The New Mexico Lobos take on the Utah State Aggies. Check out our college basketball odds series for our New Mexico Utah State prediction and pick. Find how to watch New Mexico Utah State.
The New Mexico Lobos enter this game with an enormous amoutn of pressure on their backs. They struggled in February and early March of last season. They were in a favorable position for most of last season but managed to somehow miss the NCAA Tournament. New Mexico seemed to have learned its lesson through mid-February of this season, but then a horrible loss at home to Air Force plus a loss to Boise State put UNM in genuine bubble jeopardy.
The Lobos need at least one win before Selection Sunday, probably two. If they win here and then win one game at the Mountain West Tournament, they should be good to go and will reach March Madness. If they win this game, they could lose at the MWC Tournament next week and still have a shot at an at-large bid. They wouldn't sleep peacefully, but they would be in the hunt as opposed to various bubble teams which would have been eliminated.
You get the point: This game could give New Mexico a lot of leverage in the chase for an NCAA bid. Losing this game forces New Mexico to produce at the Mountain West Tournament. The pressure is on coach Richard Pitino, who has to win on the road against the regular-season Mountain West champions, led by coach Danny Sprinkle, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the open head coaching job at the University of Washington. The Huskies have announced they are not bringing back Mike Hopkins.
Here are the New Mexico-Utah State College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: New Mexico-Utah State Odds
New Mexico Lobos: +1.5 (-102)
Utah State Aggies: -1.5 (-120)
Over: 159.5 (-110)
Under: 159.5 (-110)
How To Watch New Mexico vs Utah State
Time: 8:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm PT
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why New Mexico Could Cover the Spread
The Lobos will be hungry and motivated in this game. They know they must do something special if they are to make the NCAA Tournament. They could have just beaten Air Force and made life simple, but they didn't. Now they have to register one more high-quality win. Beating the Mountain West champions on their home floor in front of a hostile crowd would qualify as doing something special. New Mexico needs this game a lot more than Utah State does, and that — in the end — could represent the difference.
Why Utah State Could Cover the Spread
The Aggies will at least share the Mountain West championship and could win it outright with a victory here in this game. Danny Sprinkle has done a tremendous job of assembling, developing, and coaching this roster. It's a team which has blended well all season long, working and communicating at a high level. Why not trust Utah State against a shaky and inconsistent New Mexico team? USU is playing at home and has to feel confident about its chances of winning on senior day.
Final New Mexico-Utah State Prediction & Pick
New Mexico is not playing well. Utah State is playing better. Utah State is at home. The spread is really small. Take Utah State.
Final New Mexico-Utah State Prediction & Pick: Utah State -1.5
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