EL PASO, Texas – With a first-round bye in the Conference USA Championships already secured, UTEP women’s basketball is set to take on WKU on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CT inside E.A. Diddle Arena.
The Miners (19-8, 12-6 C-USA) and Lady Toppers (15-12, 12-6 C-USA) are tied for second in the league standings with two games each left to play.
A win on Thursday is required in order to help UTEP to secure the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
Kevin Baker has his team positioned to potentially eclipse the 2020-21 team for the high mark for conference wins during his time in El Paso. That team came away on top in 13 games, with the 2022-23 squad at 12 with two to play. Seniors Avery Crouse and Sabine Lipe were each also on the 2020-21 squad. The 19 wins this year marks the most in a season for a Baker team at UTEP. His 2017-18 and 2020-21 teams each won 17 contests.
UTEP last picked up 20 wins during the 2015-16 season, with that team finishing 29-5 overall while winning the regular season conference championship, eventually advancing to the quarterfinals of the WNIT. Six teams have won 20 or more games in program history.
UTEP can finish anywhere from second to fourth in the final conference standings depending on results this week. The Miners control their own destiny and can finish as the No. 2 seed with wins against WKU and Middle Tennessee.
