Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros vs Nebraska Cornhuskers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/4/24

Looking to win big? The Vaqueros and Cornhuskers face off at 8:00 ET on B1G+. The Cornhuskers are hosting the game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE. The over/under for this game is set at 149 points, and Nebraska is favored by -23.5 against Texas-Rio Grande Valley in a non-conference matchup.

TEXAS-RIO GRANDE VALLEY VAQUEROS VS NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros +23.5

This game will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena at 8:00 ET on Monday, November 4th.

WHY BET THE TEXAS-RIO GRANDE VALLEY VAQUEROS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-68 in favor of the Cornhuskers.
  • Even though we have Nebraska winning straight-up, we like Texas-Rio Grande Valley at +23.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 149 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Will the Vaqueros Pull Through as the Away Underdog?

Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros Records

Last season, the Vaqueros finished with a 4-25 overall record, including a 2-18 mark in Southland Conference play. At home, they went 3-12 with an average scoring margin of -8.4 points per game. On the road, they posted a 1-13 record, losing by an average of 16.9 points per game.

Against the spread, UTRGV was 8-21, with a 6-8 record in road games. They were favored twice, going 1-1 straight-up but 0-2 ATS. As underdogs, they were 3-24 straight-up and 8-19 ATS. Their over/under record was 15-14, with their games averaging 149 points per game.

Last season, Texas-Rio Grande Valley averaged 70.4 points per game, ranking 45th in possessions per game with 70. Despite their fast pace, the Vaqueros struggled with shooting efficiency, finishing 346th in field goal percentage (41%) and 384th in effective field goal percentage (46%). They made just 5.2 three-pointers per game, shooting 29% from beyond the arc, which ranked 396th nationally. However, they excelled at getting to the free-throw line, making 16.5 free throws per game, good for 31st in the country.

Cliff Davis and Hasan Abdul Hakim are the top returning players for UTRGV. Davis averaged 13.7 points per game last season, while Abdul Hakim contributed 13.2 points and 3.5 assists per game. Abdul Hakim also added 5.2 rebounds per contest.

Last season, Texas-Rio Grande Valley struggled defensively, allowing 79.8 points per game, which ranked 325th in the nation. They were more effective in defending the three, holding opponents to 30.6% shooting, placing them 121st in that category.

The Vaqueros averaged 8.1 steals per game, ranking 48th nationally, but they allowed 19.9 free throws per game, ranking 239th. They also averaged 3 blocks per game, placing them 257th in the country.

Are Nebraska Ready for a Home Win?

Nebraska Cornhuskers Records

Last season, Nebraska finished with a 23-10 overall record, going 13-9 in Big Ten play. At home, they were dominant, posting a 19-1 record with an average scoring margin of +14.4 points per game. However, they struggled on the road, going 4-9 with a -3.1 average scoring margin.

Against the spread, the Cornhuskers were 21-11, and they went 16-3 at home. As the favorite, they were 19-1 straight-up and 16-3 ATS. Their average over/under line was 147.4 points, and their games averaged 147.7 points per game, resulting in a 22-11 O/U record.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Offense Stats

Last season, Nebraska averaged 77.6 points per game, ranking 146th in possessions per game with 66. They shot 45% from the field (162nd) and had an effective field goal percentage of 53% (95th). The Cornhuskers made 9.5 three-pointers per game, ranking 26th, and attempted 26.4 threes per game, ranking 29th. They shot 35% from beyond the arc, placing 102nd. From the free-throw line, they made 14.5 per game, ranking 137th.

Nebraska Cornhuskers Top Returning Offensive Players

Brice Williams returns after averaging 13.1 points, 2.4 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Andrew Morgan also returns, having averaged 12.9 points and 5 rebounds per game.

Nebraska ranked 112th in points allowed last season, giving up 70.1 per game. Opponents shot 31.7% from three-point range against them, placing Nebraska 177th in that category. They also allowed 17.3 free throws per game, ranking 125th in the nation.

The Cornhuskers averaged 6.3 steals per game, ranking 193rd, and blocked 2.6 shots per game, placing them 301st in the country.