There is one area where the UTEP men's basketball team is getting a ton of respect, but unfortunately for the Miners it doesn't matter much any more.
Wednesday afternoon's RPI (ratings percentage index), the metric used by the NCAA selection committee prior to last season, has the Miners No. 1 in the nation, one spot ahead of defending national champion Virginia.
The RPI is 50 percent opponents record, 25 percent the record of the opponents' opponents, and 25 percent winning percentage. It has 4-0 UTEP as 2-0 since it doesn't count games against Division II opponents such as New Mexico Highlands, Eastern New Mexico and East Central Oklahoma.