UNLV Runnin’ Rebels vs Air Force Falcons NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24

Betting on today’s Runnin’ Rebels and Falcons game? Catch the action at Clune Arena in Colorado Springs, CO, as the Falcons hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on MWN. UNLV come into this Mountain West conference matchup as the -7.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 133 points.

UNLV RUNNIN’ REBELS VS AIR FORCE FALCONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Air Force Falcons +7.5

This game will be played at Clune Arena at 4:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE AIR FORCE FALCONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Falcons.
• Not only will Air Force pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +7.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 133 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Will UNLV Be The Talk of Clune Arena?

UNLV improved to 7-5 on the season with an 87-77 home win over Fresno State on Saturday, December 28th. The Runnin’ Rebels entered the game as -15.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 164, surpassing the over/under line of 144.5.

UNLV took control early, leading 48-30 at halftime, but allowed Fresno State to score 47 points in the second half while putting up 39 points of their own.

UNLV’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 87 points while shooting 53.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 61.5%, thanks to hitting 61% of their two-point attempts and 41.7% from beyond the arc, making 10 threes.

Dedan Thomas Jr. led the way with 21 points and 6 assists, while Jasir Tremble knocked down 5 threes, shooting 71.4% from deep. Mykell Robinson added 18 points and 7 assists, and Jailen Bedford contributed 18 points in just 15 minutes, hitting 3 of 4 from three-point range.

UNLV’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 77 points on 53% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 61% of their two-point attempts, as they went 25/41 inside the arc.

From three-point range, UNLV’s opponent shot 41%, connecting on 10 of 24 attempts. They also sent them to the free-throw line 9 times, where they made 7 free throws for 77%. UNLV gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Do the Falcons Have What it Takes to Win as Home Underdogs?

Air Force Falcons Recent Game/Games

The Falcons dropped to 3-9 on the season after a 77-59 road loss to Boise State on Saturday. Air Force entered the game as +20.5 point underdogs but managed to cover the spread.

Air Force trailed 32-31 at halftime but allowed 45 points in the 2nd half while scoring just 28. The total points for the game ended at 136, just over the 135.5 O/U line.

Air Force put up 59 points in their last game, shooting 54.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 61.9%. They connected on 46.7% of their threes, going 7-for-15, and hit 59.3% of their two-point attempts. However, their free-throw shooting was a struggle, as they made just 6 of 13 attempts, a 46.2% rate.

Offensive rebounding was limited, with only 3 boards, and they dished out 10 assists. Tyson Degenhart led the way, shooting 7-for-10 overall and 1-for-1 from deep, finishing with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Luke Kearney added 16 points, hitting 4 of 6 threes, while Alvaro Cardenas contributed 15 points and 12 assists, despite shooting just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.

Air Force struggled defensively, giving up 77 points on 53% shooting from the field. Their interior defense was particularly vulnerable, allowing the opposing team to hit 63% of their two-point attempts, going 26/41.

From beyond the arc, Air Force held their opponent to just 23% shooting, with only 3 made threes on 13 attempts. However, they sent the other team to the line 21 times, where they converted 16 free throws for a 76% success rate. Air Force also gave up 10 offensive rebounds.