Tuesday, March 14th, 9:05 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Don Haskins Center (12,000) -- El Paso, Texas. Television: None. NIT Record: Lipscomb 0-0, Texas-El Paso 5-8. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Opening round action of the NIT pits the Lipscomb Bisons against the Texas-El Paso Miners, and the winner of this contest will move on to face top-seeded Michigan in Ann Arbor on Friday. The Bisons are playing their first-ever postseason game as a Division I member, and they carry a 21-10 overall record into this matchup. Lipscomb won the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season title but lost in the league tournament to Belmont in overtime, preventing the squad from earning an NCAA Tournament bid. UTEP is 5-8 all-time in NIT play and made its most recent appearance in 2001. The Miners lost a tough game to UAB in the Conference USA semifinals and were left out of the NCAA Tournament field despite a 20-9 overall record, including an 11-3 mark in league play. They carry a 14-2 home record into tonight's tilt, an obvious reason for confidence. This contest marks the first-ever meeting between Lipscomb and Texas El-Paso on the hardwood.

Lipscomb is scoring 72.8 ppg this season on 44.6 percent shooting from the floor, including 34.5 percent from three-point range. Defensively, the squad is surrendering 66.8 ppg to opponents on 42.6 percent overall efficiency, including 32.9 percent from behind the arc. Three players are averaging double figures in scoring for the Bisons, and Eddie Ard leads the way with 16.3 ppg on 49.9 percent shooting from the floor, including 42.6 percent from three- point range. Ard is also an 82 percent free throw shooter and is pulling down 5.3 rpg to rank third on the team. Brian Fisk is netting 15.7 ppg for Lipscomb, and James Poindexter rounds out the trio with 12.2 ppg despite his 38.1 percent shooting from the floor. Fisk and Ard were recently named to the All-Atlantic Sun First Team, and Lipscomb head coach Scott Sanderson was named the A-Sun Coach of the Year.

UTEP is averaging 66.3 ppg this season on 44.4 percent shooting from the field, including 33.8 percent from behind the arc. While those numbers aren't going to scare many opponents, it is clear that the strength of this team is its defense. The Miners are holding opponents to 58.4 ppg on 39.9 percent shooting from the floor, and they have forced well over 400 turnovers. Jason Williams is the top offensive performer for UTEP, as he is netting 14.6 ppg to go along with 7.2 rpg and 94 assists. John Tofi was posting 13.9 ppg and 9.2 rpg through 23 contests, but he was lost for the season with a severe knee injury. Miguel Ayala is the only other active double-digit scorer, as he is contributing 10.5 ppg despite his 38.3 percent shooting from the field. UTEP is outrebounding opponents by an average of 5.2 rpg, but the club isn't nearly as tough on the boards without Tofi.

Go with UTEP tonight, as it has the obvious advantage of playing at home. Regardless, the winning team from this clash doesn't figure to advance past the next round.

Predicted Outcome

Texas El-Paso 68, Lipscomb 57