The New Mexico Lobos take on the Wyoming Cowboys. Check out our college basketball odds series for our New Mexico Wyoming prediction and pick.

The New Mexico Lobos have become one of the breakout teams and national surprises in college basketball this year. The Lobos are one of only three unbeaten teams left in college hoops, along with the Purdue Boilermakers and UConn Huskies, the top two teams in the national rankings. New Mexico coach Richard Pitino is pushing all the right buttons. He also has elite guards, particularly Jaelen House, who is averaging over 17 points and five assists per game. He is a capable scorer but also a willing passer. He can shoulder the burden for the offense but is happy to set up his teammates and create good shot opportunities for players other than himself. That's a great package of characteristics for a star guard to have. It makes New Mexico's offense so potent, and it helps this team score in close, tense, late-game situations, which is a must for success at the highest levels of college basketball.

New Mexico has some good wins as part of its portfolio. The Lobos beat Saint Mary's on the road. They defeated Iona, San Francisco, and then Colorado State in recent weeks. They're just really good. We keep waiting for them to stumble, and it just doesn't happen … but now comes conference play on the road. Can the Lobos pass this latest test?

Here are the New Mexico-Wyoming College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: New Mexico-Wyoming Odds

New Mexico Lobos: -2.5 (-102)

Wyoming Cowboys: +2.5 (-120)

Over: 144.5 (-114)

Under: 144.5 (-106)

Why New Mexico Could Cover the Spread

The Lobos are unbeaten. They're really good. Beyond that obvious point, New Mexico has great guardplay. The Lobos have players who know what to do with the ball, are comfortable taking the big shot, and are willing to get teammates involved. The balance of the roster makes sense. Players know their roles and responsibilities and generally fit together. Talent and skill are necessary, and no one is suggesting that those attributes should be diminished or downgraded when evaluating a team, but it also remains that talent and skill have to fit within a team concept and the makeup of individual players. New Mexico has that level of integration and cohesion on its team, and that's why the Lobos are so successful. They will be patient and disciplined at both ends of the court when a game gets tight.

The other point to make is that Wyoming just isn't good. Eight losses and the injury to Graham Ike have marked the Cowboys as a below-average team. It hasn't been playing at full capacity, but at some point, reality simply has to be allowed to exist. One can't pretend the Cowboys are a good team. They're not ready for New Mexico and what the Lobos bring to the court.

Why Wyoming Could Cover the Spread

The reality of road conference games will make this game close. You might be wondering why New Mexico is such a slight favorite when it is unbeaten and Wyoming has eight losses. Road conference games tell the tale. Tennessee very nearly lost to Ole Miss on the road, even though the talent disparity between those teams is considerable. UNLV lost on the road to San Jose State, even though the Runnin' Rebels lost only one game entering that clash earlier this week in the Mountain West. Road conference games are simply a different beast, and Wyoming will treat this game as its Super Bowl.

New Mexico is formidable, but the Lobos are going to get tripped up by a road trip in the Mountain West. Why not this one?

Final New Mexico-Wyoming Prediction & Pick

New Mexico has the guards and the blended roster which will stave off any challenge Wyoming offers.

Final New Mexico-Wyoming Prediction & Pick: New Mexico -2.5