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The Mountain West Conference will have the eyes of the college basketball world on them as the Boise State Broncos travel to Southern California to take on the #22-ranked San Diego State Aztecs. Let's check out our College Basketball odds series where our Boise State-San Diego State prediction and pick will be revealed.
Sitting with a very impressive 18-5 record that includes an 8-2 mark in conference play, the Broncos have rattled off eight wins in their previous nine matchups and certainly have enough firepower to take down the Aztecs and gain sole possession of first place in the Mountain West.
When it comes to San Diego State, the Aztecs have been as impressive as it gets despite dropping the last game they played at the hands of the Nevada Wolfpack by a score of 75-66. Nevertheless, this is one of the deepest teams in all of the country and are ready to clash with the Broncos for bragging rights in the Mountain West.
Here are the Boise State-San Diego State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Boise State-San Diego State Odds
Boise State: +5.5 (-110)
San Diego State: -5.5 (-110)
Over: 134.5 (-110)
Under: 134.5 (-110)
How To Watch Boise State vs. San Diego State
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports App
Time: 9:00 ET/ 6:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Boise State Could Cover The Spread
On paper, the biggest advantage that Boise State has over San Diego State is that they have been rather impressive when it comes to covering the spread this season. So far, the Broncos have racked up a gaudy 14-7 record ATS and don't appear to be slowing down any time soon when it comes to making money for bettors.
Of course, this will only come true if Boise State is able to find a way to continue playing a swarming brand of defense that is extremely hard to score against. In their most recent game versus Air Force, the Broncos displayed just that as they held the Falcons to 16% from three-point range and only 52 points total on the night. Without a doubt, this will be a matchup between two defensive heavyweights that strive themselves on stopping their opponents from scoring, so forcing turnovers and making the Aztecs shoot low-percentage shots from the floor will be a must.
In games like these, it is often the best players on your roster that need to rise to the occasion and lead the team to victory. For the Broncos, look no further than the skilled sophomore forward out of Spokane, Washington in Tyson Degenhart to put his mark on this conference clash. In 23 games this season, Boise State's top scorer is averaging 14.4 PPG and is shooting a lethal 54% on his shot attempts. Clearly, Degenhart presents matchups problems down low for the Aztecs and may be the best player on the floor on either side.
Why San Diego State Could Cover The Spread
For many years now, San Diego State has been one of the top basketball programs in the Mountain West Conference due to their fundamentally sound defense, low-tempo offensive possessions, and ability to get to the free-throw line.
Unfortunately for SDSU, the defensive prowess that they are so often equipped with could not be found in the second half versus Nevada as they shot 65% from the floor in the second half en route to the loss. However, consider it just a small bump in the road for an Aztecs squad that is usually pretty dominant on the end of the hardwood.
Most importantly, San Diego State's best chances of covering the spread this evening falls on the shoulders of Matt Bradley and receiving more consistency from his scoring ability. A season ago, it was Bradley that averaged 16.9 PPG but his shooting numbers have slightly dipped this season as he has shot only 34% from the floor in his previous seven games combined. Nevertheless, Bradley is the type of player that can get hot at any given moment. Even in the loss to Nevada, it seemed like Bradley is finally starting to get back on track as he dropped 16 points in 28 minutes of action.
Not only will Bradley need to be on his A-game, but one of the biggest X-factors for the Aztecs in this one comes in the form of two starters in Boise State's lineup having to leave their last game early due to injury. Alas, Naje Smith and Marcus Shaver Jr. both had to depart the contest versus Air Force and are question marks to suit up for play tonight. If that happens to be the case, then the Aztecs should hold a hefty advantage, especially in front of their home fans.
Final Boise State-San Diego State Prediction & Pick
Who is ready to see which Mountain West squad takes firm control of the conference standings lead? With so much on the line in this one, expect the home team in San Diego State to come out with their hair on fire and cover the spread in doing so.
Final Boise State-San Diego State Prediction & Pick: San Diego State -5.5 (-110)
