LYNCHBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt slides and break free from the middle of the Conference USA standings will meet Thursday when the Liberty Lady Flames host the UTEP Miners in a women’s basketball matchup. The game at the Vines Center pits Liberty (11-11, 4-5 CUSA) against UTEP (10-12, 3-6) in a rematch of a Jan. 4 contest won decisively by the Lady Flames, 86-66, in El Paso. Both teams enter on losing streaks, with UTEP dropping four straight and Liberty coming off a road loss. Liberty will lean on forward Ify Nwaobi, who has been a consistent force. She is coming off a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double in the loss to Kennesaw State and has recorded two double-doubles in her last three games, adding significant rim protection with multiple blocks in each of those contests. For UTEP, guard Delma Zita is a key player to watch. She led the Miners with 12 points and four assists in their most recent outing, a 70-58 home loss to Sam Houston. UTEP’s struggles have been marked by offensive inconsistency, including a 48-point performance in a lopsided loss to Louisiana Tech last week. The Lady Flames have found more success at home in conference play, while UTEP has struggled on the road, losing its last four away games by an average of 24 points. Containing Nwaobi inside will be a primary challenge for a UTEP defense that has allowed an average of 74 points during its current skid. Thursday’s result could provide crucial momentum heading into the final weeks of the regular season. Liberty visits Missouri State next, while UTEP travels to face Delaware on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern.