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A Mountain West showdown with major implications on the line this Valentine's Day as the San Jose State Spartans take on the UNLV Rebels for some conference play. Join us for our college basketball odds series where our San Jose State-UNLV prediction and pick will be made.
Entering play with a 15-10 record including a 6-6 mark in conference play, the San Jose Spartans will look to put a firm grasp on where they sit in the standings after they were able to nab a critical home victory over Utah State on Saturday.
On the other side of things, UNLV is neck and neck with San Jose State as they are only 1.5 games back of the Spartans heading into the last month of conference play. Winners in four of their previous six games, do the Rebels have what it takes to secure a big-time home win versus a conference foe?
Here are the San Jose State-UNLV college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: San Jose State-UNLV Odds
San Jose State: +6.5 (-118)
UNLV: -6.5 (-104)
Over: 141.5 (-110)
Under: 141.5 (-110)
How To Watch San Jose State vs. UNLV
TV: fubotv
Stream: CBS Sports App
Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why San Jose State Could Cover The Spread
Article Continues Below
First things first, San Jose State has struggled on the road so far this season as they marched to the beat of a 3-7 record away from home, but by no means does this mean the Spartans can't find a way to cover the spread in Las Vegas. The good news is that SJSU has compiled a 16-8 record ATS, and there are many reasons to believe that this type of success will continue this evening.
To begin, the Spartans calling card all season long has been their ability to corral rebounds at a feverish rate. With 37.2 rebounds per contest thus far, San Jose State often is able to attack their opponents with second-chance points and also by not allowing offensive rebounds on the other end of the floor. In going against a UNLV squad that is slightly undersized, this is one advantage that the Spartans should hold over the Rebels.
Most importantly, SJSU does not average as many points as UNLV does, so they will need to create havoc defensively at all times. Alas, this includes forcing the Rebels to turn the basketball over and forcing them to shoot low-percentage shots throughout both halves of play. On paper, San Jose State does give up only 66 PPG, so this will be an intriguing matchup to be on the lookout for.
Of course, the dynamic play of junior guard Omari Moore could be the reason for covering the spread, as you can make the argument that the talented hooper is the best player on the floor on either side. Coming off of a gritty 27-point performance, Moore will be a name to watch for if you are planning on putting a few dollars on San Jose State tonight.
Why UNLV Could Cover The Spread
Although UNLV has not been as impressive as SJSU when it comes to covering the spread this season, the Rebels have found vast success within the confines of their home building with an 8-5 record overall. While the Rebels went down in defeat at the hands of the Fresno State Bulldogs the last time they played in front of their home fans, UNLV will be determined to get back in the win column at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The main ingredient that the Rebels will need to cook up in order to cover the spread will come in the form of a high-octane offense that is extremely difficult to slow down. In fact, the Rebels have managed to score at least 70 points in six of their previous nine games and are led by Oklahoma transfer E.J. Harkless who is averaging a career-high 18.3 PPG as the go-to guy among the Rebels' offensive onslaught. Not to mention, but Harkless has been UNLV's leading scorer in the past seven games and will be the focal point of this team's ability to get the job done on Valentine's Day.
If there is one X-Factor to keep an eye out for, it will prove to be the active hands defensively on this UNLV roster. While the Rebels don't appear to have the same sustainability on the defensive end of the floor, they sure know how to record steals at the most critical of moments. Whether it's following the opening tip-off or down the stretch in the closing moments with the game on the line, the Rebels are averaging a whopping 9.5 steals per game. If this competitive contest comes down to the wire, this will be an area where UNLV can shine in the brightest of ways.
Final San Jose State-UNLV Prediction & Pick
As evenly matched as these pair of conference foes appear to be on paper, it is wise to side with the home team in UNLV to find ways to get the job done en route to a covering of the spread.
Final San Jose State-UNLV Prediction & Pick: UNLV -6.5 (-104)
