Subscribe
Follow Us
The Wyoming Cowboys take on the New Mexico Lobos. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Wyoming New Mexico prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Wyoming New Mexico.
This game is a must-win for New Mexico. The Lobos just lost the kind of game a bubble team simply can't afford to lose, falling by a large margin to Air Force on Friday. Bubble teams can't be losing to the lower-tier teams in their conferences, but that's exactly what New Mexico did. The Lobos have become a very weak defensive team and a shaky defensive rebounding team. Opponents are getting good looks, and when those shots don't fall, they are getting rebounds and second-chance points. New Mexico was the last unbeaten team in major college basketball this season, but once the Lobos lost, it was as though they stopped believing they were a good team. UNM hasn't played with nearly the same energy, crispness, and defensive toughness compared to what we saw in November and December. The losses have continued to pile up, and now UNM is fighting for its bubble existence. The Lobos are widely viewed as a last four in team. They don't have a large margin for error. Losing at home to an injury-plagued Wyoming team would be another disaster on par with the Air Force loss. New Mexico simply can't stumble here if it wants to make the Big Dance.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Wyoming-New Mexico College Basketball odds:
College Basketball Odds: Wyoming-New Mexico Odds
Wyoming Cowboys: +10.5 (-120)
New Mexico Lobos: -10.5 (-102)
Over: 147.5 (-110)
Under: 147.5 (-110)
How To Watch Wyoming vs. New Mexico
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: CBSSports.com
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. PT
Article Continues Below
*Watch Wyoming-New Mexico LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Wyoming Could Cover the Spread
This is a cratering New Mexico defense. The Lobos are giving up big point totals on a regular basis. Even when they win, it's usually because their offense, which does have a lot of weapons, is able to continuously score big baskets. The defensive end of the floor has been a mess, with guards losing track of shooters and the bigs not being able to lock down the defensive glass. The Lobos have to be aware of what the problem is, and yet they don't seem to be fixing anything. This points to a flaw which is deeply entrenched and not temporary. This is not a quick fix. It's a flaw which will remain with the team and won't be quickly expunged. That's how Wyoming — which battled New Mexico very robustly in the first meeting between these teams several weeks ago — can cover what is a very large spread.
Why New Mexico Could Cover the Spread
The Lobos' recent losses should motivated them to play better, for one thing. Second, New Mexico knows this is an absolute must-win game. Playing at home, the Lobos should display a lot of fire and energy. They are too talented to continue to play bad basketball on an extended basis. The urgency of the moment should help them to focus better and play at a much higher level.
All of that aside, Wyoming is drowning in injuries. The Cowboys have been dealing with multiple injuries all season long. They recently learned that big man Graham Ike, who has never played this season due to an early-November leg injury, will not return to the lineup this season. Leading scorer Noah Reynolds is out for the rest of the season with an injury. Transfers Ethan Anderson, Max Agbonkpolo, and Jake Kyman were all dismissed from the team earlier this month. This is a team with a thin roster and bench, and it is emotionally exhausted from all the attrition it has endured.
Final Wyoming-New Mexico Prediction & Pick
New Mexico's urgency and Wyoming's ugly roster situation should translate into a UNM blowout win.
Final Wyoming-New Mexico Prediction & Pick: New Mexico -10.5
