Preview: UTEP Miners at Seattle Redhawks SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Seattle Redhawks, riding a wave of early-season success, will host the struggling UTEP Miners in a non-conference men’s basketball game Sunday at Key Arena. Seattle (6-2) enters with momentum after a dominant 97-43 victory over Division III Puget Sound on Wednesday. The Redhawks have won five of their last six, including a notable 77-69 road win at Stanford on Nov. 21. Their two losses came by a combined five points. UTEP (3-4) looks to snap a three-game skid, most recently a 75-59 loss at UAB on Nov. 25. The Miners’ victories have come against lower-division opponents UT Permian Basin and Western New Mexico, plus a narrow overtime win against St. Thomas. A key matchup will feature each team’s emerging scorer. For UTEP, guard Elijah Jones has been a bright spot, averaging 13.8 points per game. He is coming off a 21-point performance at UAB and has scored in double figures in five straight contests. Seattle counters with guard Jojo Murphy, who erupted for 18 points in just 25 minutes against Puget Sound. Murphy has provided efficient scoring off the bench, reaching double figures in three games this season. The Redhawks have showcased a balanced attack. In the win over Puget Sound, Ray Adams added 11 points and Austin Maurer scored 10. UTEP will need more consistent support for Jones; Kaseem Watson (13 points vs. UAB) is a candidate. This game begins a critical stretch for both teams. Following this contest, Seattle will face in-state rival Washington on Dec. 19 before a challenging West Coast Conference slate. UTEP embarks on a two-game Hawaii trip before opening Conference USA play in late December. The Miners will need to solve their offensive woes, having failed to reach 65 points in four of their last five games against Division I competition. Seattle’s defense, which has held three opponents under 70 points, will look to extend that trend. Tip-off is set for Sunday afternoon at Key Arena.