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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a San Jose State-UNLV prediction and pick. Find out how to watch San Jose State-UNLV.
Mountain West college basketball is not for the faint of heart. This is a cutthroat conference in which nearly every game and opponent is difficult to handle. San Jose State can relate to this reality. The Spartans took Boise State down to the wire a week ago but lost by two. Then they had to come back to the court a few days later on New Year's Eve, and Colorado State jumped them. There are no breathers and no gimmies in this conference. Teams have to regather and refocus every few days and make sure they come prepared with the right energy and clarity. One loss and a weeklong depression can easily turn into three or four losses and send a season spiraling downward. This is the brutal fact of life in the Mountain West.
San Jose State is trying to find its footing. UNLV has been playing well of late, but the Rebels still face a steep uphill climb in the push for an NCAA Tournament bid. UNLV just beat Fresno State and Air Force. Winning is good, but wins over the weak links in the Mountain West won't improve UNLV's resume to the extent that's needed for an NCAA bid. Beating San Jose State won't do that, either, but UNLV has to stack wins against the lower half of the Mountain West and then add even more wins against the top half of the conference. The Rebels will need at least a top-three finish in the Mountain West, if not top-two, to make a serious run at an at-large bid for March Madness. Right now, they are not particularly close to that conversation. They have a ton of work to do. They have to go on a major roll and then see where they stand at the end of January.
San Jose State versus UNLV is a game with two desperate teams who need to win here so that when they play even tougher teams in the Mountain West, they won't be burdened by the feeling that the world is crashing down on them. These teams have to get wins when and where they can.
Here are the San Jose State-UNLV College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: San Jose State-UNLV Odds
San Jose State: +10.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +440
UNLV: -10.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -610
Over: 138.5 (-110)
Under: 138.5 (-110)
How to Watch San Jose State vs UNLV
Time: 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT
TV: Mountain West Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why San Jose State Will Cover The Spread/Win
The spread is really large for a UNLV team which is not likely to make the NCAA Tournament. Simply stop and think about that point: A non-NCAA Tournament team is giving — not getting — a double-digit spread in a conference game, and the opponent is generally competitive, good enough to take a solid Boise State team to the final horn a week ago in a two-point game. That's an eye-opening spread, one SJSU should cover.
Why UNLV Will Cover The Spread/Win
UNLV is playing well and is at home here. The Rebels might be finally playing to their potential, in which case they should cover.
Final San Jose State-UNLV Prediction & Pick
We think the spread is 3-4 points too big. Take San Jose State.
Final San Jose State-UNLV Prediction & Pick: San Jose State +10.5
