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The Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Nevada Wolf Pack. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Fresno State Nevada prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Fresno State Nevada.
This game is a must-have for Nevada. It's also a game Nevada should definitely win. Nevada is playing its best basketball of the year, having recently defeated New Mexico twice and San Diego State at home in Reno. The Wolf Pack are coming off a thrilling win in Albuquerque against New Mexico. They swept the season series from the Lobos and won a bubble battle in The Pit. Nevada is probably now the third Mountain West team which is in the NCAA Tournament field, behind San Diego State and Boise State. New Mexico is closer to the bubble than Nevada at this point, and Utah State is definitely on the outside looking in. Nevada is probably going to be part of the NCAA Tournament … but if it loses to a below-average Fresno State team at home, that could all change, and the Wolf Pack would instantly fall back to the middle of the bubble.
As long as Nevada wins this and the other games it is expected to win versus the middle and lower tiers of the Mountain West, it should make the NCAA Tournament.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Fresno State-Nevada College Basketball odds:
College Basketball Odds: Fresno State-Nevada Odds
Fresno State Bulldogs: +8.5 (-102)
Nevada Wolf Pack: -8.5 (-120)
Over: 131.5 (-115)
Under: 131.5 (-105)
How To Watch Fresno State vs. Nevada
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports app
Time: 11:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. PT
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*Watch Fresno State-Nevada LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Fresno State Could Cover the Spread
The Bulldogs aren't a particularly good team, but they have definitely thrown a monkey wrench into the plans of other Mountain West teams this season. They beat New Mexico and gave the Lobos their first loss of the season. They swept UNLV. They don't usually win, but they are regularly competitive and they play really good defense. They have a notable nonconference win over UC Irvine on their resume. They narrowly lost to Washington. They don't have to win this game to cover the spread. If they lose by eight points, they would cover. That gives this team some breathing room.
Nevada is playing well, but the Wolf Pack just won a very emotional and close game against New Mexico, and now have to play on a Friday instead of on Saturday, creating a shorter turnaround. The Wolf Pack are bound to have a letdown, a game in which they don't play with maximum energy and intensity. That's not a verdict or judgment on the Wolf Pack and how they play; that's a reflection of the reality that no two games will ever be played with the exact same level of enthusiasm and speed.
Why Nevada Could Cover the Spread
This Nevada team is playing well and feeling confident. You can see it in how this team goes about its business. Nevada had not had a big-time road win on its resume heading into Albuquerque for the New Mexico game earlier this week. The Wolf Pack took charge midway through the game and led for most of the second half. They briefly fell behind but instantly answered in the final three minutes to prevail. Jerod Lucas, the transfer from Oregon State, is hitting big shot after big shot for Nevada. His teammates don't have to do everything because they know Lucas can get important baskets. The work distribution on this team is ideal, and with big man Will Baker playing well, Nevada has inside-outside balance with Lucas on the perimeter.
Final Fresno State-Nevada Prediction & Pick
This should be one-way traffic for Nevada, a clearly better team playing at home.
Final Fresno State-Nevada Prediction & Pick: Nevada -8.5
