The visiting Texas El Paso Miners hope to send their backers to the pay window on Saturday as they look to cover the spread at Autry Court against the Rice Owls.

The Owls sit at 5-22 (10-10 ATS) on the season. By comparison, the Miners are currently 15-12 (12-11-2 ATS). Looking to wager on the totals? Rice is 12-6 OU, and Texas El Paso is 12-11 OU.



View Texas El Paso vs Rice Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
Bettors looking to side with Rice in this one found them as 10-point underdogs earlier in the day. Watch for line moves and updates at Sportsbook before gametime.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Owls sit at No. 347 in the current college hoops power poll here at Odds Shark, while the Miners sit at No. 172 on the same chart. The computers running our scores simulations have concluded that the Miners will win this game 66-53.



How They Match Up:
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and Rice has the nation's No. 324-rated offensive output, at 60 PPG. The visiting Miners defense ranks No. 45 allowing on average 60.8 PPG. The Owls FG% has averaged 39.8% so far, less than the Miners marksmen have achieved on the year, 44.1% per game.

Defensively, Texas El Paso features the nation's No. 46-rated defense on the road, allowing 63.4 points per game. Rice, meanwhile, comes in at No. 318 nationally in scoring at home.

Texas El Paso was a 63-53 Sportsbook in their most recent outing at home against Houston. They earned a push of the 10-point spread as favorites. John Bohannon scored 24 points and helped out with 17 rebounds for Texas El Paso on Wednesday, leading the Miners to a 63-53 victory over Houston at Haskins Center.

Rice lost its last outing, a 67-55 result against Southern Methodist on February 27. They covered in that game as a 13-point underdog. Tamir Jackson scored 20 points in a futile effort to lead the Owls to a win (they lost 67-55 to Southern Methodist at Moody Coliseum on Wednesday).


Texas El Paso Miners Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Memphis are 8-2
After playing Houston are 5-5
After a win are 5-5

Rice Owls Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Houston are 4-6
After playing Southern Methodist are 3-7
After a loss are 2-8

A few Miners at Owls trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas El Paso's last 6 games when playing on the road against Rice
Texas El Paso is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Rice
Texas El Paso is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 games on the road
Texas El Paso is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Rice's last 10 games
Rice is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Texas El Paso
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Rice's last 6 games when playing at home against Texas El Paso
Rice is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Texas El Paso


Next up:
Texas El Paso home to Memphis, Tuesday, March 5
Rice at Houston, Wednesday, March 6