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The Creighton Bluejays take on the UNLV Rebels. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Creighton UNLV prediction and pick. Find how to watch Creighton UNLV.
The Creighton Bluejays have played only one bad basketball game this season, but it was a really bad game. The Bluejays were crushed by Colorado State, 69-48, in one of those games where nothing went right at all. Not scoring 50 points is hard to believe for a team with Creighton's talent, diversity, and inside-outside balance. The Jays have shooters. They have a shot-blocking, rebounding big man — Ryan Kalkbrenner — who relieves defensive pressure from his four teammates. They can win in the paint and on the perimeter. They have the tools to become a Final Four contender. Moreover, they were a Final Four contender last year, coming one basket short of that goal against San Diego State in the Elite Eight.
When a very good team has a very bad game, the key point is to see how that team responds. Creighton has been very, very strong since that Colorado State clunker, winning multiple games emphatically and relieving a lot of worries in the locker room. Creighton has every reason to think it can make a real run in the Big East Conference and put itself in position to be a threat in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
UNLV is authoring a very different story compared to Creighton. The Rebels have lost three of their last four games and have lost four games this season. Coach Kevin Kruger — the son of former UNLV coach Lon Kruger, who made two Final Fours in a long and highly successful career — has not been able to find the right formula in Las Vegas for a program which is stumbling around and lacking a winning identity. A win over Creighton would dramatically change the narrative — and the mood — surrounding this UNLV program, which is yearning for a return to the Jerry Tarkanian days but is nowhere close to achieving that kind of restoration.
Here are the Creighton-UNLV College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Creighton-UNLV Odds
Creighton Bluejays: -12.5 (-115)
UNLV Rebels: +12.5 (-105)
Over: 148.5 (-115)
Under: 148.5 (-105)
How To Watch Creighton vs UNLV
Time: 9:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm PT
TV: CBS Sports Network
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Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Creighton Could Cover the Spread
The Bluejays have been sharp since the Colorado State game. That 21-point loss might have scared away a lot of bettors, but since then, Creighton has won decisively and in very convincing fashion. Bettors should feel they can go back to the Bluejays, whose talent is evident and has in fact delivered strong results, as shown by the Elite Eight run last season. It's not wild speculation to say that Creighton could be good. Creighton came within an eyelash of the Final Four last season and has key pieces of that roster on this season's team.
Also: UNLV isn't very good and is not going to stand up to Creighton.
Why UNLV Could Cover the Spread
The Rebels know this game is a huge moment in their season. It's the kind of moment in which a mediocre, struggling team goes all-out and tries to make a big statement. No, UNLV is not as good as Creighton, but in college hoops, you only have to be better on one night for 40 minutes. UNLV, playing at home, can spring the upset by playing its best game of the year.
Final Creighton-UNLV Prediction & Pick
Creighton is far, far better than UNLV, and playing on the road won't change that. Take Creighton.
Final Creighton-UNLV Prediction & Pick: Creighton -12.5
