Nevada Wolf Pack vs UNLV Runnin’ Rebels Betting Pick & Prediction 2/17/24

Looking to win big? The Wolf Pack and Runnin’ Rebels face off at 11:30 ET on CBSS. The Runnin’ Rebels are hosting the game at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV. The over/under for this Mountain West conference contest is set at 139.5 points, with UNLV being favored by -1.5 at home against Nevada.

NEVADA WOLF PACK VS UNLV RUNNIN’ REBELS BETTING PICK

The Pick: UNLV Runnin’ Rebels -1.5

This game will be played at Thomas & Mack Center at 11:30 ET on Saturday, February 17th.

WHY BET THE UNLV RUNNIN’ REBELS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Runnin’ Rebels.
• Not only will UNLV pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 139.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Will the Nevada Defense Show Up on the Road?

Despite being the underdog, Nevada has been solid on the road this season with a +1.5 average scoring margin. Overall, they have gone 7-4 on the road compared to 12-2 at home.

Over their last 10 road games, the Wolf Pack have gone 6-4, but they are coming off a 1-point loss to New Mexico. On the season, they have a record of 19-6 compared to UNLV’s 12-11 mark.

As the underdog, Nevada has gone 3-2 vs. the spread this season and they are 15-10 overall. On the road, their ATS record is 7-4 and over their last 10 road games, they are 6-4 vs. the spread. Their ATS mark over their last three road contests is 1-2.

Today’s over/under line of 139.5 is lower than the average over/under line in Nevada’s games this season (144.2). This year, the over/under record in their games is 10-15. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 146 points. So far this season, 12 of their games have finished with more points than today’s over/under line of 139.5.

Nevada is fresh off a strong offensive showing, putting up 82 points versus New Mexico. This output is higher than their season-average of 76.5 points per game. One area that the Nevada offense has been good this season is getting to the line. Currently, they are 11th in free-throw attempts per contest. Overall, they have a field goal percentage of 47%.

So far, the Wolf Pack’s defense is ranked 53rd in the country at 66.8 points per contest. Nevada’s three-point defense is currently 137th in the country at 7.1 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 39.8% of their shots vs. Nevada.

Will UNLV Make it Happen at Home?

UNLV comes into this game as the favorite, as they have been in 11 of their 23 games this season. Their record as the favorite is 8-3, and they have gone 7-6 at home this season. Their average scoring margin at home is +1.8, and they have won their last two games at home.

Overall, UNLV is 14-9 this season, and they have won five straight games. In their last game, they defeated Fresno State by a score of 67-65. Over their last 10 games at home, they have gone 7-3, and their record in Mountain West Conference play is 7-4.

As the favorite this season, UNLV has gone 6-5 against the spread. At home, their ATS record is 8-5. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Runnin’ Rebels have gone 6-4 vs. the spread.

This season, the over/under record for UNLV games is 12-8, and today’s line of 139.5 is similar to their season average of 143.8. So far, 13 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 132 points.

In contrast to their season average of 75 points per game, the UNLV had a below average performance. They scored 67 points against Fresno State and had a field goal percentage of 54.5%. For the season, the UNLV offense has been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the NCAA with a field goal percentage of 47%. So far, they have hit 54% of their looks from inside the arc, and are averaging 6.9 made three’s per contest.

At present, the Runnin’ Rebels’ defense is nationally ranked 113rd, allowing 69.8 points per game. So far, the UNLV defense is giving up an average of 9.0 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 9.9 times per game (404th).