 or 15-1 game winning streak and be the CUSA regular season Champ. Anything less than this and we can start sweating as to whether they'll get into the NCAA Tourney or not.

[TG]

Let's just take care of one game at a time. Too many people are looking too far ahead. I'm a MINER fan but just worry about tonight's game. Hope that Memphis loses at least one more game before season ends. Don't they play UAB soon? GO MINERS!!!!!

[Lowercase Ray]

TG,
That's what the coaches and teams must do, concentrate on the next game only. As far as fans we can speculate to our hearts content; no harm, no foul. What fun would a blog be if you only look at one game at a time.

To your question, UAB is our last game of the regular season. Should sell out quick! Anybody know if the ticket office is already selling tickets for that game?

[Haydar]

Exactly! C-USA has great QB' every year. Godfrey is amazing eslcaielpy after the impact he had last year C-USA Freshman of the in a tough division of C-USA. Can't forget Davis out of ECU or Padron out of SMU or even Austin Davis from USM are great QB's i wouldn't mind having. And congrats on the championship and also the bowl win!