UTEP Miners men stuck in a rut, but this week that's good | Bloomquist

The good news for the UTEP men's basketball team is that this is a good week to be the most predictable Miners team in years.

They win at home, lose on the road and now they have two games in the Haskins Center against Conference USA co-leaders Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston. The Saturday game against Sam Houston will also mark the public unveiling of the Don Haskins statue and a celebration of the 1983-84 team.

More: CUSA men's basketball standings

At this point, that's what the season is about. There figure to be happy moments and this week is a likely week to find them.

This is one more chance to build some momentum to take on their final regular-season road trip, as they still seek that elusive road win that could be a breakthrough.

That sad news is that they came so close last week, as they often do, but Saturday against Middle Tennessee was closer than usual.

Twice, at the end of regulation and the end of the first overtime, the Miners had the ball with a chance to end the game. Twice the ball rimmed out. Once more they headed back to El Paso empty handed.

More: Corey Camper Jr. working way to top in eventful first season with UTEP men's basketball

That was typical for a team whose offensive struggles seem worse on the road.

The heartening thing, besides heading home, is that UTEP has shown some toughness on the road. The Miners play hard and almost always give themselves a chance. At some point that could matter.

As for what's in front of them, the championship race visits El Paso this weekend, two teams that have gotten to the top of the CUSA standings because they've had some road success in a league where the home team usually wins.

The positive spin on that is this is an opportunity for UTEP, and also a chance to solidify seventh place a first-round bye in a tournament that will define its season. The Miners' opening game in the tournament could be against Sam Houston or Louisiana Tech, on a neutral floor.

The quick analysis is that the Miners need to find the consistency that in one sense has evaded them all year. Another analysis is that they've consistently won at home and need to build on that.

This is a week filled with opportunity and celebration. That's something to play for at this point.

UTEP women take positive step

The UTEP women weren't able to keep their home winning streak alive, but there is plenty of encouragement that they were even with conference champion-to-be Middle Tennessee in the fourth quarter.

More: CUSA women's basketball standings

That came two days after the stirring comeback against Western Kentucky and is proof that the Miners are moving forward and improving in Keitha Adams' first season.

Now they need the road breakthrough and they will go look for it in likely places, the two bottom teams in CUSA in Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston. These are teams UTEP beat at home earlier this year.

UTEP could solidify a top seven seed for the tournament with a win at Louisiana Tech and most of all the Miners can create some momentum. As they showed this past weekend, they can be a dangerous team when they do get to the tournament.

Best of all, they are trending in the right direction, which is what late February should be about.

Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP men stuck in a rut, but this week that's good | Bloomquist